Socialite and Party sa Iloilo

Without Batting An Eyelash : Iloilo rocks with masque ball

By Maurice Arcache
March 10, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE HOTTEST TICKET TO HIT THE bustling city of Iloilo was the grand masque ball, given by the city’s numero uno hostess with the mostest, top civic leader Sarah Opolencia Peña, no less, who sent out the invites way in advance, warning her guests that “it will strictly be a costume affair,” palanggas. And needless to say, when Sarah P. calls, all of the chosen ones come, dahlings.

After all, Sarah was celebrating her birthday and was society’s latest golden girl! And gold it was for the décor all over the sprawling garden at her residence in posh-y Ledesco Village in Jaro.

Après cocktails and excellently prepared finger food, our golden gal made her grand entrance as the Queen of Egypt, accompanied by her husband, old-wealth sugar baron Judgee Lopez Peña, costumed as the Pharoah.

Within a skip and a hop away were their three absolutely brilliant and attractive daughters: top young law student Rita was Helen of Troy, Risa was the Princess of Venice, and the youngest, Rica, was Queen Amidala of the “Star Wars” series. They helped their mom entertain the chicest of le chic invitees dolled up as Roman emperors, carnival queens, gypsies, maharajas, Indian princesses, Chinese royals, Vietnamese roses, plus several others, dahlings.

My roving eyes couldn’t get enough of the fab costumes during the glitzy affair, palanggas. World-traveler and Bacolod’s mega social writer Edouard Garcia had the most magnificent authentic Indian costume which he got on his last trip to India; he was awarded the Best Costume of the affair for coming as the Maharaja of Jaipur.

Meanwhile, spitfire Susie Facultad was voted the Best in Punk Costume; sultry French-speaking Jasmine Castelo was Most Creative for dressing up as Catwoman.

Well-loved Girlie Ganzon came with all her children and together, they bagged the Best Group prize.

Panay News’ hard-to-beat social writer John Castigador got the Best Historical Costume award (he was dressed as Pontius Pilate); and those handsome guests from the Air Force received the Best in Uniform award.

There were loads of other eye-catching, gorgeous costumes circulating around, like the South’s dance queen, adorable Susan Wang, who bakes the best, yummiest apple pie; she looked fantastic as a Caribbean dancer.

Meanwhile, Southern homme de monde, Zafito Ledesma, and woman of substance Ellen Golez-Jison donned authentic Moroccan costumes.
Gorgeous, “free-again” Pangging Rosales walked around as Vietnam Rose. She is back from the Big Apple “to stay... for a while,” she teasingly told me.

Iloilo’s top-of-the-line eventologist, cyber smart Nonoy Ybiernas, made absolutely sure the fab affair went without a hitch. It was definitely a smashingly successful event, with the help of fun-fun Bonnie Gaverza. They took charge of everything from the invitations to the excellent dinner menu superbly catered by Sarah P’s favorite chef par excellance—Wilson Esparancilla, palanggas.

Adding more spice to this glitz happening were child performers from the celebrator’s own charity organization, the R.S. Child Center; they sang and danced a hip-hop number. The charity was one of the four beneficiaries of our golden girl. The donation, according to Sarah, was “my birthday gift to them who really need it.”

Next came the Peña daughters doing a Spanish dance number, and for the finale, après rehearsing only for three days, Sarah O. P. did an awesome cabaret number, which would have made Liza Minnelli sit back and applaud. As for all of us, we all applauded heartily, naturellement.

Then it was time to hit the dance floor and rock and roll. Rocking the floor were the well-respected Major General Jaime Viernes Jr. and his squadron from the Philippine Air Force; the men danced with most of the women, endlessly even when it rained. Yes, dahlings, there was no stopping the Air Force officers.