Viajeroking: 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?