Meaningful interaction

PEREZ. Passionate and full of wisdom.

Last May 12, members of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) paid tribute to Marjorie Perez, who did PR work for Weber Shandwick. Before she passed away from cancer, Joyette, the eldest of five siblings, called her Sydney-based sister Michi to come home immediately. She passed away on May 9.

The vibrant Joyette joined PRSP last year. The tribute from her colleagues made us cry, especially the one from Ken Lerona (read by Edwin Galvez). Excerpts:

“When I walked into the café for the meeting, the waitress told me that Joyette was waiting for me inside. Her smile and handshake were warm and sincere.

“I thought, ‘A veteran welcoming a neophyte is truly a rare occurrence.’ We talked about the profession. She said, ‘Establishing a relationship is very important.’

“Then, she began telling me about herself: ‘My name, Joyette, means ‘little joy,’ she disclosed. We talked about the plans for the Anvil Gold Awards. Our chat didn’t last long, but it was enough to show me how passionate and full of wisdom she was.

“The message I received today sent shivers down my spine—and deep into my soul. My first and only conversation with her on that meaningful Tuesday morning taught me profound lessons I’ll always remember. To Joyette, may you rest in peace.”