Culture attack

The common denominator, dahlings, of the mega-personas gathered that evening at the lobby of the Cultural Center of the Philippines was culture, and the love of it. The occasion was a gala dinner reception in honor of trustees of the Asian Cultural Council-New York, led by David Rockefeller Jr., whose famille started the council 40 years ago. With him were fellow trustees Sir Kenneth Fung of Hong Kong, always chic super designer Josie Cruz Natori, hardworking Ralph Samuelson and president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, charming Stephen Heintz.

Hosts were the trustees of ACC-Philippines, led by man-of-the-hour Ernest Escaler (chairman) and former ambassador to Spain Isabel Caro-Wilson (president) and trustees Fernando Zobel de Ayala with wife Kit, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Rep. Miguel Zubiri with girlfriend Audrey Tan, Roberta Lopez-Feliciano, Maribel Ongpin, Toni Yulo-Loyzaga, Andy Locsin with wife Mailin, Lor Calma and Ching Escaler.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in a chic black dress came just in time to watch the program of the Philippine Madrigals, Pundaquit Ensemble and Ballet Philippines with the Pinikpikan Band.

The very A-list crowd included artists, led by National Artists Arturo Luz and Jose Maceda, photographer-business bigwig Jaime Zobel de Ayala, arts managers like CCP’s Nestor Jardin and National Museum’s Cora Alvina, Asia Society’s Doris Ho, Sonia Ner and Sheila Platt. Also spotted were Cabinet secretaries Nani Perez and Lito Camacho, FedEx chairman Bert Lina, back-to-designing–"wedding gowns only!"–Victoria 2 Vicky Zubiri and Vickie Lopez, DTI’s Eli Pinto-Mansor, Monique Villongco, hotshot lawyer Lorna Kapunan, Francisco Ortigas and daughter Victoria, Cong. Peping Cojuangco.

Instead of the usual floral centerpieces, palanggas, baskets of fruits and vegetables adorned the tables, making everyone wonder whether that was dinner! But the nouvelle Filipino cuisine served by Rose Pimentel’s Ilustrado delighted everyone, and hopefully loosed their purse strings so that support for the arts would flow like the wines that evening!

Remember palanggas, "Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow. Trust and follow Jesus Christ one day at a time." Smile. See you.