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Gabriel L. Cardinoza
 
At the height of the stand off at the Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio last week, a good crowd gathered at the Leisure Coast Resort in Bonuan Binloc not to support an embattled Marine Col. Ariel Querubin but to watch a fashion show featuring Pangasinan’s important people, who are models in their own fields.
 
The fashion show, “06 Fashion Revolution,” was actually a fund-raising activity of the Pangasinan-Washington Sister State Association (Pawassa), a group organized in 1996 as a counterpart organization of the Seattle-based Washington-Pangasinan Sister State Association (Wapssa), for the benefit of its 32 Pangasinan State University scholars.
 
Pawassa is headed by Celia Lambino, wife of Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, while the Wapssa president is Alma Quintans-Kern, a successful buisness person in Washington State . It was Ms. Kern who initiated the scholarship program about five years ago and so far, there have been several “poor but deserving” students who have finished their courses.

The scholarship program is just one of the gains in from the four cultural and educational missions to Seattle in 1996, 1997, 2000 and just last year. The scholars are actually sent to college by Seattle-based civic-spirited sponsors and the Pawassa administers and monitors the program.
 
Ms. Cecilia Daranciang, a Wapssa member who shuttles from Seattle to her residence in Mangatarem every so often, even personally supervises the scholars. She got them a decent two-level apartment just across the PSU-Lingayen campus, bought them two computers and a stove, sought donations for refrigerators and electric fans and stays with them to tutor them. (She is a retired teacher.)
 
Pawassa treasurer Armi Bangsal-Lorica, for her part, acts as the scholarship fund administrator. She patiently releases the money as the scholars’ need arises.
 
But despite, this, the scholarship covers only tuition and other fees. But since many of the scholars came from marginalized families, Pawassa members, in their individual capacities, come into the rescue. The vice governor and his wife, for instance, supplies them regularly with instant noodles. Tita Armi also provides them with trays of eggs every so often.     
 
This is why Pawassa had to have the fashion show, as a “bold and significant initiative … to draw from the activity an opportunity to raise funds for PAWASSA’s college scholars.”
 
“It is important that we dream big for our life and our communities. And through the project, we have taken one bold step to … share a part of ourselves by nurturing the dreams and hopes of our young people,” Ms. Lambino said in her message.
 
From Seattle , Ms. Kern emailed the Pawassa to express her appreciation for the fund-raising activity.

“Our most important task is to continue our scholarship program. We now have 32 scholars and they continue to need our support. I am very proud of the officers, especially Pawassa President Celia Lambino and Pawassa Vice-President Armi, as well as all the members of Pawassa for their commitment and dedication in taking care of the Pawassa scholars and programs,” Ms. Kern said.

She added that the activity will not only raise funds for the Pawassa scholarship program, but will also raise awareness for the need to help poor but deserving high school graduates to obtain a college degree.
 
Indeed, the fashion show achieved its purpose. Those who agreed to model the Abel, an indigenous Iloko fabric, did it for free. It was enough for them to know that they were part of an activity that would redound to the benefit of the youth who continue to dream for a little less deprived life for them and their families.