A MEANINGFUL LIFE
Ever passionate about helping the indigent, AGNES HUIBONHOA knows no limits when it comes to serving less privileged communities
Honorary Consul of The Republic of The Gambia Agnes Huibonhoa shares her life’s blessings through her various advocacies
The Honorary Consul of the Republic of The Gambia, Agnes Huibonhoa, is a well-known figure in society circles for her classic elegance and sense of style. But aside from these, she is also a well-loved icon for her altruistic endeavors. Her boundless generosity and her unwavering commitment to a multitude of charitable institutions has helped thousands of people in the many years of her philanthropic career. Just recently, Agnes together with the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS), honored the “Men of Exemplary Influence” and the “Best-Dressed Women of the Philippines.” The events pay tribute to the conscious efforts of these men and women in spreading cancer awareness and providing significant help in the fight against cancer.
The two well-attended events gather Manila’s most influential society figures, businessmen, and politicians, to provide the much-needed aid for the country’s underprivileged cancer patients. Agnes’ connections have contributed to the success of these events. She says, “I was very happy that I’m able to gather and convince businessmen to help out and give their time to join the activity. With ‘Men of Influence’, we actually make them walk the runway. And most of them are like, ‘You know what, Agnes? We’ve never done this in our entire life!’ But they did it. We had the US ambassador, we had some senators, some congressmen. In our event last September, we had Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez. You wouldn’t think they would do something like this. But when they hear it’s for the cancer patients and that we do raise these funds to help them out, it’s so touching that you see them take their time out to help them out.” It is through these efforts that she and her team are able to maintain the institution’s activities to help relieve the costs of expensive cancer treatments and medications.
Agnes shares, “Right now, I feel that I’m really blessed. So I’m really trying my best so I can give back to society.” Aware of the many privileges that she has, she wastes no time in using her time, effort, and connections in finding bigger and better opportunities to help the needy. Aside from the PCS, other institutions that benefit from her giving heart include the Johann Strauss Society of the Philippines (JSSP) and the Our Lady of Manaoag Foundation.
The former is an organization (patterned after Vienna’s Johann Strauss Society) of which Agnes is the Vice-President.
As an arm of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
(CCP), the society raises money for the CCP’s endeavors in providing arts education for less privileged students. This year, she and the JSSP held the Weiner Ball at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Similar to the eponymous event in Vienna, the event was filled with rich, melodic music, ending with a significant amount of donations from Manila’s high society to various charitable institutions.
The Our Lady of Manaoag Foundation on the other hand, was a serendipitous discovery for Agnes. A devout follower of the patroness of the sick, helpless, and needy, she would travel all the way to the pilgrimage site in Pangasinan to offer her prayers. While working in Malacañang, a turn at the corner of a street led her to a small chapel devoted to her patroness. It is her where she spends time tending to the needs of the indigent community of Manila. The local government has been supportive. City Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso has joined her efforts in her feeding programs and medical missions. The Barangay Captain of the area also works with her. They intend to launch education programs in the future.
“We’re planning to do education programs for the children and see how we can get donations for books, even if they’re secondhand. We want to ask people to give time to read with the children,” she excitedly shares. On top of this, their current charitable efforts will continue to bring aid to the local community. She adds, “We’ll still have feeding programs and the medical missions. Unilab has been helpful in donating medicines. We also have volunteer doctors that come in and spend their weekend with the people.”
Having worked with former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., the life of service is nothing new to Agnes. “I have this certain connection with people in need. It has become a part of me already,” she exclaims. Cognizant of who she is and what her influence is capable of, she acknowledges the role of society in community development. The means and the connections are but viable paths for her to provide more opportunities in helping those in need. It is her definition of what a life of meaning is. She concludes, “A meaningful life is when you feel fulfilled and gratified. For me, it’s giving back. You’re all blessed with all these things, and there’s so many people out there who do not have the same privileges. So I really find ways and means to find opportunities to help out.”