The Red and White Ball

One of the annual festivities of the San Beda College is the Red and White Ball. This is a gala affair complete with Rigodon de Honor. I attended the last one held last Friday, February 17th, 2006. I was expecting the high society of the Philippines. To my amazement I found the high society of yesteryears complete with wrinkles and big tummies. I guess, I have not been seeing myself in front of the mirror lately. My memory of the ball with rigodon de honor are those that happened almost fifty years ago but as usual it was frozen in time. I expected young good looking couples, I found reality instead. See for yourselves. Shown dancing is the never aging Dr. Boy Hilvano.

Oh by the way, it was not all entirely about the high society of San Beda. I also manage to take a few pictures of a friend from New York, Joseph Tieng, who was being honored as the first most outsdanding overseas Bedan. I guess, the judges in the Philippines have not really visited us in New York, they had to settle for Joseph. Kidding aside, Joseph is a good man, a former president of the New York San Beda Alumni Association, of which, yours truly is a Treasurer. Lifetime treasurer, my friend Tommy Villanueva (the current President) always say. I guess circumstances will agree with him since the society's bank is in my town and I am the only signatory. Here is Joseph giving his acceptance speech. Way to go, Joseph! On the right is Joseph flanked by his wife and the San Beda College entourage.

I must be keeping good company since one of the most outstanding local bedan is a classmate of mine some fifty years ago, Dr. Ramon Arcadio, the current head of the Philippine General Hospital - an arm of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. This guy really deserve this honor - he even treated us after the ball! Such a lovely wife, too! Hep, hep, hooray!
Shown above from left to right, front row, Nito Abad (me), Bong Obligacion, Father Benigno Benabarre (yes still kicking), the lovely wife (pardon me but I forgot her name), the honoree, Dr. Ramon Arcadio, our class valedictorian, Victor Alfonse. Second row, Jess "the light" Lindayag, Jun Lao, Boy Hilvano, and the future President of the SBCAA, Paulino Dionisio.

Bikes

At Bikes, you will not see bycicles but you will find a lot of past middle age pre-boomers trying to re-live their youth. And they can go all night doing this as long as they pay the $500 minimum payment. Dance instructors are all over the place and they encourage you to dance with them. I saw a few ugly ones who are dancing with young partners - I guess the DIs are paid by the house to do this. Who would even look at those really horrible ladies!

My classmates decided to hold their mini-reunion party here. A lot brought their wives along. Of course, my wife did not come and since it is Valentine's day, I did missed her. Of course, this is also a time of renewing old friendships. I met Rody Valencia (in the picture with blue long sleeved shirt), now a congressman (a past Governor also) who I haven't seen in forty years. We exchanged a few pleasantries and promised to keep in touch.

I was surprised that Vic Alfonso kept on dancing (mostly with the DIs) and a few of my classmates too. I guess the picture can provide a better description. Here,

Vic is found dancing with his wife. Frankie Casal, however, managed to get Lily away from Jun Aspillera. Of course, not to be outdone, Nito Abad took Tutti Vergel De Dios' wife. A little later, Jun Aspillera, tapped me on the shoulder and took over. We can see the rest in the two group pictures taken. That is Vic Alfonso and wife. The georgeous lady after them is Mrs. Dionisio (what did he see in Lino?). Next is Jun Aspillera (Lily must be on the dance floor at the time with somebody else - see Jun grinning) and Frank Lotta. The final couple is Ady Dalton and his lovely wife.

On the next picture is Jess Lindayag and his wife. It was the Valentine eve and Jess was the only one with a gift and a rose for his wife. He later told me that it is his promise (panata) to give his wife a rose every Valentine eve. I wonder why he chose midnight - did he really intend to do it every time? Next is Mrs. Tutti Vergel De Dios followed by Mrs. Chat Veloso. Chat Veloso and Tutti Vergel De Dios follow. Mrs. and Mr. Lewy Passion complete the picture.

Pearls, pearls, pearls

Greenhills Shopping Mall might be everything for the casual shopper but to me and most tourists and balikbayans, it is the Pearl of the Orient. Here you can find cultured pearls with all shapes and colors and if you dare to buy the higher priced pearls, you can get the South Seas pearls.

It is a little odd to me that it is more expensive to buy the round pearls rather than the odd shaped ones they call "siopao". To me the round ones look like fancy pearls so I opt for the siopao ones. Of course, the cheaper price did a lot to convince me. The South Sea pearls is just too much a jump in price that I did not even bother to check it out. Leery of being taken, I brought along a local friend who I entrusted the job of haggling. As in any other country, you do not pay the initial quoted price. Overall, I was surprised that the prices were a little firm. The quoted P150 for a wrist band of pearls, we got it for P130. They do the customizing while you wait. They can string up a necklace in less than 15 minutes. I bought a strand of pearls to be made into a necklace and a wrist band. I opted for two strings strunged together and they made it right there and there. Expect to pay for a siopao necklace around P300, for the round ones, about P900 and for the south sea pearl necklace, around P3000.