AHP (A HERITAGE PARTY)

The AHP family

The Advocates for Heritage Preservation celebrated it very first Christmas Party at Barbara's in Intramuros on Sunday, 18 December, 2016. What happens when you get at least seventy individuals who have a shared passion for heritage?  If you think, people who appreciate the value of ancestral homes, ancient sites and magnificent churches have boring, stuffy celebrations... you are sadly mistaken!

Tito Encarnacion, Earl Gamboa, Jigs Medina, Faviola Torres, Ace Burwell, Jose Benigno Salvador, Mark Fule, Me*

We were meant to have a party last year, which did not materialize. This year, Tito Encarnacion rallied the members to push through with the event. The word spread like wild fire. And before we all knew it, the event had transformed into a costume party for everyone to come in Filipiniana attire. 

The women of AHP

Dennis Roland Castanos

Prior to the event, board members of the Dakila'ng Pamana ng Lahi met at the adjacent Ristorante del Mitre to discuss our position paper on the destruction of some heritage sites in Manila. You see, we don't just admire these sites we visit, we also try to preserve and protect them by playing an active role in these localities. Present at the meeting were Tito Encarnacion and Aye Encarnacion, Ka Lino Atienza and Mye Atienza, Febe Sevilla, Tim Delez, Lito Ligon and myself. By a quarter before six, we had to adjourn as we had started to observe some members of AHP arriving in full regalia.

Lea Amante Villapando

Now normally, we visit areas in our now identifiable yellow gold tees and we make a statement to local governments that: "hey, we're watching you preserve heritage sites!" This time around, everybody was dressed to the nines. It was difficult identifying the attendees at times because they actually looked... well... different...

Alice De Vera Vasquez and son*

Orven Cataniag

I had arrived in gym attire just in case no one was in the agreed costume. I'm glad I packed my costume lest I look out of place. When I got to the venue I saw friends groomed and manicured; glamorized and stylized; be-jewelled and be-dazzled.Was I going to be left out? I had to give in. Quick Change...and voila, instant Cinderella transformation!! Tim Delez and Lito Ligon had acted as official photographers. But this being an AHP gathering, selfies, groupies, shoefies and costumefies were de-rigeur.

the Magbubukid group*

The first person I saw taking shots was Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols in a formal black gown with a butterfly sleeved bolero in jusi and an accent choker dripping in mother of pearl. Precy Vivar Quinto arrived much later in a little black dress version When i went upstairs, Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador, who was the evening's host, was in an all white sack linen ensemble with a maroon insert and a mis-matched pair of bakya (wooden clogs). What a statement on his footwear! Faviola Torres (utility LGBT) was in a black and white Barong Tagalog and black trousers. Madam Pheeyah Salones was in a purple terno which was heavily embroidered in colorful blooms. That convinced me to get dressed!

the Mindanao Group*

People started arriving randomly in pairs or in groups but they were garbed in native dress. The group of Rheeza Hernandez (the co-host) were in rural Bulacan attire. The San Pablo contingent of Mark Fule, Naning Esguerra, Earl Gamboa were dapper in their callado pina Barongs. Maricar Anatalio, Esquierdo Bhel Asinas, Marichelle Santos and the rest of the "tribal" group were either in ikat, hablon or malongs and tons of beads.  Vica Tigno and Bing Tubid were in patadyong. The Kultura Filipina Dancers (composed mainly of students) provided a suite of indigenous dances representing Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Ace Burwell, Faviola Torres took a jab at Tinikling ( native dance set to bamboo clappers. Then photo ops with the dancers took place.      

Group pic with Alice de Vera Vasquez and son, Vica Tigno, Maricar Anatalio, Dennis Rloand Castanos, Mary Grace Artuz, Marizelle Agapito, Emy Emerald, Claro Viloria, etc.

