It all started when Mely and Paeng Hechanova had hosted the very successful Parish Fiesta dinner at Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, chaired by Steve Lopez and Letty Syquia.  The beneficiaries of the Parish’s outreach activities range from medical missions, sports and arts, activities in prison, to mass weddings.

What was originally an intimate dinner to honor Letty on her birthday, turned out into a dinner for eighty, tendered by grand hostess Mely Hechanova, at her stately mansion in Forbes Park.

The birthday dinner started with a mass concelebrated by Fr. Joel Sulse and Fr. Alvin Paras of Santuario.  Fr. Sulse had called on Letty’s youngest son, Joel to say a few words about their mother, and Joel delivered an extemporaneous tribute, summing her up in two words: uncomplaining and consistent. He expounded on her consistency in all things, specially in good values, her charity work, and into how well she had brought up her boys.

 Mely’s love for the finest food reflects on her sumptuous buffet. There were appetizers of crispy lechon and fresh vegetable salad to balance the palate. One of the favorite entrées was the pochero. It was hard for the guests to resist the mouth-watering desserts, specially the tocino del cielo and the strawberry shortcake. On hand to oversee every little detail was Mely herself, who embraces life to its fullest.