Guys and Dolls

At long last, there is valid reason for this piece to borrow the title "Guys and Dolls" from the Broadway musical. However, the dolls referred to here, albeit stunningly beautiful, are not living, breathing dolls but stuffed ones. Described as "shapes of prayer" and "embodiments of love", the dolls have come from Japan for exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila as part of the Philippine-Japan Festival 2001 celebration.

The display, we’re told, "is an introduction to the present-day artistic world of dolls, with their unsurpassed tradition and deep involvement in the modern life of the Japanese people."

Among those seen admiring the dolls were Czech Ambassador Stanislav Slavicky, French Ambassador Gilles Chouraqui, Russian Ambassador Anatoli and Valentina Khmelnitski, Virginia Moreno and Tessie Luz.

Assisting Japanese Ambassador and Mrs. Ara as hosts were Eiichi Suzuki, director of the Japan Information and Cultural Center, Motohisa Shimizu, director of the Japan Foundation, Cultural Attaché Yuko Yaguchi and Hiroaki Uesug assistant director, Japan Foundation.

The "guys" alluded to here are the officers and crew of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Algonquin, one of the navy’s command ships which dropped anchor for three days. Vice-Admiral Ronald Buck welcomed the genial Canadian Ambassador Robert Collette who told those who came to the reception: "When Canadian ships visit, they seek to contribute to their host communities. Manila has always been very welcoming, and I know this visit will deepen a relationship bridging the Pacific Ocean."

Specifically, the crew handed over to a Canadian NGO in Manila truckloads of goods donated by Canadians to the indigents in Tondo and Mt. Pinatubo.

Officers and crew members gallantly took guests on a tour of the ship. During cocktails, the widest imaginable assortment of canapés (hot and cold) were served but those with a sweet tooth tarried at the buffet table bearing cream puffs, date squares, brownies, marzipan squares and butter tarts.

Doing their share to deepen Phil-Canadian friendship were STAR’s EVP Grace Glory Go, Andree Belanger, Ceferino Benedicto, AFP’s Col. Victor Corpuz, Courtney Feseler, Capt. Keith Hummel, Guy Innes, Mercedes Laurel Marquez and Mel Samson, among many others.

By the way, there are some living, breathing dolls among the crew of the HMCS Algonquin.