All in red, Highlands Ladies, ‘one team, one heart’
It began with two women and a shared vision. One course. One mission.
The two who started it all—Marilen Yaptangco and Sandy Romualdez
Twenty years ago, Sandy P. Romualdez and Marilen S. Yaptangco weren’t really setting out to make history. They were simply forming a team for the first-ever Ladies Federation Games. But what came together was more than a golf team—it was a movement, a tribe, a family.
Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines Champions 2010: seated, Jessalynn Tan, Marge Tan, Marlo Roxas, Cathy Borja, Connie Mamaril, and Rosalie Heo; standing, Bern Wong, Roni Wuson, Joji Bautista, Lilibeth de Villa, Mayenne Varua, Dionne Cu, Hedy See, Totelle Dimson, Mabek Kawsek, and Mely Leyeza
From that inaugural tournament—where the rookie Highlands Ladies swept both the opening and final editions of the now-legendary games—the team became known not only for victories, but for something rarer: style, substance, and soul.
Cruise queen Marilen Yaptangco
Marilen Yaptangco prioritizes family over fairways nowadays, such as traveling with her mentor/father, retired Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban.
Marilen, now best known as the Philippines’ undisputed Cruise Queen, looks back with affection. “The friendships, the fun, the memories—they’re forever anchored in my heart,” she said. “Although Sandy and I started the team, Sandy was the prime architect. She was a fearless leader. I’d gather the stats and analyze possible pairings, but she always made the final call.”
She credits their early success to something intangible. “The real secret? Empowerment flowed both ways between the team and the captains. That gave us the courage to take bold swings—especially under matchplay pressure, where every shot demands nerve and nuance.”
Sports captain Sandy, ever humble, remains the team’s guiding light. “What makes this team special isn’t just the skill—it’s the soul,” she said. “We pushed each other to play better, yes—but we also held each other up. We laughed loud, supported harder, and made memories that shine brighter than any trophy.”
When Marilen’s business grew, she tapped teammate Mayenne Varua—“areglada,” she called her—to co-captain with Sandy the final two games of the Ladies Fed. “Meticulous, data-driven, and deeply intuitive,” she said.
The team evolved to compete in national tournaments, and the leadership baton would later pass through many capable hands: Princess Katigbak, the late Mely Leyeza, Gie Bote, Becky Albert, and steadfast Mayenne.
Marking Tagaytay Midlands 25th anniversary in early May 2025: Anna Raquel Santos, Arlette Raquino, Malen Balina, Rosalind Wee, Lilibeth de Villa, Princess Katigbak, Lette Alejandro, Jenny Bosch, Dionne Cu, and Lara Santico Vicente
And then there’s Rosalind Wee—team president for two decades and now its chairman. Ironically, it was near-blindness that led her to the game. A tumor, the size of a golf ball, lodged between her optic nerves, was successfully excised but left her with impaired peripheral and depth vision.
Rosalind Wee’s home is the team’s city clubhouse. (Seated) Hedy See, Gie Bote, Marge Tan, Jessalynn Tan, Princess Katigbak, Arlette Raquino; (standing) Cathy Borja, Totelle Dimson, Gelli Rivera, Rosalind Wee, Jenny Bosch, Dionne Cu, Karen Cabalquinto, Becky Albert, Kyla Laurel, Sandy Romualdez, Gabby Borja, Lisa Jayme, and Jackie Kawsek
“To play golf, surrounded by women who love and respect the game—that’s one of life’s great blessings,” Rosalind said. Her home in the city remains the team’s clubhouse.
Much of it was made possible by Willie Ocier, chairman of Tagaytay Highlands and the team’s steadfast patron from the start. “My vision for Highlands was always about family and community,” he said. “Even when golf was still considered a man’s sport, I saw the need to support the ladies. What inspired me was their camaraderie—their joy in playing, win or lose. That kind of spirit stays with you.”
‘We love golf’ say Farah Imperial, Sandy Romualdez, and Kyla Laurel
‘To play golf, surrounded by women who love and respect the game—that’s one of life’s great blessings’
And it has. Today, that spirit lives on in the next generation. Chesca and Tara—the daughters of Farah Imperial, who recruited half of the original crew— have joined the fold. So have Patty, daughter of Jessalyn Tan; Gabby, daughter of Cathy Borja; and Jackie, daughter of Mabek Kawsek. But the story of daughters stepping up to the tee is not new for Highlands. Lilibeth de Villa’s three girls—Linnel, Debbie, and Angela—brought in championships even before their eldest sister, Lilet, joined. Connie Mamaril’s daughter Kristel was an early standout. So was Hannah, daughter of Hedy See, who later joined a different ladies’ team.
Highlands’ new gen and carpoolers: (front) Kyla Laurel, Karen Cabalquinto; (back) Lara Vicente and Patty Tan
Now, the torch has passed to two women born of legacy: Kyla Olives Laurel and Lara Santico Vicente. Kyla of the storied Olives golfing family is now married into the Laurel sports clan. Lara grew up trailing her father, Ferdinand Santico Jr., one of the original visionaries behind the Highlands International Golf Club. Both women lead not just with strategy, but with reverence for the tradition they now uphold.
Champions on and off the course: Red Cross awardees Princess Katigbak (left) and Rosalind Wee
They lean on the veterans like Mayenne and current president Princess Katigbak. Mayenne advised, “Trust your swing, support each other, and let’s enjoy every moment out there—together as one team, one heart.” Princess added, “Leadership here isn’t about power. It’s about presence. About showing up prepared. And leading with passion.”
Waiting for their turn to tee off in their home course, Tagaytay Highlands, from left: Dionne Cu, Roni Wuson, Jojo Sales, and Dr. Princess Katigbak
Treasurer Dionne Cu echoes the sentiment. “It’s no accident this team is what it is. I give thanks to the Almighty for weaving together women from all walks of life with one goal: to win, yes—but more importantly, to belong.”
Braving the morning fog hovering the Highlands Golf course are Maline Flores, Gabby Borja, Cathy Borja, Mabek Kawsek, Jenny Bosch, Lette Fernandez, Jackie Kawsek, Marissa Vergara, and Arlette Raquino
Many have become pillars in quiet ways. For over 20 years, Maline Flores—of the beloved Chocolate Kiss café —baked cakes before dawn tee-offs. The café has since closed, but she still rises early to play, smiling, never missing a beat. Gie Bote, CEO of Agrikultura Pilipina Inc., mother company of Holland Blooms, travels south to north, and east to west, for the love of the game and the team. “Why not?” said Gie laughing.
Winsome threesome: Lette Alejandro, Dr. Ellen Dig, and Jenny Bosch
Others now uplift the game through “inbound golf tourism”—led by Connie Mamaril and supported by the “early risers”: Marissa Vergara, Erlie Gamut, Faye Celones, and de Villa.
Original mother-daughter golfing duo Marixi Prieto (left) and Sandy (right) with Rosalie Heo
Then there’s the elegant matriarch, Marixi Prieto, who with daughter Sandy, became the original mother-daughter pair in the team. “Play with heart. Lead with dignity.” That, she taught—by quiet example. Her husband, the late Alex Prieto, followed the team in silence and support, cheering and believing.
In between carpool rides and Federation matches, bonds were formed. Lifelong ones.
Ace players Totelle Dimson and Rosalie Heo said it best: “Team Highlands Ladies is truly the best team in the universe.”
And maybe it is. What they built was not just a winning team. It was—and is—a family.
And now, as the next generation takes the tee, one thing is certain: this story is far from over.
It’s just beginning its next beautiful drive.