Out of the official roster of guests indicated below, only a few could not make it to the event. But here are the names of those who made the evening memorable:

Annie and Jayce Obeya, Allan Martinez, Aye and Tito Encarnacion, Ding and Pheeyah Salones, Bhel Asinas*

1) Agapito, Marizelle

2) Anatalio, Maricar 

3) Artuz, Maria Grace 

4) Asinas, Bhel 

5) Atienza, Lino 

6) Atienza, Mye 

7) Basco, Mark 

8) Bernardo, Johnson 

9) Bolislis, Ferdi 

10) Castanos, Dennis 

11) Cejar, Arlene 

12) Cejar, Czar 

13) Cejar, Jonny 

14) Cejar, Lord

15) Cejar, Prince 

16) Delez, Marlene 

17) Delez, Tim 

18) Delez, Trishka

19) Dulay, Emy 

20) Dulay, Joem 

21) Encarnacion, Aye 

22) Encarnacion, Tito 

23) Escartin, Dodie 

24) Escartin, Corinne 

25) Esguerra, Naning 

26) Faustino, Dominic 

27) Fule, Mark 

28) Gamboa, Earl 

29) Garcia, Arthur 

30) Gonzales, Gema 

31) Gorme, Jhon 

32) Hernandez, Jonathan 

33) Hernandez, Rheeza 

34) Lapira, Addel 

35) Ligon, Lito 

36) Limbo, Ruel 

37) Marasigan, Zaldy 

38) Maristany, Dennis 

39) Martinez, Allan 

40) Mateos, Lorenzo 

41) Medina, Jigs 

42) Morales, Alejandro 

43) Nuqui, Del 

44) Obeya, Annie Grace 

45) Rafols, Anthony Lloyd 

46) Roldan, Anette*

47) Rosero, Earl 

48) Salones, Pheeyah 

49) Salones, Pheeyah 

50) Salvador, Jose Benigno 

51) Santos, Joyce 

52) Santos, Marichelle 

53) Sevilla, Febe 

54) Tigno, Vica 

55) Torres, Faviola 

56) Tubid, Bing

57) Vasquez, Alice 

58) Villapando, Lea Amante 

59) Viloria, Claro 

60) Viola, Maria Santos 

Myself, Jonathan and Rheeza Hernandez, Marichelle Santos, Bing Tubid, Orven Cataniag

Jigs Medina, Jose Benigno Salvador, Mark Fule, Febe Sevilla, Naning Esguerra

1) Abellera, John Paul
2) Aranilla, Jojie
3) Burwell, Ace
4) Caminade, Bunny
5) Coscolluela, Ana David
6) Cruz, Chi-chi
7) De Los Reyes, Susan
8) Galvez, Jennifer
9) Galvez, Noel
10) Jusi, Joel
11) Jusi, Ma. Dulce
12) Jusi, Jannah Aleeza
13) Martinez, Fely P.
14) Obeya, Jace
15) Quinto, Precy Vivar
16) Raymundo, Melchor
17) Ver, Maricris 

the Tribal Group with Maricar Anatalio and Lea Amante Villapando*

Tito Encarnacion and Ka Lino Atienza delivered very short speeches  to announce next year's protest against the demolition of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and to kick of the rest of the evening's activities. Some generous members, donated prizes for a raffle draw that proved to be the highlight of the evening. Some people actually burned off what they ate from the sumptuous dinner buffet from laughing so hard at the antics of the trio of Jose Benigno Salvador, Rheeza Hernandez and Faviola Torres. Keepsakes, gift items and precious coffee table books were given away to lucky winners.

L-R: Pheeyah Salones, Faviola Torres, Myself, Bing Tubid, Jigs Medina, Bhel Asinas, Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols*

The announcement of the Best in Costume winners was the highlight of the evening. Leah Amante Villapando and Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols were the big winners having won books as well. While Pheeyah Salones and myself lorded it over everyone else as the party's Hermana and Hermano Mayor. On a personal note, I think we will be facing a dilemma for next Christmas... How on earth are we gonna top all this fun?

L-R: Pheeyah Salones, Lea Amante Villapando, the author, Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols*

Merry Christmas to my readers and followers!!!!

my photo edited by Bhel Esquierdo Asinas*

*photos used in this article were taken by Tim Delez, Lito Ligon, Jonathan Hernandez, Mitoy Orosa, et. al.