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Thursday, January 15, 2004
Double-ring rite for Ernest and Pinkie
By Jo Magsaysay
Whatever
Yesterday, six feet tall and incredibly handsome Ernesto Luis Rodriguez Salas took the hand of Marie-Faye “Pinkie” Ngo, slipped a gold band around her left finger and vowed to love, honor, and cherish her as his wife all the rest of their lives. The bride, tall, slender, sylphlike in a gown exquisitely simple and exquisitely expensive as all Vera Wang’s gowns are, is a happy choice for Ernest who proudly claims it was love at first sight when he met her in New York. A chubby grade-schooler at the exclusive St . David’s Catholic Private School, the New-York born Ernie went through rigorous violin lessons under the foremost Japanese professor Suzuki, an exponent of the method of discipline through the study of violin. Must have paid off, Ernie having breezed through high school in Portsmouth Abbey in Rhode Island and a political science course in the University of Vermont to rise, eventually to the position of vice president of the environmental insurance department at the Willis Major Insurance Brokerage Company. His bride, Pinkie, an economics graduate from the Ateneo de Manila pursued interior design at the Parsons School of Design in New York.
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Call it destiny if you like but Ernest and Pinkie inevitably had to meet. Pinkie’s father, Phillip Go… Ngo or Go is interchangeable among the Chinese, I’m told… met Ernie’s mother Carmelita “Menchu” Rodriguez Salas, Philippine Ambassador to the Czech Republic, widow of the late Rafael Salas, UN undersecretary general and director of the UN Population Fund Council in Prague, in the company of his brother, Guilberto Go, honorary consul of the Czech Republic in Davao on a courtesy call on the Excellency, the Ambassador. A couple of years later when Phillip and his wife Nenita visited their daughters in New York, they contacted Ernest having secured his address from Menchu. The effervescent Pinkie, vivacious like her mother, completely knocked over Ernest with her sparkling wit and charm, Ernie himself being witty, even “kalug” according to his cousins and aunts. Last year when Menchu went to New York to attend the numerical services honoring Paeng, an annual event with distinguished guest speakers, among them Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinborough, Jacques Costeau, the French environmentalist, William McNamara of the World Bank and former Philippine President Fidel Ramos to give lectures, Ernest with Pinkie on his arm introduced her to the guest lecturer, Jeffrey Sachs, the noted economist, as “my fiancée” and right there on the lecture floor announced to his mother “we’re engaged”! Menchu was floored!
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A double-ring ceremony at the Sacred Heart Church was officiated by Rev. Fr. Antonio Ledesma of Iloilo, a “batchmate” of Phillip in Ateneo. Burgundy and white was Pinkie’s choice for the wedding’s color scheme with her lovely sisters, Marie-Grace “Girlie” (Mrs. Allen) Kang, and Marie-Nette “Hope” (Mrs. Christopher) Williams serving as her matrons of honor. Like blossoming rosebuds in their red gowns were the bride’s apple-cheeked nieces, Marielle Kang and Marian Williams who were her little attendants with Gerard Phillip toddling along. Rafael, younger brother of Ernest, swamped with his studies at university couldn’t come for the wedding so Papo Osmeña, Ponchito and Toinette’s real guapo son served as best man. The mother of the groom, Menchu breathtakingly regal, the pearl, gray gown by Pitoy Moreno.
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Closest and dearest friends were carefully chosen to stand up as witnesses of the wedding. Leading the entourage were Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., a very dear friend of Menchu who had recommended her diplomatic appointment and whose wife, Marilou Kahn, by a complex familial network, is Menchu’s cousin. On a personal note, I rejoice that Jun has not thrown himself into the mad scramble for nominations in the political three-ring circus that is increasingly getting more ridiculous at the turn of a newspaper or television dial. Alongside the senator was Menchu’s forever friend from childhood, Annie Osmeña Aboitiz, perfectly dressed, isn’t she always, in ecru. Close and dear to Phillip and Nenita, Benjamin Go and Lily Ngo Chua shared honors as principal sponsors along with Arsenio Yulo of Bacolod, cousin of the late Paeng escorting Antoinette Osmeña who is of course Menchu’s older sister, one of Luis and Panyang Rodriguez’s five incredibly beautiful daughters. On the Go’s family side, Albino Gothong and Margarita Onglatco with Enrique Go and Nonila “Nonie” Uy stood as sponsor while Antonio “Tito” Adad and Mila Wales were Menchu’s choice to complete the list. At this writing, however, (to beat a deadline, this was written five days ahead!) there was some uncertainty about Tito’s being able to get clearance from his physician so that Myrna, dear gorgeous, funny Myrna will be standing by her beloved Tito’s bedside. Joy Ramas, beauteous wife of Dr. Maeng, with their son Joey and daughter Chichi, Peachy Osmeña, and the merry-making Lolly Jayme completed the Rodriguez family circle. And then some Velosos, Buencaminos, La-O’s, Jakosalems spreading branches of the clan.
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A challenge to the ingenuity of Teresin Mendezona who in all the many years that she has exceeded herself as Cebu’s supreme decorator was in a what-to-do tizzy for the wedding décor. Menchu being her bestest of best friend, Teresin is only too conscious of her discriminating good taste, her impeccable eye for the most infinitesimal detail and her favorite color being green which is, by far, not burgundy.
No problem: corner the market for white orchids and white lilium, strip the woodlands of delicate green ferns and voila! An enchanting backdrop for burgundy and ecru! She did it!
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Love after 25 years is earned and gained. Having achieved that triumph, Carlos and Mariquita Yeung celebrated their silver wedding anniversary with little fanfare. None of the extravagant and flamboyant trappings, conspicuous consumption of wealth as it were, designed to create an impression. Rather this one was marvelously low-key, befitting their new status as admired and respected members of the community contributing a hefty share of their time and money towards helping the less fortunate among their fellowmen. Plain blue jeans and a mauve top was Mariquita’s choice for party wear but being the adored wife of HK’s diamond king, a dazzle of diamonds around her neck was her “only” concession to glitter. Searchlights probing the indigo sky for hidden stars and skimming over the trees to brush the leaves with gold served as backdrop to a “surprise,” a dance medley staged by friends, staff and personnel of Operation Smile and relatives. Vina Chiu Yrastorza, Flor Ynclino, Monette Aliño and Fely Salimbangon noted among the dozens gyrating onstage. A retro of the Yeung’s wedding 25 years ago on a giant screen… Carlos sporting a heavy head of hair complete with Elvis Presley sideburns, Mariquita ever so pretty in bright yellow, her favorite color reflecting her sunshiny personality. Then as now, a happy blessed couple.
(January 15, 2004 issue)
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