Barack no stranger to adobo, lumpia

MANILA, Philippines - The special guest greeted the gathering with a “magandang gabi” and dug into a Filipino feast that started with lobster kilawin or ceviche.

US President Barack Obama, however, is no stranger to Filipino food.

He told guests at the Malacañang state dinner last night that he has enjoyed Filipino adobo and lumpia or spring rolls, prepared by executive chef Cristeta Comerford – one of about 20 Filipino-Americans working at the White House.

Obama is only the eighth American president to visit the Philippines. For his visit, Malacañang was decorated as it had never been before, according to officials. The fountain on the driveway was aglow with multicolored lights and the centuries-old ficus tree in front of the Palace entrance – said to be the home of a spirit named Mr. Brown – dripped with firefly lights.

A nipa hut served as the backdrop for the head table at the dinner venue, Malacañang’s Rizal Hall.

Sources said the Palace received so many requests from people who wanted to be squeezed into the guest list, but space constraints limited the number to about 350.

The VIPs from the private sector included a group as diverse as industrialist Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Tessie Sy-Coson of the SM group, National Book Store founder Ma. Socorro Ramos, Filipino-American basketball player Gabe Norwood and film producer “Mother Lily“ Monteverde.

The list included not only administration officials but also opposition politicians and all senators including Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.

Calling people the “true power” in a democracy, Obama paid tribute to President Aquino’s parents, the late President Corazon Aquino and former senator Ninoy Aquino, as guests including Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. listened.

President Aquino said he hoped Obama would have fun in the Philippines.

At the head table with Obama and Aquino were former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa, Obama’s deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg.

The Cabinet member assigned to Obama throughout the visit, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, was seated at another table beside Aquino’s brother-in-law Manolo Abellada.

Aquino’s youngest sister Kris arrived with sister Viel Dee.

The kilawin was followed with seafood pochero. As Obama dug into the main course of tenderloin inasal, the orchestra played “Moonlight Serenade.”

Caterer Makati Shangri-La prepared coconut lychee ice cream with mango macapuno strudel for dessert.

More than the food, however, guests enjoyed the goodwill.

Obama said he and his companions could feel the spirit or “kalooban” in a friendship expressed in many ways.

“There is our mutual obsession with basketball. There is our mutual admiration for Manny Pacquiao – even if sometimes his fight against Americans doesn’t turn out the way we’d like,” Obama said, to laughter. “There is our shared pride in the millions of Filipino-Americans who contribute to our nation every single day.”

He was seen singing along as Filipino-American apl.de.ap of pop group Black Eyed Peas performed “I Gotta Feeling.”

Secretary of the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson performed a surprise number, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

Obama sang along from his seat and gave them a standing ovation.

Aquino told the Cabinet members to “stop while we’re ahead.”    – With Aurea Calica