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Sta. Rosa de Lima
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The Covid -19 pandemic has taken its toll on everybody. It's a great equalizer. Families whether rich or poor in whatever community it decides to rear its ugly head in, has suffered from its fatal effects. Others have been more fortunate to have kept their families intact. For those like me, who has suffered the loss of a dear one, we try our best to live through the pain.
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| Lloyd, Ness, Febe and me at Nuvali |
I have refrained from making blog entries for the past year or so having to cope with my misery. I am glad , however, that an invitation to Sta. Rosa, Laguna came through my heritage -loving friends. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to breathe fresh Laguna air and travel at least 40 kilometers or so away from the city center. However, this seemingly simple act was not without its challenges. One of the invitees from our group suffered a stroke three days prior to our planned trip and had to be confined. Thankfully, through help and prayers, she is currently in stable condition and placed under observation for a week.
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| party of four at Starbucks photo by Lloyd Rafols |
That being said, four of us: Ness Sembrero, Febe Sevilla, Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols and myself met near the City Hall of Pasay for an early leisurely drive to Sta. Rosa. Lloyd at the wheel, we motored to the Sta. Rosa exit through Greenwood city that leads to the Paseo de Sta. Rosa and Nuvali areas. We ended up at Starbucks in Nuvali. Protocols for dining in were strictly observed as we were ordering our coffee and some baked goodies thanks to Ness. I brought home-made sandwiches and we decided to have our coffee al-fresco. Amidst, peals of laughter and sparkling conversation we were taking groufies with Lloyd's tripod set-up until we were shocked to realized that our stay there extended to nearly lunch time. Surprisingly, there were no huge crowds typically found on a Saturday morning at Nuvali but because of the time constraints there are no photos of us near the Koi pond nor any other scenic spots in the area.
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| Facade of Sta. Rosade Lima Church |
From there, we went straight to the Sta Rosa poblacion and parked at the designated parking area in the church patio. Since it was lunch time, we meandered around the old Sta Rosa town looking for places to dine but settled for the ever-reliable Jollibee. Again, most of the people were ordering take away and so we settled at two tables. The usual fare was uneventful and we passed our time with our animated banter until it was evident that we needed to freshen up and change for the get-together. We made our way back to the church passing through the ancestral home where we were to have dinner.
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| Lloyd in front of the retablo of the church |
We saw the set-up taking place and the choir practicing but we needed to get dressed for our own photo opportunity. We asked the church volunteers where we could freshen up and they obligingly showed us the rest room area. At around three o'clock, the four of us friends were dressed in our Filipino attire. Need I say we were making heads turn? People thought there was a wedding about to take place after a funeral cortege had left. That was hilarious! One lady asked if I was picked to light up the Advent wreath during Mass. People were starting to arrive in church for the Mass at 4:30. True to form, the other invitees were arriving in their finery. We were given a designated section of the church for us to hear Mass together. Ness Sembrero, Febe Sevilla, Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols, Faviola Torres Hidalgo, Locel Tumlos, Arlene Arguel, Willy Bas and Nonia Tiongco in her authentic vintage terno and myself were warmly welcomed by the Cura Paroco Fr. Mario P. Rivera before the final blessing. That settled the thought balloons of the parishioners who looked at us quizzically. Me, I was just thankful to have heard Mass and received the Eucharist after the prolonged quarantine lock-downs lasting two years. I had learned to content myself before that with daily on-line Masses and spiritual communions. Grateful to God for that!
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| Febe in her black and white finery |
For purposes of propriety, no photos were allowed inside the heritage house. It is a well- preserved bahay-na-bato that's much lived-in by the descendants of the previous builder/owner. Let's just say it shows the privileged lifestyle of generations of one of the city's founding fathers. Walking through the home with its usual sections, we ended up in the azotea descending towards the garden where our dinner was held. Oh, how we were welcomed by the three Pinoy kings, Johnson Bernardo, Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador and Lito Ligon! It was nice to see familiar faces smiling through the face masks and face shields and plenty of fist bumps in lieu of the beso- besos.
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| Faviola Torres Hidalgo in a modern Terno pant suit |
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| my OOTD (photo by Lloyd Rafols) |
Once guests were comfortably seated, the ceremonies began with a live national anthem sung by the Primo Vocal Chamber accompanied by the Rosenian Quintet Rondalla. Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador was the host for the evening assisted by Faviola Torres Hidalgo. The evening was kicked off with door-prizes from the other attendees. There were two rounds of prizes from the generous donations of the attendees. I won a book and nothing else... Others were fortunate to go home with original artworks, books, keepsakes and home decor... I won a book - wait, I said that already! I'm not lucky with winning raffles... Maybe, next year!
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| Ness in a barong terno blouse and pencil pants set |
People had come from all-over Luzon, so when it was getting late, some had to take their leave, but not before Marichelle Santos and the irrespresible Bing Tubid made their dramatic entrance. They had come from a previous engagement. The dinner setting in the garden of the Zavalla heritage house was immaculate with white table cloth and blue carnival glass, gilded cuttlery and blue Ming inspired dinner ware to match the mood-lighting for effect. From time to time the rondalla would play Filipino music and the choir would break out in kundiman. I wish I had met the other members of the choir. I only know Lemuel Santos and Arwin Arca Arceo who rendered solo numbers but other members were quite vocally equipped as well. I was swooning under the starlit evening when Bituin'g Marikit was sung... then the clouds moved in by time they got to singing Ang Gabi'ng Payapa. By then the nippy evening breeze was making me sleepy.
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| Primo Vocal Chamber |
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| Rosenian Rondalla Quintet |
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| Primo Vocal Chamber |
Amidst the fine food of Bulaqueno heritage cuisine served by Ferdi Talbenito's Bistro Maloleno and the jovial conversations with friends long-missed, the evening had progressed so fast. There was Tinola which I could not try because of my allergy but I feasted on Bulacan Hamon, Lengua, there was Pancit Buko, a seafood medley and Paella. Dessert was cassava cake and pichi-pichi and Madam Natz Ocampo's delicate pastillas all lovingly wrapped in the heritage paper filligree called pabalat. We were carefully umwrapping the sweet morsels of candied milk and sugar to preserve Ms. Natz' prized papel-de-Hapon wrappers to be made into bookmarks or framed in shadow boxes. Kape'ng Bigas was being offered after dinner which I declined gracefully. Tita Cora and Tito Bernie Manimbo were present and later on dancing with Lito Ligon. C'mon, she's not a board member of PBT for nothing... you didn't expect that, or you didn't know?
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| Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador, Earl Gamboa, and myself |
If it had been under normal circumstances, I'm certain there would have been more people signifying their intention to attend. Notwithstanding this wretched pandemic, this soiree went beyond anybody's expectations. If anything, it reinforced my dwindling Christmas spirit in these dismal times. I'm still truly blessed to experience this gathering of a truly Pinoy celebration complete with singkaban parols and native dress. That makes my Advent Season truly significant!
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| group photo of guests |
MALIGAYA'NG PASKO AT MANIGO'NG BAGO'NG TAON SA LAHAT!!!
* group photos of guests, choir and quintet are not mine and credited to their respective owners
