Bal Masque'

Iloilo heiress Ellen Jison vda. de Golez leaned towards top fashion designer Patis Tesoro to say, "Iloilo hasn't seen a party like this for ages!"

Well, only Sarah Opulencia Peña makes super successful fun parties simply S.O.P.!! In case you forgot, that stands for Standard Operating Procedure… dahlinks.

For her umpteenth birthday, social and civic leader Sarah O.P. whipped up a party that will have Iloilo talking about for the next year to come. She sent out invitations way in advance, warning guests that it will be strictly costume. And in colorful costumes, they all came. With the holiday season giving the party mood, everyone was all ready to have lotsa fun. And with Sarah making an entrance as Cleopatra and hubby Judgee Lopez Peña as Julius Caesar bankrolling the activities, Iloilo's glitterati, Imperial Manille and Negrense Glamour Armadas came as cowboys, Middle Eastern kings, angels, Chinese taipans, Roman Emperors, carnival queens, Vietnamese Roses, Muslim royals, gypsies, fairies, and a sprinkling of shady characters from the backstreets of Bois de Boulogne.

Add to this a colorful program with the celebrator's beneficiary schoolchildren dancing hip-hop, Sarah's daughters dancing a Spanish number and a grand finale with Sarah doing "Cabaret" and a squadron of Philippine Air Force officers headed by Maj. General Jaime Viernes, Jr. gamely dancing with all the ladies, even under the rain topped with lots of gorgeous food and endless liquor could only spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S!!! Bravo, Sarah! I can't wait to go back to Iloilo for their silver anniversary end of this month…

MY PRAYER: Ask not for an easy day but for His guidance, strength and the courage to face the challenges of life!*