At Cipriani, FilAm elite assembles somewhat conflicted

Singer Kirby Asunto topbills the roster of Independence Day entertainers. Photo by Boyet Loverita

Iskwelahang Pilipino Rondalla plays traditional songs. Photo by Marietta Geraldino

Dozens of women wandered throughout the lobby, many of them dressed in glittery tulle, others in humbler business suits. They spoke in whispers, but their pasty faces betrayed the shock of the day’s news: 50 killed in Orlando shooting.

Omar Mateen’s shooting spree occurred in the early morning of June 12, the day Filipino Americans throughout metropolitan New York were to celebrate the 118th year of Philippine Independence. The venue: Cipriani, an Italian restaurant within kissing distance from the Grand Central Station. The attire: the Philippine National Dress. The ticket: From $140 to $500.

Trays of hors d’oeuvre were served as guests admired the adventurous platters while denouncing the gay bar massacre.

“Awful!” said one guest picking a smoked shrimp on her napkin. “Just awful.”

Another guest said she felt bad about coming to the party, but quickly demurred. “If I don’t go, will it change anything?”

It was an event pierced with contradictions: laughter on the faces of many; sadness within to some. About 350 guests comprising community leaders, CEOs, Manhattan socialites, local politicians, and diplomatic dignitaries enjoyed the feast before them, lost in the ballroom’s celebrated beauty, the bellow of laughter, the blaring music, the chandeliers, the overwhelming gowns. A gathering of the Filipino American “elite,” noted one guest.

It would be, lamented a consular officer, too late to cancel. I nodded, totally in agreement. Even if Orlando happened a week or two earlier, calling off celebrations is never an option. American officials are the first to urge people to “go on with their lives, celebrate, be with their families” despite the terror-related scares that have now become part of how we live.

The party went on. Departing Consul General Mario de Leon Jr. welcomed guests. It is a community, he smiled, that is “so fond” of formal galas, but also one that is “very active” in civic endeavors. “The consulate recognizes your contributions and unwavering support,” he said.

Vilma Bautista. The FilAm Photo

Ambassador Jose Cuisia spoke of the “double celebration,” hailing Philippine independence’s 118th milestone and praising De Leon for his more than five years of admirable stewardship of the Philippine Consulate in New York, promoting team work and cooperation among organizations. “If it were up to me, I would name him (De Leon) the next ambassador to the U.S.,” said Cuisia attempting a tepid joke. “But I am not from Davao.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio sent their representatives, Gil Quiniones and Minerva Tantoco, respectively, who read congratulatory messages to the community. It is the 70th year of Philippine-U.S. relations, they noted, and the friendship between the two countries have never been stronger. In the words of De Blasio, the two countries have shown “the true meaning of friendship beyond treaties.”

I left after the fruit tart was served, and after a young man began to sing “Ako ay Pilipino,” one of Imelda Marcos’s favorite Martial Law hymns. On my way out, I spotted Imelda’s former secretary, Vilma Bautista — she was convicted two years ago on tax fraud — seated quietly by a table. A procession of cookie trays passed before me, as I waved back at a couple of friends enjoying their coffee. It’s always great to see a community come together even if the reason is not always one of lively celebration.

Consul General Mario de Leon and wife Eleanor de Leon share a table with New York Power Authority CEO Gil Quiniones and NYC Chief Technology Officer Minerva Tantoco. The FilAm Photo

From left, CEO Adela Sering Fojas of Seven Seven Softwares, philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis, a Filipina executive executive at Mellon Bank, and Philippine Representative to the UN Mission Lourdes Yparraguirre. Standing is the Consulate’s cultural officer Olive Osias-Magpile