Red-letter day

School reunions may be a dime a dozen, palanggas, but the affair dubbed Chill Out 2003 as brilliantly conceived by Nancy Harel & Associates president and CEO Nancy Harel, no less, is bound to be remembered for a long, long time.

Apres arduous preparations hatched two years ago, dahlings, the week-long activities finally materialized for the super joint reunion of Batch ’65 of Assumption Academy and Don Bosco of San Fernando.

A number of balikbayans, all successful professionals and entrepreneurs, jetted in from the US, Canada and Europe just for the get-together, palanggas.

Classmates of 38 years ago converged for the main event at Greenfields Country Club in San Fernando City. The party featured several groupies including the balikbayans, the G3s and the Bosconians, who participated in dance, poetry and singing presentations. The day was capped by a sumptuous post-reunion fun bash tendered by Nancy Dizon Castro and Cynthia Jocson at the posh compounds of the Hizon/Gomez familles.

The frenzied fun tours for the balikbayans hosted by Chris Sumbingco at the Tagaytay Highlands and Nancy Harel at Punta Fuego, palanggas, were highlighted by golf; relaxing spa treatments; fine dining; dancing; and karaoke singing until the crowing of the roosters.

As a fitting finale to the week-long reunion programmes, Itsik and Nancy Harel hosted a post-dinner party for Nancy’s balikbayan classmates at the Harels’ sprawling, cool Ayala Alabang home.

A nostalgic touch of romance was provided by the love songs of soprano Maritess Raymundo (who will be off on her European Concert tour this month), accompanied by Mary Rose Ramos on the piano.

The get-together was a super success due to the indefatigable trio of Nancy Harel, Manny Reyes and Cynthia Jocson of San Francisco, U.S. of A.who had rallied the balikbayan gang to come and see the country and their more "mature" classmates again. Because of the event’s success, the groupie is planning the next reunion to be held in Washington D.C. where they should have more fun "chilling out"!

De La Salle Zobel Seniors’ Ball Ahh, to be young, beautiful, smart and oozing with anticipation of the future, yet savoring the present as only teen-aged high school juniors and seniors can on their prom night, dahlings.

That is the best description moi can give about the rah! rah! De La Salle Zobel juniors and seniors when they held their prom at the popular Dusit Hotel. The theme was Together in the Spotlight, akin to the Oscar Awards. The excited graduating young ladies came looking like movie stars in elegant gowns while the young dudes came in their formals. Life-size pictures of movie actors were displayed with images of the students themselves printed on large banners.

The seniors had their best treat ever, relishing being at the top with hot, hot VIP invitees who acted as their hardworking hosts and hostesses.

Then came the big bang, the graduation party a week later, palanggas. The finale and fitting rewards for the graduating batch was held at the elegant Mandarin Hotel. The party theme of black and white was simple yet smart. A big screen video presentation produced by one of their own, Mickey Velasco, featured significant events, trials and tribulations of the graduating batch, starting way back in their elementary days. The presentation provided a nostalgic, fun-filled trip down memory lane.

At the end, rounds of "Thank You’s" went to the Parents Association, especially Sunny Velasco for their invaluable help in organizing the affair.

It was a memorable night hard to forget for the babes and dudes as they move on to the ladder of success... hopefully, palanggas.

UAE turns 31! It was definitely a night where everyone had a great time, dahlings, as the invitees (mostly belonging to the diplomatic set and their pack of friends) circulated in the grand ballroom of Makati’s Hotel InterContinental. The chic invitees chatted and nibbled on the excellently prepared international and Middle Eastern dishes laid on the huge buffet table around the ballroom.

After all, palanggas, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was celebrating its 31st founding anniversary. Since UAE citizens now enjoy one of the highest living standards in the world, the Embassy of the UAE went all-out in celebrating the nation’s tres big day.

The UAE has earned praises worldwide for its "enlightened and progressive policies under the ‘wise leadership’ of its President Sheikin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, " said UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Ebrahim Al-Jowaid. "The UAE has been able to contribute to charitable institutions and pour investments in the economic development of other states, particularly Islamic countries, aside from improving the quality of life of its people."

Ambassador Al-Jowaid praised the harmonious and mutually beneficial bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE. Today there are some 145,000 Filipinos who are employed in the UAE. Aside from remitting their earnings to the Philippines, boosting our much-needed foreign reserves, these hardworking Overseas Filipino Workers also contribute to the economy of the UAE, one of the most progressive states in the gulf area.

Taking center stage after the host during the reception, naturellement, were hotshots in the political world like former President Fidel Ramos and the Gent of the Hour, House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

What a week, palanggas. Before I go, may I call the attention all Batch ’68 graduates of Pakil Elementary School. You will have a reunion on April 19 at Sumeros Resort in Pakil Laguna at 4 p.m.

Don’t forget to pray and meditate this Holy Week, dahlings. Remember that Christ so loved us, He laid down His life for us.