GENERAL SANTOS CITY?SHE WILL wear at least five expensive gowns when she celebrates her birthday Friday night. And she is expected to sport a handbag costing more money than millions of Filipinos probably have seen in their lifetimes.
No, she is not Imeldific. But Imelda Marcos, the party queen in her time, is on her guest list.
She is none other than Dionisia Pacquiao and the occasion is her 60th birthday, which she will celebrate at the Phela Grande Convention Center here. Expect her to shine.
?I will be wearing different gowns during my birthday,? the mother of boxing?s pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. ?I will wear a different gown to welcome my guests and another one when I dance.?
She bought the gowns from the United States, where her son recently annihilated Britain?s Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton in two rounds.
For her dance presentation, Dionisia said she would be wearing her most expensive gown, which cost her about P30,000.
Rolex and Louis Vuitton
A dance buff who took lessons last year, Dionisia said she also invited five dance instructors (DIs) to her party.
?Whoever wants to dance, the service of a DI will be made available for free,? she said.
Aside from her costly gowns, Dionisia said she would wear her dance shoes, worth about P15,000 a pair.
She did not specifically say whether she would wear her P300,000 Rolex wristwatch, which daughter-in-law Jinky gave her as a birthday gift.
But it was expected that Dionisia would show around her Louis Vuitton handbag costing about P150,000.
Dream come true
Dionisia said she could not ask for more because her dreams had already come true. And tonight?s birthday bash is one such dream.
?I asked Manny for this and I?m so happy he gave it,? she said.
In the talk with the Inquirer, Dionisia also said the correct spelling of her name is ?Dionisia,? not ?Dionesia? as had been reported.
Dionisia said many prominent people were on her guest list, but someone else was taking care of that and that she did not personally take charge of sending out the invitations.
The Inquirer learned that show biz personalities, as well as political bigwigs (and has-beens), were among those invited.
Memorable affair
The guest list included Imelda Marcos, Deputy National Security Adviser Luis ?Chavit? Singson and entertainment stars Anjo Yllana and Gretchen Barretto.
A source close to Marcos had no knowledge of any plans of the widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos to go to General Santos City Friday. The source also had no word on whether her aides had begun packing for any such a trip.
Lee Ann Omega, Pacquiao?s personal secretary, confirmed to the Inquirer that many prominent people were expected to show up at the party. She also said Manny had spent for the affair but declined to divulge the budget.
Omega said she expected the party?which is open to all?to be a memorable and resplendent event for the champ?s mother.
Be humble
Despite her family?s high-profile status now, Dionisia said she always told her children to be humble and to help others.
Dionisia is an abandoned wife of two husbands. She brought up her children selling food in the neighborhood, waking them at dawn so they could pray together.
Manny is known not only for his generosity here after his fights. Recently, he donated beds to the ill-equipped Malungon Municipal Hospital and handed out school supplies to poor students in several public schools in Sarangani province.
There are also the so-called Pacman scholars, now numbering 250 students.
?This is what I have been instilling in him, to share his blessings with the less fortunate ones,? Dionisia said.
No place like home
Looking back, Dionisia said among her dreams was to spend a vacation on the famous resort island of Boracay. But she said she got more than that when Manny brought her to the United States for the Hatton fight.
Asked about her US trip, Dionisia said she liked it there but that she would never leave this city.
?It is really true that there?s no place like home,? she said with a laugh.
