DAGUPAN CITY—Philantropist and “Patroness of the Arts” Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas made a sentimental comeback to her second home here after she was conferred for the first time Doctorate in Humanities honoris causa by the Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU) last week in recognition of her
charity works to uplift the lives of the poor in the country.

In her sentimental commencement speech, Arenas, who joined 648 other graduates, traced her tender moments spent in this city as a young girl in the company of her Auntie Celing Calimlim-Reyna, a cousin of Arenas’ late mother, Remedios Bosch Jimenez. Reyna was the wife of former Dagupan City Mayor Liberato Reyna who ruled here for long years, making himself referred to as “the mayor for life”.

Arenas said her family loved this place where they had their
vacations in the Reynas’ mansion which they fondly called as “the White House”.

She said that when the public market was razed to the ground, her mother, a soprano, dutifully obliged to sing in several concerts to raise funds and help rebuild the market. Arenas’ mother, a dedicated teacher, devoted her talents as an opera singer to benefit the poor, earning for herself a special award from the Holy Father, Pope John Paul V1, in recognition of her humanitarian contribution.

“To this day, I cannot but shed a tear or two, everytime I see the public market, I could almost see the face of my mother in the clouds that lie above the market…..and then , I remember how much I miss her,” she said.

Her cherished memories and her fondness for the province formed her decision many years ago to buy a small farm planted with mango trees in Malasiqui town.

She said her immediate plan is to import the latest technology in
producing dried mangoes and its by-products to cater to the export market.

She said she also intends to establish a factory in Pangasinan which will generate jobs and business and give further boost to the local economy.

She said Pangasinan produces the best mangoes in the country but the lack of technology and infrastructure hinders the province’s ability to be a leading exporter. “It is time that we seize this opportunity,” she said.

Arenas’ late father, Alfredo Jimenez, was a close friend of Dr.
Francisco Duque, founder of LNU and former secretary of Department of Health. LNU was established in the 60s as a Nursing school and has since become a leading school in Pangasinan in that field and in other medical courses.

She said she was certain they (her parents) are “beaming with pride and joy of what has become of me”.

Dr. Gonzalo Duque, son of the elder Duque who is now the LNU
president, said he is very sure Arenas will make a difference to the province of Pangasinan.

“Today is very meaningful to me because I take this recognition as a validation that here, indeed, is where I belong, and today, I have come home,” she said.

Arenas said she is happy because her daughter, Rachel, has also
decided to come home and serve Pangasinan. This, despite the offers for lucrative jobs, upon finishing Graduate Studies in Harvard University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Tufts University, Arenas said.

Arenas is referred to as a “Patroness of the Arts” because she was unmindful of the heavy cost of bringing to the Filipino audience some of the biggest names in international performing arts such as world-class tenors, Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli. She said she did this “because I wanted the world to realize the fact that if these artists can be safe in our country, then any tourists or investor can enjoy the same”.

But she said her life’s work consisted mostly her advocacy for the
empowerment of the marginalized sectors and she has harnessed all possible resources at her disposal to undertake projects that alleviate the plight of the poor through her Father Pio Lend A Hand Foundation she founded 20 years ago.

Arenas has also built in Antipolo a Home for the Orphans and a
Refuge for Abused Children and Streetchildren and grantsscholarships to indigent youths.

Arenas said she and her group also try to be at the forefront of
rescue missions for victims of major calamities, even in the perilous war zones in the South, such as the town of Ipil, Zamboanga.

She also has a continuing livelihood programs like in Zambales,
helped repair a 50-year old monastery in Lucena, helped in laying the foundations of a church in Tagaytay and recently completed the unfinished construction and furnished a church and a monastery in Carmen, Cebu.

“I can only reckon that my humble work for the poor is the reason why I stand before you, today a mission by which my parents lived their lives,” she said.

Arenas cried during the ceremonies of her conferment of Doctorate in Humanities.