What’s the best thing that ever happened to you?
May 15, 2005 | 12:00am
Life is all about ups and downs, happiness and disappointments. Life, as they say, is what happens when you’re busy making plans. And sometimes, the best things happen when we least expect them. They’re not part of our plans – it could be the time when we meet our soulmates, or when we find ourselves in a situation that completely changes our lives, or the first time we become parents – but we remember these events for the lessons they impart and for taking us on a path that overhauls our entire lives
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SIGALIT DJEMAL, homemaker: Naturally, motherhood and my three beautiful children, but aside from the obvious, the best thing would have to be having lost the excess weight I had been carrying around with me up to 13 years ago in my early 20s. Back then I weighed around 80 kilos and it slowed me down. With one firm decision, unwavering determination and sound advice from my doctor, I put into action the making of my goals and have since managed to lose 30 kilos. With this lifestyle change, a positive frame of mind, a healthy diet and daily exercise I have managed to maintain my weight and figure through the years despite having gone through three pregnancies. This life has not only benefited myself alone, it has brought a positive impact towards my family. Hopefully I will have left this imprint in them for many years to come. This, I can say, is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
ED MAñALAC, president, Philippine National Oil Company: I have many treasured moments in my life as a husband, father, and now grandfather, but quite frankly, these are difficult to describe. As far as career moments go, though, I do have one significant event that I think altered the direction my career eventually took. This event was my involvement in the discovery of the giant offshore oil field (known as Peng Lai) in northern China in the year 2000. Up till then, my work in international exploration as a petroleum geologist had been moderately successful, but I continued to search for my sleeping giant. Peng Lai was it. The Chinese government eventually awarded me the highest honor given a foreign worker for that discovery, but winning the prize actually pointed me back to where I had come from. Having achieved what I had set out to do 30 years ago, I felt an urgent need to give back to the country that had raised me, educated me, and sent me off on my first journey. When I retired from the multinational oil company, Conoco-Phillips, in 2003, I later joined the Philippine government as undersecretary of the Department of Energy. A year later, I was appointed to the position I now hold, president of the Philippine National Oil Company. The responsibilities are great, and the challenges sometimes daunting, but I think I am were I should be – home, in God’s country, the Philippines.
RELI GERMAN, president, Agents International Public Relations: The Jesuit education I had at the Ateneo, courtesy of my then already widowed mother. Having a family with a wonderful wife, five great children and 10 (11 next year) adorable grandchildren.
EMILY R. LOPEZ, former governor and congresswoman: It was when I became the first governor of the province of Guimaras. Not in my wildest dream did I plan to be one. My father-in-law forced me into it and when I saw the people, I knew that they needed help. I considered it my apostolate and together with my constituents, we worked and strived for a better tomorrow for them and their children and their children’s children. I felt so fulfilled and I realized my father-in-law was right. It was a completely selfless act that I benefited from spiritually.
CHI CHI ATIENZA, owner/PR manager, Nullah Home and Fashion store: It was during my trip to San Francisco in April 2000. That was where I experienced God and fate work hand in hand.
MISSY AYALA, homemaker, mother of three: Call me a romantic but meeting my husband Jim in a Cory Aquino fund-raiser in Texas was the best thing that ever happened to me.
PHYLLIS ZABALLERO, artist: There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that life is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Being born has got to be my highest achievement so far, however involuntary. And being born in my own imperfect skin, in my own complex family and in my very own frustrating, yet endearing, country was clearly a triple bonus. You could say that I won the Grand Jackpot in the Super Sweepstakes of Life when I took my first breath that day too many years ago. I was born to smell air, both sweet and vile, to taste durian and drink grape, to touch thorn and velvet, to see the sun set on Manila Bay. The best of it all is that I was also born to paint them, so as not to forget my good fortune and sadly take my life for granted. And then there was the limpid moment when Frank Sinatra called me "honey." Now, maybe that was the best, after all.
MARIKO JACINTO, painter, Rustan’s buyer for fashion and VIP services manager: The best thing that ever happened to me is embracing the Buddhist philosophy. It gives me the wisdom and the strength to face each situation that comes and goes, whether positive or negative. With humility, courage and honesty. And because of my chant I am able to deal with my karma and rise above it.
