Movers

There are movers in culture and the arts, in trade and commerce, in cuisine, in museum management–indeed in every field of human endeavor. The Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (formerly The Friends of the CCP) honored patron of the arts Meldy O. Cojuangco with a musicale at the Tower Club for her sustained encouragement and unfailing support of the arts through the years.

CCP Chairman Baltazar N. Endriga delivered a tribute to Meldy; firmly established professionals e.g., internationally-acclaimed concert pianist Nena R. Villanueva, pianist-harpist Lourdes L. Gregorio, noted soprano Lorna Llames and tenor Jonathan Badon–performed as did instant "Alcamfor" dancers Thelma Gana, Cez Manalo, Menchu Concepcion, Tereret Liboro, Nori Ongsiako, Nene Quimson, Jimmy Laya, Mars Lambino, Mari Lacson and Opap Villonco who were led by long-time dancer-teacher Chloe Romulo Periquet, now fccp president, and by Nestor Jardin, former Ballet Philippines dancer and now CCP president. Choreography was by Linda Anido Gomez. "Hello, Meldy!" was lustily sung by Lulu Castañeda, Alice Briones, Stella Arenas, Nori Ongsiako, Anna Tirol, Nena Casimiro, Sol Tan-Gatue and Memen Dy-Liaco of the fccp Chorale under Sonya Valencia.

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Canadian Counsellor Heather Norton hosted at the National Museum the launching of "The Manual of Museum Exhibitions" and "The Manual of Museum Management" published by one of the world’s foremost museum planners, Canada’s Lord Cultural Resources Planning and Management. After the launch, Gail Dextor Lord talked on "Cultural Institutions Evolving into the 21st Century" and discussed how Manila‘s cultural organizations could meet the challenges of the new millennium.

Hosting a later cocktail-reception at her Makati residence, Miss Forton announced that the Philippines will be the feature country at the 2002 Annual Klondike Days Exposition in Edmonton, Canada on July 18 to 27 of this year. Exhibition space will be reserved for a cross-section of Philippine business including tourism, food and household products, arts and crafts.

The Klondike Days Exposition, which draws over 700,000 visitors annually, is recognized as one of the premier expositions in North America. For the very first time, the Philippines has been selected as a feature country of the Klondike Days. We trust our economic leaders can maximize this fact to the country’s greatest benefit!.

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If there are movers in times of peace, there are likewise movers in times of war. A dinner at the Manila Hotel marked the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Bataan as a tribute to its movers–the Filipino soldiers who valiantly fought side by side with the US forces against the Japanese invasion of the Philippines then an American colony.