A perfect start to the year

Your columnist and the illustrious JL & Co. group gathered for a wonderful dinner celebration at the SpeakEasy room of first-rate dining outlet The Peak in Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

The exclusive soiree, hosted by birthday celebrators Yoli Ayson, Linda Ley, and Agile Zamora, was a joyous affair marked by camaraderie and laughter.

Connie Haw, Marissa Fenton, Bonifacio Landmark Realty and Development Corp. president Hans Hauri, and DMark Beauty Corporation CEO Nikki Tang

Surrounded by closest friends, your columnist expressed gratitude for cherished friendships, setting the tone for a year filled with shared moments of happiness and celebration.

The Philippine Heritage Society’s (TPHS) Jennifer Tipton Angeles, Benedictine Sisters Reparatrices of the Sacred Heart’s Mo. Geraldine Villasenor, OSB, TPHS founders Nathan De Leon and Tess Castro, Benedictine Sisters Reparatrices of the Sacred Heart superior Mo. Angelica Lozano, OSB, son of the late Eloisa Paras Hizon Gomez Fr. Dom Martin Hizon Gomez, and TPHS founder Sherwin Sozon

A heartfelt celebration of tradition and community

Amid the rich tapestry of Filipino culture, The Philippine Heritage Society (TPHS) joyously commemorated the 104th birthday of the late Eloisa Paras Hizon Gomez in a traditional Filipiniana celebration at the historic Bale Mantua, the Hizon-Paras family ancestral house in San Fernando, Pampanga.

The festivities commenced with the heartfelt turnover of a donation by TPHS represented by founders Nathan De Leon, Sherwin Sozon, Tess Castro and other officers to Mo. Angelica Lozano, OSB, the Benedictine Sisters Reparatrices of the Sacred Heart superior, and witnessed by Fr. Dom Martin Hizon Gomez, son of the beloved matriarch.

The occasion stood as a testament to the organization’s unwavering dedication to preserving and honoring the country’s rich heritage as well as a poignant tribute to tradition and community.

(From left) Celebrator John Gaddi, co-celebrators Joanne Matschuck and Oskar Peralta, Geff Candido, co-celebrators Aurora Pijuan and Mike Dela Rosa

A remarkably stylist gathering

In a vibrant celebration at their luxurious Magallanes Village residence in Makati City, John Gaddi and Sonny Tanchanco played gracious hosts to a gathering of close friends, welcoming the renowned San Francisco-based designer Florencio Delatorre.

The affair was also a celebration of John’s birthday alongside his fellow co-celebrators. Several of the two gentlemen’s longtime amigas and amigos were in attendance, including international beauty queens and models Aurora Pijuan, Gemma Cruz Araneta, Ping Valencia, and Nini Licaros, renowned designers Mike Dela Rosa, Oskar Peralta, and Tony Cajucom, alongside seasoned artist Pando Manipon.

Adding a touch of glamour to the evening was one of the country’s known performers, Eva Papaya, who took the spotlight and elicited cheers from everyone.

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You may email me at jjlitton@indanet.com. Follow me on Facebook and YouTube: Johnny Litton by Jayelles PH and on Instagram: @jayellesph.