One Saturday evening in May ~ with Ms Pilar Pilapil

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

The party of Madonna Salva last Saturday, 23 May, turned more colourful with the arrival of Ms Pilar Pilapil sometime in mid-stream of the celebration, a get-together of friends to meet Madonna’s army man boyfriend who was in town.

Interviewing a Philippine celebrity turned Missionary Evangelist was most interesting. And rewarding too!

When asked about the purpose of her visit downunder, she smiled warmly and, in the usual fashion of Ms Pilapil of many years ago, she was in her usual spirited self.

She’s here downunder on a mission, literally and figuratively.

She is on a mission work, speaking before various Christian Born Again Churches and Filipino Christian Fellowship through the invitation of Pastor Diego Tabaquero. She also met with other pastors like Rudy Yap and Pastor Frank.

How did she become a missionary?

She said that it was a calling she couldn’t turn away from. She got baptised as a born again Christian in 1995, and the following year she decided to commit her life to Christian works.

She underwent training for this role for two years and became member of ‘Jesus The Supreme King Christian Ministries’. In 1998, she founded the Pilar Pilar Foundation. The foundation built two churches and a school in Apas, Cebu City and in Baseco, Port Area, Manila.

Since then she has been reaching out to different churches and various socio economic levels of the community. Her mission is focused on the poor, abandoned and abused women and children.

When asked how she goes about with her daily missionary works, she was quick to reply that she has feeding programs for children, gift giving, medical and dental missions in remote places while evangelising, teaching, counselling, doing prayer intercessions, injecting biblical truths and above all letting the people discover and experience God’s faithfulness to change their lives.

Pilar Pilapil, the beauty queen and movie actress

She was born on October 12, 1950 in Lilo-an Cebu. She comes from a family of 10 children.

In 1967, she became Bb Pilipinas representing the Philippines in the Ms Universe Pageant of that year.

Her life as an actress for film, television and stage has spanned over 30 years. She has won two major best actress awards.

When asked if she is planning to leave the movie industry, she said, she is still doing acting roles in television and currently has a role in the TFC television series, Lobo and Betty La Fea. Indeed once an actress always will be!

Upon learning that she was very keen about social life here in Sydney, I took the opportunity to brief her about the Hot Mamaz who were also present to welcome her.

Other than the song rendition of Madonna, a special dance was dedicated to her by Ofelia Kasilag and Brian Babon. She could not help herself and started to dance herself.

She said that she will visit Sydney again and will attend the coming Hot Mamaz Winter Ball in August.

The Hot Mamaz present were Arlene Howe, Sheila Collantes, Michelle Vallejo, Angel Laney, Ofelia Kasilag and myself.

Her entourage included her husband of seven years, Pastor Leo Penas of Cebu, and her niece, Jenny Smith of St. Ives.

We look forward to your next visit, Ms Pilapil.

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