Lasallians welcome the President

Despite his hectic schedule, President Marcos took time out to attend the 2024 La Salle Greenhills Homecoming, aptly called “Galing ng Green,” last Saturday, Feb. 3 at the La Salle Greenhills campus. He was there to celebrate the golden jubilee of his high school batch 1974. The President posed for photos with some of his former classmates, including BDO Unibank director Walter Wassmer who was rumored to have been a potential candidate for finance secretary when the President was still forming his economic team.

According to those present at the LSGH Homecoming, the presence of the President and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos was “heartwarming.”  The First Couple arrived without much fanfare late that evening. He did not give a speech and he wore the same uniform of his batch and just quietly stayed and enjoyed the company of his batchmates and dutifully sang the Alma Mater hymn “Hail to De La Salle.” 

The First Couple actually tendered a separate dinner celebration for the President’s batchmates at the Presidential Security Command Compound last Jan. 31. Among those who attended was businessman Peter Coyiuto.

The LSGH Homecoming turned Ortigas Avenue into one long parking lot on both sides, with most of the attendees wanting to see if the President was really coming, along with early rumors that House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto would likewise drop by...they were no-shows however.    

While the President was enjoying some downtime with his fellow Lasallians last Saturday, he has actually started the ball rolling on a new purge of the government, specifically covering presidential appointees. In a directive dated Feb. 2, the Presidential Management Staff has ordered all head of departments, agencies, offices and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled-corporations, government financial institutions and state universities and colleges to submit their updated personal data sheet and clearance from the Civil Service Commission, National Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan, for compliance within 30 days.                                                    

Rediscovering Discovery Suites

The Tiu family-owned Discovery Suites is set to embark on a “refresher” that will prepare it for its landmark 25th anniversary next year, according to Carlo Cruz, manager of the still popular hotel in the Ortigas Central Business District.

The hotel, under Oakridge Properties Inc., opened on Feb. 14, 2000. It is set to celebrate its 24th anniversary in just a couple of days and will soon undergo a floor by floor “refresher” that is estimated to cost around P24 million for each floor. Carlo assures, however, that the renovation will not result in smaller rooms, as the hotel will maintain the generous floor cut of 40 to 45 square meters (sqm), although the hotel’s three-bedroom suite with kitchenette, is a condominium-sized 140-sqm unit!

Most other hotels, Carlo reveals, have room sizes of just 23 to 24 sqm for the regular rooms and a more generous size for suites.

The hotel remains to be a favorite of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is located just a couple of meters away. ADB staff account for most of the hotel’s long staying guests, with Carlo revealing that their longest loyalty award goes to one guest who has stayed in the hotel for 20 years.

Discovery Suites’ location is ideal, just across the upscale Podium lifestyle mall and BDO Ortigas Center. It is also walking distance from the SMC head office, SM Mega Mall and Robinsons’ Galleria.

Carlo reveals that while Discovery Suites, like all other hotels, were negatively affected by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, its occupancy has started to improve. In fact, hotel figures show that from 2022 to 2023, the hotel posted a 21 percent increase in revenues, with 2022 posting a 65 percent occupancy rate.

The hotel also implements a dynamic pricing policy for guests that changes depending on seasonality and demand. It does not have a spa but is entering into partnership with other service providers that offer pampering services for hotel guests.

In its F&B outlets, Discovery Suites is eyeing collaborations with well-known chefs and restaurants for “kitchen takeovers.” However, during our interview at their penthouse Prime 22, their kitchen staff wowed us with their skills, serving a baked oyster with caviar dish that was good for only one order as it quickly ran out because most of the other guests also ordered it. Their Lobster Bisque and Mushroom Cappuccino were also standouts and much better than the watery versions that other local restaurants and hotels offer. Their hallmark steak offerings were juicy and soft, and offered generous side dishes compared to what other more pricey and well-known steak restaurants serve at much higher or even inflated prices. 

Carlo Cruz

Hotel veterans

In his early 40s, the youthful Gen Y/millennial hotelier Carlo Cruz started his career in the hotel industry in sales and marketing, gaining experience in various stints with the Razon-led Solaire Hotel under the supervision of Joy de Mesa and Loleth So, Resorts World under Christine Ibarreta and under Rose Libongco of Sofitel. However, prior to his post at Discovery Suites, Carlo gained his toughest training during his three-year stint in Yangon, Myanmar, whose general managers were Vinoth Kumar and Oreste Traetto.

According to Carlo, as one of the few English-speaking expats in the hotel, he had to learn all aspects of the hotel business as none of the local staff could adequately communicate with him. However, Carlo admits that his three-year experience in Yangon helped him improve his overall skills and prepared him for his new role as hotel manager of Discovery Suites as of Feb. 1.

Yangon, Carlo reminisces, was one of the safest places in the world three years ago as there was absolutely no crime then, with the locals afraid of the military. He recalls that nobody ever had to lock their rooms or could safely leave their belongings in the hotel and would still find their things untouched when they got back. Expats like him could get drunk and still safely hail a taxi and get back to the hotel or their residence without getting robbed or waylaid.

Carlo’s introduction to the press was also unique with help from the team of Gemma Batoon and Marc dela Cruz of MG Asia Public Relations Inc. who, themselves, were part of Discovery Suites in the early 2000s and helped seal the reputation of gracious hospitality of the hotel. Both Gemma and Marc retired in 2014 and have since set up their own firm.