‘Paris for the Philippines’

‘Tis the season for women power in Paris, with the election of its first female mayor ever.

The most visited city in the world, Paris is now going to be in the manicured hands of a woman, Anne Hidalgo, 54.

In Paris, a group of well-heeled Filipinas are also flexing their gym-toned muscles for a cause dear to their heart: the rehabilitation of survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Victoria “Babette” Aquino-Benoit, a former Manila-based fashion designer, and now a card-carrying member of Paris’ perfumed set, spearheaded the forming of the foundation Paris for the Philippines (PFTP). Babette, who is married to French businessman Paul Benoit and lives in a posh apartment a street away from the Presidential Palace in Paris, has never wanted to be known as a socialite.

One of only three Filipinas considered part of Paris’ social set (the other two being Rose Anne Cu-Unjieng de Pampelonne and Yvette Lhuillier), Babette says that most of her activities outside the home are devoted to helping Filipino domestic workers. With her connections, she would refer the services of these Filipinos to her wealthy friends. She helped start up the transportation service of former US Embassy Paris employee Andy Celario, who is now the favorite tour guide/chauffeur of Filipinos visiting the City of Light.

“Your life becomes more meaningful if you don’t forget your roots,” said Babette when we visited her in her elegant apartment, where presidential guards stand vigilant just around the corner.

“I couldn’t keep still after I saw images of typhoon Yolanda, so immediately I asked my friends for clothes, and the ground floor of my apartment turned into some sort of a flea market!”

Babette was able to ship 50 boxes of clothes to the Philippines for Yolanda survivors. Still, she felt she could do more. Aaron Isip, a popular Filipino chef in Paris, introduced her to a group of young Filipinas who are married to successful Frenchmen. Together, they formed Paris for the Philippines (PFTP).

The founding members are Babette, who was elected chairperson;  Bianca Monzon-Cueva; Michelle Pozon; Zharah Limbona-Fichard; Francesca Suare; Anne Matoto-Sznaper and chef Aaron Isip.

“We got along right away,” recalls Babette. “Our hearts were all in the same place. We wanted to do something concrete for the typhoon survivors.”

Babette gives emphasis to the word “survivor.”

“I don’t like Filipinos to be pictured as victims but as survivors who need help to get back on their feet again,” she points out.

Eighteen days after the group’s first meeting, they staged “Brunch for Love” in a Paris restaurant, Loup Brasserie, in the First Arrondissement. Aaron prepared a Filipino-inspired buffet, and tickets to the brunch, which cost 50 euros each, sold like baguettes! The Filipino and French communities were present to support PFTP’s cause, including Madame Cristina Ortega, former Ambassador of the Philippines to France and Monaco, and Gawad Kalinga Europe’s president Olivier Girault.

Babette had to turn away 50 more guests as the restaurant could only accommodate 100 people. Some guests paid double their tab.

At the end of the brunch, Babette and her group raised 10,000 euros, which they turned over to Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto.

“The success of Brunch for Love is proof that the French and Filipino communities in Paris are eager to help out and cultivate a compassionate exchange between the two countries and Team PFTP is more than happy to fill in that need,” says Babette.

Meloto told them the amount would help build a village in a Yolanda-ravaged area.

And the village will be christened, “Paris for the Philippines.”

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Love for their homeland is the driving force behind Paris for the Philippines, a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring aid, awareness and support to the affected communities in the country.

By the end of 2014, PFTP aims to sponsor a Gawad Kalinga Village composed of 30 houses that will be named Paris for the Philippines Village. It costs 2,200 euros to build one home and 30 homes will cost a total of 66,000 euros.

They hope to build 30 GK houses in the near future, naming the community the PFTP Village, through fundraising initiatives like their events and selling of LOVE merchandise (sweatshirts, T-shirts and tote bags). Bianca Monzon-Cueva, one of the founders of the association, says, “Building this village community as a gift of Paris for the Philippines is a journey that we can share with all those who take part in our cause through their time, donations and various other contributions.”

“From neighborhood community centers, schools, our friends and families, to our places of work, the word of our efforts has spread and we are receiving inquiries from far and near,” adds PFTP’s president Michelle Pozon.

 Next to come from PFTP is a pre-Philippine Independence Day apéro event scheduled for mid-May with a live piano performance by the talented Filipino-American pianist John Florencio, the group’s in-house musical director. Another exciting venture soon to be launched is the PFTP website, www.parisforthephilippines.com, aiming to be the “premier online hub bridging both Filipino and Parisian cultures with features and tips on the latest buzz on fashion, food, travel and fun,” says PFTP co-founder Anne Matoto-Sznaper. “More importantly, it will be an avenue to share the gifts, talents and movements from the beautiful Philippines with their networks in their adoptive home, Paris, and the rest of the world.”

Paris brings out genuine love in everyone, for everyone. The City of Light is also the City of Love.

(For more information, visit www.parisforthephilippines.com

or  www.facebook.com/groups/parisforthephilippines.

To donate, please visit www.leetchi.com/c/parisforthephilippines.

For inquiries, please e-mail [email protected].

Send your check by post to:

PARIS FOR THE PHILIPPINES c/o Bianca Monzon-Cueva

13-bis Avenue de la Motte Picquet, 75007 Paris.) (You may e-mail me at [email protected].)