ANGEL THOUGHTS “The two hardest tests on the road of life: the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed by what you encounter.” – Charito Planas, director, New Nayong Pilipino

Not so long ago, Senate president Manny Villar and his wife, the charming president of the Lady Legislators, Cynthia, opened the doors of the partially renovated Laurel Mansion on Shaw Boulevard with "Pondo sa Sipag Puhunan sa Tiyaga" winners.

The sixteen regional winners and their families were all wide-eyed at the historic house of ex-president Jose P. Laurel and the significance of the gesture of their gracious hosts in holding the awarding ceremonies there was not lost on them.

Nationalista Party president Villar had his party mates in attendance and the countryside’ small entrepreneurs had their fill of stargazing and imbibing the good vibes of the evening. The cash prizes for the winners who all turned their hard work, perseverance, ingenuity, and commitment to succeed came from the personal funds of the Senate president under the Sipag at Tiyaga Foundaion.

As far as we know, this will be a yearly search, so that enterprising and hard-working Pinoys in the regions will have something to look forward to--and someone to recognize their efforts!

Villar realizes, more than anybody else, the value of industriousness and hard work. These formed the basis of his success in business and now they seem to be working well on his ascent to the highest post in the land. Slowly but surely, his popularity rating is going up as a presidentiable! He "walks" his "talk" and how! From helping overseas Filipino workers to small and medium business-minded folks expand their home livelihood projects, to helping women get their magna carta, he’s proving to be a reliable legislator and leader...

And here are the winners by region :

Region 1

Sarah Dabucon - SCUFYND Food Processing; Margarita Allado - agricultural store.

Region 2

Albino Francisco - repair service shop; Calma Arcala - Cali’s Mushroom Farm; Albert Dulnuan - rattan seedling nursery; Elizabeth Africano - Franco’s Café; Solomon Maylem – farm.

Region 3

Pacifico dela Cruz - Wild Duck Raising.

Region 4

Antonia Villanueva - Tonette’s Footwear

Region 5

Marianne Olano - Baycrafts Shoppe

Region 6

Roland Madera - Babylan’s Cococraft

Region 7

Lucresia Saga - Aling Lucring’s Sari-sari Store

Region 12

Elizabeth Rafal - Sto. Niño Food Processing

CAR

Marie Saclag - Ayatu’s Ethnic Crafts; Regina Madio - Praj’s Gift Shoppe

CARAGA

Ernesto Paglinawan - Corn Coffee Business

They were all carefully chosen for their inspiring successful stories of "sipag at tiyaga!" Congratulations to these countryside heroes. May their tribe increase!

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Incidentally, Cynthia was with her very good friend Gina de Venecia and former speaker Joe at the mass to mark Ninoy’s 25th death anniversary. Later, at the private lunch of Cory Aquino and her family, they also came together. Do we see Joe turning Nationalista in the near future?

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The De Venecias, as they have been doing for the past years, sent their famous laing, adobo, sugpo, and alimango, and this year, a new dish to die for: succulent bangus bellies na paksiw! Cynthia brought lanzones fruits from Bangkok, an instant hit.

They were at the principal table with Tita Cory, former president Joseph Estrada, his Ateneo classmate Justice Adolf Azcuna, former senator Ernie Maceda, former finance chief Jose Pardo, former Guimaras governor Emily Relucio Lopez, and senator Serge Osmena. If FVR, who was also at the mass earlier at Don Bosco church came to lunch, it really would have been such a colorful mix of political personalities at the home of the Cojuangcos. And no, contrary to a news item in another paper, the venue of the lunch is not the home of Peping Cojuangco. It is the collective home of the Cojuangco siblings used by them for such occasions - Don Pete, Cory, Tery (deceased), Passy, and Peping.

Former senator and Liberal party chair Frank Drilon was at the mass, but it was only Mila who made it to the mass. Senator Mar Roxas was at the mass and the private visit to the Manila Memorial grave of Ninoy as with other LP stalwarts like Butch Abad. Of course Senator Noynoy Aquino is a Liberal too.

"Resigned" president of the PMP mayor Fred Lim was at the mass but was not at the lunch. Was he given an offer to come back to the Liberal party? That would be an interesting development, don’t you think?

Incidentally, copies of the book "Ninoy" art and essays compiled by Jiggy Aquino Cruz are available at the Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Foundation at the Cojuangco building at the De la Rosa and Castro streets in Legaspi Village, Makati.