The Pan American Citizens Action League, Inc. (PACCAL) pompously commemorated Women’s History Month by honoring 12 Women Achievers and 3 Influential Women with the recognition of 2 of the organization’s most loyal and hardworking members last Saturday, March 18, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, a distinct gesture of tracing back the first International Women’s Day in 1911in America.
Although it was only on August 26, 1920 when American women were guaranteed to vote by virtue of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, the female populace had already shown tremendous contributions to society, education, economics, and most especially in media and cinema.
The vital role of women and their empowering presence had indubitably challenged their male counterparts to the edge whereby giving the latter a teeth-to-teeth race in almost every field of endeavor. The arresting potency of women power has long been proven to be at par with men and in some cases even exceeded to such extent.
Last Saturday’s event was further fueled not only by the various achievements exhibited by the prominent women in the tri-state area but furthermore sustained by men’s electrifying boost that fully established women’s competence and self-determination.
Ably chaired by well-loved community leader and indefatigable event organizer Ria Serrano with Susan Liguori as co-chair, this year’s PACCAL’s celebration of Women’s History Month was highlighted by an excitement-packed awarding ceremonies and frenziedly well thought-out program amid a bevy of attendees in multi-hues of green.
The Women’s Achiever Awards were handed out by the affair’s Honorary Chair Menchu De Luna Sanchez (herself, a former PACCAL awardee) to: Jocelyn Aligarbes (Nursing Profession), Fe Arenasa (Teaching Profession), Rowena Cayetano (Physical Fitness), Elsa Mole Lambert (Community Service), Dr. Nerissa Malabanan (Pediatrics), Loren Martinez (Private Enterprise), Paula Morandarte (Photography), Maria Pilar Monje (Accountancy), Michelle Semana (Vocal Excellence), Sheena Zamora (Terpsichorean Competency), Virginia Cu (Honorary Retired Pedagogue), and Bella Estasnislao (Senior Citizen of the Year).
The most illustrious Influential Women category was composed of: Jersey City Councilwoman-at-Large Joyce Watterman, PAFCOM’s Helen Castillo, and PIDCI’s Ollie C. David while Special Citations were handed to Mae Legaspi and Marilou Songco for their altruistic servitude to the organization.
Incidentally, Vice-Consul Khrys Corpuz of the Philippine Consular Office in New York, aside from being the evening’s inspirational speaker, also inducted PACCAL’s newly recruited members.
Where there are women, men won’t be far behind…and how would an all-women occasion be without men’s support? Yes, three potential ramp and print models semi-pro Dominican Cesar Caceres, Fil-Egyptian Noah Khayat, and Peruvian-Cuban Leonardo Subiza skillfully escorted each recipient following a well-applauded brief ramp modeling.
Aside from Magic DJ Ed O’Donnell’s music, awardees Mitch Semana (who sang the national anthems and provided two vocal renditions) and Sheena Zamora (who performed an Argentine Tango with Dr. Dalmacio Francisco) entertained the crowd to the hilt.
An almost two-hour non-stop dancing ensued after PACCAL President Ramona S. Gapasin delivered her closing remarks that enthusiastically capped the affair that was competently hosted by Allah Ferrer and veteran radio broadcaster Fiorello Salvo.
Lastly, they say a woman is as enigmatic as her own nature and as unfathomable as her wild thoughts…but to better understand and unveil her unplumbed ambiguity, ponder on this: “A woman is like a tea bag, you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”
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