Living The Tradition

“No one holds parties like the Aboitiz companies,” gushed a columnist after his third year as a guest. The comment had an authentic ring. And fellow guests knew and nodded. They e all referred to the annual Christmas parties that the Aboitiz Group of companies held for media practitioners.

Said another, “Believe ko sa Aboitiz parties; klaro kaayong they really used brains. You can just put up a party for the sake of it. But the Aboitiz parties really have a theme and the party follows that theme.”

Charge it to the creativity of the organization’s Corporate Communication team, the themes are clear and distinct, making each party uniquely planned and executed. The short list of suggested themes is then presented to the President/CEO and/or EVP/COO for approval. Themes are usually decided on by August, and that sets the preparations going.

In 2003, the party theme was “Christmas Cruise.” And so the guests assembled at the boarding area of the company’s Supercat fleet. While waiting for the rest to arrive, singers like Cebu’s own Raki Vega regaled the guests with songs from Broadway and some Visayan classics. Then the guests boarded the Supercat and were taken on a cruise along the Mactan Channel, even passing underneath the Cebu-Lapulapu bridge. All this on a breezy moonlit night, while violins and guitars played on deck and cocktails and canapés were served.

The much-awaited reopening of Casino Espanol inspired the next year’s theme, “Fiesta Española a la Aboitiz.” The Spanish cuisine further punctuated the festive atmosphere, complete with flamengo dancers, circus acts, even a real fortune teller.

Year 2005 coincided with the 85th anniversary of Aboitiz company’s operations, thus spelling the theme “Sharing the Bounty of 85 years.” Media practitioners still remember how they had to scramble to the “History Wall” fiber-glass plaques on the walls for answers to the games. Then Chairman and CEO Jon Ramon Aboitiz and other Aboitiz executives distributed themselves among the competing groups, forming puzzles or whispering clues or answers to the questions from the game master. The bounty waited for harvesting — from tables and floors —— all kinds of fruits and as many as you could load into baskets. Yes, even the baskets were ready. Commented one guest, “These are so appropriate and appreciated; fruits are very expensive now.”

The last three years tested the skills of all guests. “Celebrating Childhood Christmas” in 2006 saw hurled into childhood days, playing native games of sipa, tubig-tubig, lastiko, sigay-sigay, takyan, etc. As the younger ones fearlessly jumped over the garter a meter high, the young once sighed, “That used to be easy for us, too.” But everyone was relieved that Marco Polo’s grand ballroom was carpeted.

“Dancing with the Media Stars” in 2007 brought back songs, dances, music, competition and memories about the 60’s and 70’s, those days of Chubby Checker and elephant walk, boogie, and the whole gamut. And last year, the “Aboitiz Amazing Race” tested physical stamina and mental alertness, as guests fulfilled their challenges from one station to another, in the likes of the reality show “Amazing Race.” Texted one guest the next day, “Pastilang lingawa nako sa pagkagod ug lubi gabi-i.” 

The week after, too, the Aboitiz Corpcom team said, “Our Christmas party in 2009 will be on November 27.” Expect them to be drafting the party themes now, to continue the tradition of giving the kind of parties only the Aboitiz companies can make.