Edmund Lim-Beryl Chua : A long-distance love affair

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.– George Sand (1804-1876)

One of the most elegant weddings I have ever attended was the May 14 nuptials of young businessman Edmund Lim to banker Beryl Chua at Santuario de San Antonio Church, Forbes Park, Makati, with a dinner reception at Shangri-La Makati. The event was attended by government leaders led by godmother President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Cabinet secretaries Margarito Teves, Arthur Yap and Romulo Neri, business taipans, foreign diplomats, bankers, industrialists and many others. The church and the hotel ballroom were beautifully decorated in simple yet tasteful, stylish and romantic designs. The couple had a fun-filled five-year courtship, which included a two-year, long-distance relationship via webcam and phone calls while Beryl was completing graduate studies at Harvard University in the US. Edmund finished his college degree at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Before the nuptial rites, the young couple had the traditional kiu-hun, or Chinese-style pamanhikan custom. The custom has the guy’s family visiting the girl’s family to seek her hand in marriage. A few months later, the beautiful, ancient tieng-hun or engagement ceremony was celebrated at the girl’s residence culminating in a reception hosted by the guy but attended only by the girl’s family, relatives and guests. The tieng-hun rites of Filipino-Chinese families originated in agrarian south Fujian province of China, but are not the same as those of Cantonese families in Hong Kong or Guangdong province. It is also not practiced by Shanghainese families. Every step of these 5,000-year-old customs had special meanings symbolizing the importance of harmonious relationships, family values and solidarity, good fortune and happiness.

The newlyweds’ parents are prominent leaders of the community, thus the guest list read like a who’s who of Philippine business and politics. The groom’s father is low-key chemicals tycoon Cristino Lim, vice president of the Chinese Filipino Business Club and also vice president of the Uy Clan Association of the Philippines. His wife is Elizabeth C. Lim. The bride’s father is business leader Francis Chua, president of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), who is also president of the Cua-Chua Clan Association of the Philippines and the honorary consul of Peru. His wife is top stockbroker Betty Lao Chua of BA Securities.

The poet William Shakespeare wrote the classic Romeo and Juliet, which is about the romance of the prominent Montague family’s son and the rival Capulet family’s daughter in Verona. Although the parents of Edmund and Beryl are not foes and not even business rivals, the way the ancient Chinese concept of yen-hun – or how fate unites an ideal couple in love – is fascinating and auspicious because the couple’s fathers are top officials of business organizations often considered as "friendly rivals." A dynamic breakaway group from the larger and more established FFCCCII, the Chinese Filipino Business Club’s leaders include the groom’s father Cristino Lim, honorary president Dante Go who founded Sugarland, president George Lee, officers Carlos Chan of Liwayway/Oishi, and Rufino Ko Pio of Cibeles Insurance. On the other side, the Federation’s leaders who attended the wedding included honorary chairman Lucio C. Tan and his wife Carmen Khu Tan, who stood as godparents in the nuptial; Ambassador John Ng of Cathay Metal/South Forbes Golf City; Ambassador Domingo Lee; honorary presidents Robin Sy, Jimmy Tang, Vicente Yu and Yao Eng Hue; Yale-educated FFCCCII executive vice president John Tan; vice presidents Alfonso Uy, Henry Lim Bon Liong, Tan Ching, Alfonso Siy, Tan Tian Siong; executive director Alfredo Yao of Zesto; and others.

The principal sponsors were led by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.; Philippine Airlines chairman Lucio C. Tan and wife Carmen; San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang (who is of the same Chua clan and shares the same ancestral roots in Teng Tang Village in Fujian, south China as the bride’s father) with Equitable PCIBank execom chairman Teresita "Tessie" Sy-Coson of the SM Group; Megaworld/Empire East founder Andrew Tan and wife Katherine; Johnny and Betty Chua; Allan and Cristina Wong of Malaysia; Jollibee founder Tony Tan Caktiong and wife Grace Ang Tan; Johnny and May Lim; Lee Ding Ming of Taiwan represented by construction tycoon Lucio Lee Rodriguez and Lee Hong Rohn Tresn also of Taiwan.

First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was also present. His brother-in-law, John Lesaca, regaled the guests with his violin music at the dinner reception where the groom Edmund serenaded his bride Beryl with love songs. Among the numerous VIP guests were business taipans John Gokongwei Jr., Philtrust Bank chairman Emilio Yap, Sung Seng Group CEO Dato Tai E. King of Malaysia, the Salim Group’s Liem family of Indonesia represented by four family members led by Henry and Rubin Liem and their wives, William Tiu Gatchalian of Waterfront hotels, Philippine Retailers Association leader Samie Lim, Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI) leaders Ambassador Donald Dee, Miguel Valera, Sergio Luis-Ortiz Jr., Bert Fenix and others. China Ambassador Li Jinjun, the Japanese ambassador, other diplomats attended, as well as top business leaders from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, among others.

The bride’s Harvard-educated brother Bryan Ang is a member of Anvil Business Club, the organization of young Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs and also the first honorary member organization invited by the FFCCCII last year. Anvil officers who graced the wedding included this writer, Regents Michael G. Tan of Asia Brewery, David Chua of Cathay Pacific Steel Corp., Bernard Go of Contract Design Furnitures, chairman George Siy of Marie France/Facial Care, EVP Roy Chua of the Philippine Amalgamated Association of Supermarkets and director Victor Tan of Bobson Jeans.

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