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by Amiel Aguilar Cabanlig
Exclusive Photos by Raul J. Teehankee
FROM the raw genius of Madame Curie, the brute strength of Grace
O’Malley, the rock-hard leadership of Queen Elizabeth to the sheer
beauty that can launch a thousand ships, Helen of Troy; Women since
time and memorial have shown distinction in almost every field of
endeavor. Indeed it takes a hundred men to make an encampment,
but one woman to make a home. Without a doubt, women deserve as much
adulation and respect for their accomplishments.
There is this saying, a woman of
noble character who can find? She is worth far more than diamonds
and rubies.
You ask! Who should be the
“women of substance” that we toast our campaign to, honor with
awards and accolades during grandiose social gatherings? In an event
that I recently attended, celebrating women as such, I was rather
dismayed at how shallow they have turned this moniker; the woman of
substance. It has been reduced to a mere tautological enterprise, a
despicable PR ploy that predates on the vanities of some, without
regard to the true significance this idiom.
Popoli in collaboration with
photojournalist Raul Teehankee have assembled a hodge-podge of some
of the great modern day Filipina’s of bonafide substance. Their
accomplishments have made them stellar in their communities and
their contributions go beyond what is mundane.
The Classical Achiever:
Cecile Licad
Her repertoire as an orchestral
soloist ranges from the classical repertoire of Mozart and Beethoven
to the Romantic literature of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Schumann and
Rachmaninoff to the modern works of Debussy, Ravel, Shostakovich,
Prokofiev and Bartók. As one of the youngest musicians to receive
the prestigious Leventritt Gold Medal in 1981, Cecile won
international recognition. Licad has appeared regularly with
orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony,
Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony,
Children’s Orchestra and the orchestras of Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Phoenix and
Vancouver. World-renowned, Licad is the foremost Filipina pianist of
all time.
The Musical Ingénue:
Lea Salonga
Ever since shooting to the global
musical theatre spotlight as Miss Saigon’s “Kim” in 1989, Lea
Salonga is undoubtedly one of the most famous Filipinas on the world
stage. She is recognized for having won the Olivier, Drama
Desk, Outer Critics, and Theatre World Awards, the first to win
various international awards for a single role. From Broadway,
television and film, Salonga’s crisp clear voice, pure demeanor,
and austere persona has won over audiences around the globe.
A Woman for All Seasons:
Vilma Santos-Recto
In 2005, the University of the
Philippines conferred to her the Gawad Plaridel Award for her
achievements and contributions both as an actress and a public
servant. In the same year she was conferred with honorary doctorate
degree (honoris causa) in humanities by the Lipa City College. She
was again honored in 2006 by the University of the Philippines as
one of the four awardees in UP’s First Diwata Awards. Dr. Vilma
Santos is married to Senator Ralph Recto, who belongs to a
well-known political clan in the Philippines. Actress,
politician, devoted mother and wife, and a veritable Filipino icon,
Vilma is so much more than just a star for all seasons.
Filipina in the Fast Lane:
Lydia de Vega-Mercado
De Vega is a formertrack and
field athlete from the Philippines, was considered Asia’s fastest
woman in the 1980s. Powerful, accomplished and inspiring, De Vega
pushed the envelop as Asia’s sprint queen, running away with the
gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad. She
later duplicated the feat in the 1986 Seoul Asiad where she was
clocked 11.53 seconds. She also brought home a silver medal in the
200-meter race from the 1986 Seoul Asiad. De Vega now serves as a
councilor of her native Meycauayan town in Bulacan province.
For the Beauty of the Earth:
Chin-Chin Gutierrez
Today, she is a highly
sought-after resource speaker and lecturer for Environmental
Education, lending her expertise to a broad range of issues related
to ecology and conservation, like Ecological Waste Management,
Sustainable Development, Ecology and Spirituality, The Integrity of
Creation, Sustainable Consumer Lifestyles, Women and the
Environment, among others. Her talks have been attended not
only by youth and NGOs, but also corporate and civic leaders,
educators, local government officials and community workers.
Actress and activist, her true compassion for Mother Nature serves
as inspiration to conserve the endemic splendor of the Philippine
Archipelago.
The Magical Madrigal:
Andrea Veneracion
The driving force behind the
Philippines’ world famous Madrigal Singers, Andrea Veneracion has
done more than her part to bring the Filipino’s love of music to a
global audience. She is also the founding choirmaster and
first conductor of the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music
Chorale. For her contributions to the development of choral singing
in the Philippines, Veneracion was named National Artist for Music
in 1999, the highest cultural awards bestowed by the Philippine
government for an individual. In addition, under her helm, the
Philippine Madrigal Singers were named as the resident choral group
of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Talented, pious,
and a visionary in her field, Veneracion’s legacy has touched the
hearts of millions.
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