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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

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.

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