Alice Lorenzo Kawachi — A Grand Dame’s Manila 80th Celebration

By: Maria Girlie Pascual

 

My aunt is a petite powerhouse who made her mark by adhering to a personal set of values that served her well in her 80 years of auspicious existence. Born Alicia De Leon Lorenzo in Manila, she was the quiet, younger sister of my outspoken and gregarious mother, Teresita Leonor Lorenzo-Pascual, the third and fourth daughters with two older siblings, the late councilman Ambrosio “King” Lorenzo, Jr and my auntie in Connecticut, USA, Dr Antonio Lorenzo-Maningas, all four raised under the conservative, watchful eyes of my grandparents, the late Manila Chief of Police Ambrosio Lorenzo, Sr. and my grandma, Maria De Leon Lorenzo, an astute business woman and entrepreneur ahead of her time. These were the women I grew up admiring, all Alpha Females extraordinaire, their spouses all supportive of their qualities of being caring mothers, loyal wives, and creative business owners. My Tita Alice possessed all these qualities as chronicled in her life’s achievements.

She went to the College of the Holy Spirit in Mendiola with my mom, and both graduated from elementary and high school, Tita Alice from HS class of 1955, my mom ahead by two years. From there, Tita Alice went to St Theresa’s College in San Marcelino for two years before transferring to the Far Eastern University and graduated with two business degrees with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts in Banking and Finance. On her fourth year in college, she applied and was accepted to work at the Philtrust Bank at Plaza Goiti, then the bank’s headquarters in Santa Cruz, Manila, next to the very first Shoe Mart store in the Philippines. She rose up the ranks in the 22 years that she worked at Philtrust, from teller, to Senior Teller, ultimately running the FEU branch as its Manager until she decided to opt for early retirement in 1984. She was only 46. Tito George and her decided to open up their own Raymundo Pawnshop branch after they had their own building built in Monumento, Caloocan City and Tita Alice ran it until her full retirement at age 69. In between all of these milestones, she was invited, elected, appointed to different civic and charitable organizations including the St Gabriel Parish Council, the Department of Tourism, the Philippine National Red Cross among many others, ultimately receiving what she feels is her highest honor, the Papal Award bestowed on her by the Vatican in 2005, for her generous work and devotion as President of the Parish Pastoral Council of St Gabriel in Caloocan City. Incidentally, she was awarded Most Outstanding Citizen of Caloocan in Business while she was actively running the pawnshop in two branches – Monumento and Maypajo in the Metro Manila areas.

Tita Alice has been married to my uncle, Engineer George Raymundo Kawachi, Jr. since 1964, a dynamic and romantic relationship of 54 years which yielded 5 children altogether. They are George Kawachi III, the late George Franz Kawachi 1V, Maria Arisu Kawachi-Cruz married to Engineer Jober Cruz, Barbra Kawachi-Steiner married to Manfred Steiner residing in Austria, and Omar Kawachi, her youngest son. From her kids, she and my uncle now enjoy a brood of 14 grandkids altogether, and Mama Alice as they call her, tries to see them when they can.

I came home this month on her 80th birthday to join her amazing celebration at the Makati Shangrila Hotel last August 10, her actual birthday. With all her family, friends, religious associates and a throng of neighbors and old-time peers from the old neighborhood, Tita Alice was the belle of the ball in her intricately Swarovski fully- beaded and hand-embroidered fire red Renee Salud ball gown that garnered “ooh’s and aah’s” even from the 7 members of the clergy which included two bishops, two monsignors, and 3 parish priests that officiated her birthday mass before dinner.

To date, Tita Alice continues to serve God and her family, enjoying traveling with Tito George to places they decide to visit on a whim. In the last five years, she went to Rome two times, two times to Israel where they renewed their vows on their 50th anniversary, traveled twice to Austria to visit her daughter, and also went around Europe, at that time including Spain, London and Paris at age 75-plus. She climbed the Great Wall of China in her 70’s and currently planning a short Thailand trip when I leave for Chicago.

I cannot end this article without thanking Tita Alice for all the times she took me with her on her famous trips, sponsoring my vacations to Thailand, Hongkong, and now her 80th birthday, just to spend time with me in Cebu. She is my Ninang (Godmother) in both my christening and my wedding, my current mother figure now that my mom is gone. We laugh, we joke, and we have enjoyed each other’s company as only a true mother and daughter can, and for that, Tita Alice, I say thank you and I love you.

Birthday celebrant Lady Alice and Engineer George Raymundo Kawachi

With all her children Jojie, Arisu, Barbara and grandkids Jhulia, Alexis, AJ, Jessica, Sophia and Therese

Birthday mass officiated by Philippine Bishops, Monsignors and Parish Priests of St Gabriel Parish

Longtime friends including my aunt Chit Pascual on her left and University Hills resident Cely Francisco on her right, Lina Aurelio owner of Hotel Aurelio on Roxas Blvd, and members of the St Gabriel Parish Pastoral Council where Tita Alice was past president

Special Attendance by famous radio host “Dr Love” aka Jun Banaag ( second from left) with the celebrant and guests