Sanlahi Masquerade Ball 2014: It was a night of elegance for education
Melbourne, FL — On the night of October 18, 2014, the Holiday Inn ballroom was filled with about 200 friends of Sanlahi, Inc, dressed formally in gowns, tuxedos and Barong Tagalog, and accessorized with stylish masks. 
The Sanlahi (a Filipino term of ‘one race’) Masquerade Ball is an annual fund-raising event for the Sanlahi Scholarship Fund. Sanlahi, Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit public charitable organization registered in Florida, and locally operates in Melbourne. It has been in existence since 2009.
The Sanlahi Scholarship Fund provides much needed four- or five- year financial support to deserving college students in Brevard County and the Philippines who pursue undergraduate degrees in any field at an accredited college or university in the USA and the Philippines.
Michael Dwane Catacutan, Sanlahi’s pioneering scholar, with current Sanlahi president, Brad Bonifacio, and past president and scholarship committee chairperson, Dr. Ralph Turingan.
This third annual event was extra special because of the tribute to Michael Dwane Catacutan who was recognized as the first Sanlahi Scholar and formally awarded such a distinction. He is a well-rounded senior at Melbourne High School and will pursue a Doctor of Medicine degree at Cebu Doctors University in the Philippines beginning in the Fall 2015 semester.
Michael Dwane with his mom, Jane.
The highlights of the 2014 Sanlahi Masquerade Ball were the sit-down dinner and the dancing to the tunes of the last five decades, in thanksgiving for the continuing support of the friends of Sanlahi to scholarship.
We have danced the whole night.
In addition to the Scholarship Program, the organization also actively raises funds for its ongoing Backpack and School Supplies Program for underprivileged elementary school students in the Philippines. To date, it has presented backpacks to over 1000 students.
It is also active in local events including its monthly Keep Brevard Beautiful Beach Clean Up, Keep Melbourne Beautiful Adopt a Road and performing cultural dances to showcase the culture of the Philippines. The organization is open to all Filipino-Americans who are interested in promoting Philippine culture.
You may find additional information about the organization at its website, www.sanlahi.org.
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