About Us
History
Every story has a beginning and our story begins when a Cavitena accompanied her aunt to sail to another continent. The year was 1947, two years after the end of World War II.
When the ship dropped anchor in The Netherlands, ESTER TALA decided to stay behind and reach for her Tala (Pilipino for star) in the land of windmills.
Determined and full of conviction she will find her fortune in a far-distant land, she took a job as seamstress. Ten years later, she met and married Rinus Jagtenberg.
The arrival of the first groups of Filipinas in 1964, changed the social life of the couple. Their week-ends were spent visiting and accompanying them to various places. The newcomers in turn, looked up to Tante Ester as their aunt and sought her comfort and advice.
With the passing away of Oom Rinus, Tante Ester is now surrounded by her Filipina friends who attend to her with the same love and kindness she showed them in their early years.
In 1996, 50 years after she set foot in Holland, they surprised her with a party and a testimonial plaque for humanitarian service. She maintains an active life, socializes and attends community activities and when not at home could be seen enjoying a stroll on the flea market of Amsterdam.
10 YEARS LATER CONCHITA GASTON who had carved out a career for herself in the United States as mezzo soprano, came to Europe to join the roster of an opera company in Antwerp.
Philippine ambassadors in The Netherlands and other European countries proudly presented her in many diplomatic functions. Gaston, took these occasions as opportunity for foreigners to hear her native music and her usual final number was "Ay Kalisud," which she sang with gusto and deep feelings of an Ilonga.
She was married to the Dutch director of a concert theater and resided in The Hague until her death.
CARMENCITA LOZADA after graduating from the Music School in Vienna with the highest honours took up residence in The Netherlands in January 1964. The demands of her musical career , however, necessitated her immigration to Germany in 1975,and in the span of more than 30 years she performed in the finest concert halls of Europe, United States, Canada and Asia.
This violinist considers The Netherlands as her second home and continues concertizing in the country: in 1994, for Samahan, a migrant workers' association; in 1997 she inspired the young music students by opening and closing the programme of Munting Nayon's "Afternoon of Music"; and a few months later in a solo concert in the Concert Theatre in Amsterdam.
She and Conchita Gaston played solo or together on different occasions for the Philippine embassies, every performance a showcase of Philippine culture.
NEWLY-MARRIED BRIDES during this period, arrived with their Dutch husbands: ELEANOR GERONIMO, with her husband Frits Buman and their one-year-old daughter from New Guinea where her husband was assigned by Shell; another bride was an Ilonga and the third was from a prominent family in Manila.
In DECEMBER 1965, a young couple, EDDIE FLORES and ORQUIDIA VALENZUELA, left the Philippines for The Netherlands where the wife was assigned by the Department of Foreign Affairs as secretary in the Philippine Embassy in The Hague. Upon arrival, Flores went to the Labour Bureau and was warmly received by an officer. It turned out he had
Filipino History
