A tribute to Cita Hoersch: A multi-talented Filipina

(As I copy this from her private memoirs, my friend Florecita was confined at the palliative care of Greenwich Hospital in NSW. While the average length of stay of most patients in palliative care is only 2 weeks, Cita has fought and desperately hoped for a miracle for almost 3 months. She gained eternal life on January 22, 2014. We now know she has a special place in heaven.) — Dino Crescini

Cita was a traveller. Her father would tell her to get settled warning her “that a rolling stone gathers no moss.”

After graduating from St. Scholastica’s College, Cita’s first job was at Quezon Institute, the same hospital where her father worked before the war. In 1963, Cita’s ‘odyssey’ began when she left for the U.S. as an exchange student.  She took her one-year internship as a dietician at Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.

In 1964, she went to Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing where she completed her Master of  Science in Institution Administration two years later.

While at MSU, she represented the Philippines as the Secretary and Public Relations Officer of the Filipino Club; was an active member of the International Club and was the Philippine representative to the MSU United Nations. She became the “star dancer” of the Filipino Club, most notably receiving first prize for “Singkil” from the President of MSU during the International Festival before an audience of 5,000.

A fashion model and singer

She was also a model, wearing Filipino costumes during functions organized by private and civic organizations at the Filipino Club.

Her other activities included singing with St. John’s Catholic Church choir.

While exchange students in the U.S.A. were given 18 months practical training before going back to their country of origin, Cita chose to do her practical training in New York to join her brothers Deo and Rudy, who were working there.

She worked at Mount Sinai Hospital as a clinical dietician for one year and at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Centre for the next 6 months as an administrative dietician to complete her 18 months practical training.

A dancer and beauty title holder

In New York, Cita continued her active involvement with the Philippine community. She was a member of the Filipino Dance Group of  New York. The highlight of her life in NYC was winning the title of “Miss Philippine-American 1967” at a beauty and talent pageant during the Philippine Independence Day Ball that was organized by the Philippine Executive Council of New York and New Jersey.

On board the HMS Queen Mary

In September 1967, Cita sailed the Atlantic Ocean on board the HMS Queen Mary during the ship’s last grand voyage before commencing work at Hammersmith Hospital in London.  While in London, she joined a travel club which enabled her to see most of the United Kingdom. She met the royal  family during an afternoon party in the garden of the Buckingham Palace, courtesy of the Philippine Embassy. She also attended  the May Ball in Cambridge followed by a boat race, an invitation extended to her by an Englishman she met on Queen Mary.

A hotel manager and university lecturer

Upon her return to Manila, she became the Manager of the Manila Hilton Staff Restaurant and the Patisserie from 1968 to 1970.  She was also a lecturer in Institution Management at the Philippine Women’s University.

She read, wrote and spoke Nippon-go

In 1969, she was invited by the Dept. of  Commerce and Industry to apply for the position of a guide at the Philippine Pavilion during the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan.  She was 1 of 35 girls chosen from among 500 applicants. The Expo girls, as they  were known, went through 6 months intensive training in learning how to read, write and speak Japanese and all about the history of Japan. The training also included  trips to Philippine tourist spots and ushering at the newly-opened Philippine Community Centre.

While in Japan, she was one of the 3 Expo girls who modelled for Yomeishu, a Japanese tonic drink. Cita received the “Cultural Heritage Award” from the then First Lady, Mrs. Imelda Marcos, at a reception in Osaka.

Fired by the enthusiasm to serve her country, she joined the Aguinaldo Development Corporation (ADECOR), an agro-industrial  Filipino-owned company as head of the Dept. of  Food Technology.

To Adelaide and Sydney

Three years later, the adventure bug hit her again that she found herself on a plane, this this time to Adelaide, South Australia where she worked as a clinical dietician at the Royal Adelaide Hospital from 1973 to 1975.

Following the death of her father, she returned to the Philippines with the intention of remaining there.

The opportunity to travel presented itself once again and she found herself back to Australia in 1977, this time to Sydney where she joined the Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), a teaching hospital of the University of Sydney.  It is at RNSH where she worked until she retired in 2004 after 27 years!

Community activities in Sydney

Flashback 1977 when Cita just arrived in Sydney.  She immediately joined the American Society where she was involved in organizing cultural activities including Filipino Nights. She also volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul Society as Assistant to the Overseas Twinning Programme Coordinator. In 1985, she married Konrad Hoersch, an Information Technology Consultant, from Germany. A daughter, Natalie Christine, was born but sadly, did not survive her premature birth. Another trial was in February 2006, in the form of a rare breast cancer. She had chemotherapy, mastectomy and radiotherapy. The care and support of Konrad and prayers from family and friends enabled her to cope and carry on. She took life philosophically, derived from her strong faith in God, that He only gives trials that we can cope with.

Sydney has been Cita’s adopted home for 31 years. Now both retired, they took time to indulge in their long-held passions — Konrad with his tennis, cycling, jogging and soccer, and Cita, a rekindled interest in music, acting and community activities. Cita joined FAMS, a musical and drama society. The couple worked as  Professional Background Artists for television and movie productions. She was one of the founding members of the Ilocano Association of Australia (IAA) holding positions of Secretary, Public Relations Officer and later as the Vice-President. She has organized Filipino Nights in other ethnic clubs in Sydney. She later became a Director of the Philippine Community Council of NSW (PCC-NSW).

Before her confinement in hospital, Cita looked back with fondness of what she has become, given the opportunity of an excellent education, wonderful family and friends and a caring Almighty God who watched over her.