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| Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion |
It was truly a night to remember when the Montilla clan held a family gathering at Lina's Alfresco Dining in Bacolod, that is owned by a relative, where family members from all over gathered for an evening of good food, excellent wine, and renewed bonding.
The turnout was fantastic. Relatives, who had not seen each other for so many years, happily greeted each other with beso beso y abrazo, speaking in Spanish, English and Ilonggo, all at once.
This is one of the old families of Negros Occidental who, through the years, have made a name for themselves in various fields; politicians, sugar barons, academe, medicine, businessmen (and women), beauty queen, etc. They are known as the “crème de la crème, the “de buena familia” of the province.
I happened to be at the party with my “ladies who lunch” group, composed of Ditas and Cristy Montilla and Leda Peña. These Montilla ladies insisted that I come with them to see for myself how the family gets together. And true enough, one could see the genuine affection and respect they have for each other despite any minor differences in the past. This goes to show that “blood is thicker than water”.
I was told that this gathering is in preparation for the grand Montilla family reunion to be held sometime in the near future. It was, indeed, a most pleasant experience to be in the midst of Negrense “blue-bloods”.*
