Alma

Alma Samonte Conty is in Manila for the moment to show support for an ailing sister. Before she arrived from Washington we had talked about about her meeting up with the CAFAs for old time's sake. Far forward in her visit however, the busy schedule of Alma was not permitting that considering her short stay in Manila.

Close to her departure date, a break in her schedule suddenly came. We agreed to meet for lunch. Unfortunately Dinky had just left for Silay to attend to his personal businesses and thus will not be able to join. (We know that Dinky stays in Silay for a week every time he goes.) Yesterday, I finally had a chance to see Alma again after what, 40 years? Alma's last visit to Manila was 5 years ago where she did not touched base with CAFAs then.

Feisty as ever, Alma talked some about her activities in Washington where she is an official of the Fil-Am political group there. She is on talking terms with Washington politicians (at least some of them) and is quite savvy on state of the nation affairs. Otherwise, Alma is retired (from the WB) and kept busy by her UP network as well as family affairs.

Alma is clearly a born organizer. Apart from the defining and catalytic roles she has with her social and political networks, Alma is an emerging matriarch for her brood. She cannot help but be a doting wife to hubby Jun (who needs all kinds of medication and appointments for his sugar and spine problems) and Nanay to her 4 children (one married). Because of this Alma says she has little time for other activities.

One of the things that interest her though is CONCEP's professional activities in heritage conservation. It seems that heritage issues in her hometown of Pagsanjan as well as Jun's hometown in Tiaong are important to her. In this trip, Alma had gone to Laguna and Quezon provinces to see old friends as well as attend to family interests there as well.

Before leaving, Alma showed me a copy of the CAFASingers in practice in one of their sessions a long time ago. (for Alma to take the photo, it must have been one of her rare appearance in a CAFASinger session). We thus welcome Alma again into the CAFA fold which we hope can be sustained after this. Bess, Alma said she has an appointment with you when she gets back next week.



See slide show for more photos.