Instead of proceeding to the usual venue at the end of the open terrace, we went upstairs to the Cardinal’s private dining room where he welcomed us cordially. He appeared healthy, and the loss of a few pounds made him appear even more so.
The menu consisted of a soup called "Buddha-jumped-over-the-fence", noodles (pancit), (steamed?) lapu-lapu and callos. Each dish was so tasty, everyone complimented the host on his choice of a chef. "Does he speak Spanish, too?" Pepe asked. "They all are fluent in ‘Kitchen Spanish’," Cardinal Sin replied, smiling.
What proved astonishing was our host’s revelation that the "Buddha" was part of a cow the size of a leg of ham. It was a gift from a Chinese friend, and it cost all of P45,000. Can you guess what went into that soup? The cow’s internal organs! We had to get used to the strange-looking pieces floating in our plates, but candidly, the soup was delicious.
"Would our eating the soup make us Buddhists?" asked Pepe to everyone’s hearty laughter. Came fresh mango for dessert along with cappuccino coffee.
Cardinal Sin aired his views on widely ranging subjects, including the dark, sinister forces threatening our petite President, but he quickly countered that she was gaining more and more followers. Inevitably, conversation reverted to the importance of Spanish in our lives. Beniting Legarda pointed to Rizal’s novels, etc. in Spanish; Guillermo Gomez strongly believed Spanish should be reinstated in the curriculum. Forthwith, "Pepe" informed Cardinal Sin of the Academia’s projects, our host being one of us, and a Premio Zobel recipient to boot.
As we expressed our thanks and said our goodbyes, the Buddha soup came up again. We would be having it like a seer, Ambassador Enrique Syquia must have foreseen we would be having it: he presented Cardinal Sin with six boxes of tablets which would counter-act the ill effects of cholesterol. (From the side of my eye, I couldn’t help noticing that His Eminence had had two generous helpings of "Buddha-jumped-over-the-fence" soup.)
Friends of Ben Farrales, "dean of fashion designers" and avid devotees of the Sto. Niño flocked to the launching of the landmark book "Sto. Niño, the Holy Child Devotion in the Philippines" at the Met Museum. The occasion was under the auspices of the Congregacion del Santissimo Nombre del Niño Jesus.
Ben himself has been a long-time devotee of the Holy Child for very special favors received. Abe Florendo, editor and author, and consultant Dez Bautista made a long, extensive research on the subject. Much-awarded photographer George Tapan and book designer Eugene Ong were genuinely inspired. The book contains "a stunning gallery" of Sto. Niño collections from every nook and cranny of the archipelago. At the launching, in fact, were displayed images from the private collections of Danny Dolor, Meldy Cojuangco, Steve de Leon, Nollie Hans, Mr. and Mrs. Boots Violago and Ben Farrales who himself owns some of the most beautiful statues of the Holy Child in the country.
Abe explains: "The book can be inspirational to the thousands of Sto. Niño devotees and illuminating to those who know little about the Holy Child." For his part, Ben believes the book will enable readers to understand folk devotion that has the mystic power and mass following of the Nazarene of Quiapo and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. At any rate, the book’s attractive pictures and eloquent text will appeal to the most discriminating. No less than Apostolic Nuncio Antonio Franco headed the guests at Ben’s "debut".