IWI LAUREL, singer: God, love, laughter and rock ‘n’ roll!
SIGALIT DJEMAL, homemaker: Naturally, motherhood and my three beautiful children, but aside from the obvious, the best thing would have to be having lost the excess weight I had been carrying around with me up to 13 years ago in my early 20s. Back then I weighed around 80 kilos and it slowed me down. With one firm decision, unwavering determination and sound advice from my doctor, I put into action the making of my goals and have since managed to lose 30 kilos. With this lifestyle change, a positive frame of mind, a healthy diet and daily exercise I have managed to maintain my weight and figure through the years despite having gone through three pregnancies. This life has not only benefited myself alone, it has brought a positive impact towards my family. Hopefully I will have left this imprint in them for many years to come. This, I can say, is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
ED MAñALAC, president, Philippine National Oil Company: I have many treasured moments in my life as a husband, father, and now grandfather, but quite frankly, these are difficult to describe. As far as career moments go, though, I do have one significant event that I think altered the direction my career eventually took. This event was my involvement in the discovery of the giant offshore oil field (known as Peng Lai) in northern China in the year 2000. Up till then, my work in international exploration as a petroleum geologist had been moderately successful, but I continued to search for my sleeping giant. Peng Lai was it. The Chinese government eventually awarded me the highest honor given a foreign worker for that discovery, but winning the prize actually pointed me back to where I had come from. Having achieved what I had set out to do 30 years ago, I felt an urgent need to give back to the country that had raised me, educated me, and sent me off on my first journey. When I retired from the multinational oil company, Conoco-Phillips, in 2003, I later joined the Philippine government as undersecretary of the Department of Energy. A year later, I was appointed to the position I now hold, president of the Philippine National Oil Company. The responsibilities are great, and the challenges sometimes daunting, but I think I am were I should be – home, in God’s country, the Philippines.
RELI GERMAN, president, Agents International Public Relations: The Jesuit education I had at the Ateneo, courtesy of my then already widowed mother. Having a family with a wonderful wife, five great children and 10 (11 next year) adorable grandchildren.
EMILY R. LOPEZ, former governor and congresswoman: It was when I became the first governor of the province of Guimaras. Not in my wildest dream did I plan to be one. My father-in-law forced me into it and when I saw the people, I knew that they needed help. I considered it my apostolate and together with my constituents, we worked and strived for a better tomorrow for them and their children and their children’s children. I felt so fulfilled and I realized my father-in-law was right. It was a completely selfless act that I benefited from spiritually.
CHI CHI ATIENZA, owner/PR manager, Nullah Home and Fashion store: It was during my trip to San Francisco in April 2000. That was where I experienced God and fate work hand in hand.
MISSY AYALA, homemaker, mother of three: Call me a romantic but meeting my husband Jim in a Cory Aquino fund-raiser in Texas was the best thing that ever happened to me.
PHYLLIS ZABALLERO, artist: There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that life is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Being born has got to be my highest achievement so far, however involuntary. And being born in my own imperfect skin, in my own complex family and in my very own frustrating, yet endearing, country was clearly a triple bonus. You could say that I won the Grand Jackpot in the Super Sweepstakes of Life when I took my first breath that day too many years ago. I was born to smell air, both sweet and vile, to taste durian and drink grape, to touch thorn and velvet, to see the sun set on Manila Bay. The best of it all is that I was also born to paint them, so as not to forget my good fortune and sadly take my life for granted. And then there was the limpid moment when Frank Sinatra called me "honey." Now, maybe that was the best, after all.
MARIKO JACINTO, painter, Rustan’s buyer for fashion and VIP services manager: The best thing that ever happened to me is embracing the Buddhist philosophy. It gives me the wisdom and the strength to face each situation that comes and goes, whether positive or negative. With humility, courage and honesty. And because of my chant I am able to deal with my karma and rise above it.
IWI LAUREL, singer: God, love, laughter and rock ‘n’ roll!
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