A political ceasefire was achieved recently by some of the country’s top leaders due to a wedding uniting two prominent business clans. Away from the political tumult of the Philippines and the intense mass media glare, top VIPs from politics and big business quietly converged in Hong Kong on the afternoon of January 27 to celebrate the elegant yet intimate wedding celebration of insurance tycoon Robert Coyiuto Jr.’s second son Benedicto to former Sugarland juice tycoon Dante Go’s only daughter Danna Richelle at the 120-year-old Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at 16 Caine Road. A formal dinner reception for 200 guests, mostly from the Coyiuto and Go clans plus their close friends, followed at the Salisbury Ballroom in the historic Peninsula Hotel.
The wedding was the culmination of a seven-year courtship that started when Benedicto Coyiuto became a high school classmate of Donn Randy Go, and it was the latter who kaw-siaw or introduced him to his sister Danna Richelle Go. Both the groom and bride were also neighbors in Dasmariñas Village, Makati.
The 28-year-old Benedicto is a management graduate of De La Salle University and second son of Prudential Guarantee & Assurance, Inc. and PGA Cars/Porsche/Audi boss Robert Coyouto, Jr. and wife Rosie Ty-Coyiuto. The 24-year-old bride Danna is a summa cum laude banking and finance graduate of De La Salle University, and daughter of Chinese Filipino Business Club co-founder Dante Go and wife Rosalind L. Chaw.
The young couple’s traditional ancient tieng-hun engagement ceremony was celebrated last September at the Go family’s new Tagaytay vacation house overlooking Taal Volcano. The tieng-hun rites hark back to age-old Chinese customs and are full of meaningful symbols about family values and love.
Officiating at the church wedding was Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and officiating earlier at the civil wedding rites was Makati City Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay, with the following godparents from both sides of the political fence and also with leaders of rival business conglomerates of the Philippines — former President Joseph Estrada (on his first overseas trip after six and a half years in detention) and former Senator Dr. Luisa Estrada; President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s younger brother investment banker Diosdado Macapagal, Jr. and Banco de Oro/SM Group chief executive Teresita “Tessie” Sy-Coson; San Miguel Corp. president and Porsche Club of the Philippines leader Ramon Ang and chemicals businesswoman Amparo C. Lim; Meralco boss Manuel “Manolo” Lopez and his wife Ma. Teresa L. Lopez; JG Summit Holdings & Cebu Pacific Air president Lance Y. Gokongwei and his wife Mary Joyce Leong-Gokongwei; garments tycoon Solomon Co and the groom’s aunt Elisa Coyiuto-Lim; Sulpicio Shipping Lines boss Atty. Eusebio Go and his wife Julieta L. Go.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo couldn’t personally attend the wedding, because she was scheduled to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. While most of the guests from the Philippines stayed at the Peninsula, which also provided two of its famed 14 Rolls Royce Phantoms to be used for the wedding, principal sponsor Ramon Ang chose to stay at the Four Seasons Hotel. Members of the Coyiuto clan, despite being exclusive Philippine distributors of Porsche and Audi cars, were transported in a fleet of Mercedes Benz S-class limousines.
Good music, gourmet food, wine and laughter permeated the dinner celebration. Former President Joseph Estrada surprised and wowed the dinner guests by standing up to sing “Saan Ka Ba Naroroon” in a strong and emotion-filled performance. Seen among the 200 guests were former presidential daughter Jackie Ejercito-Lopez and her husband Meralco scion Beaver Lopez; the groom’s uncle and aunt Peter Coyiuto of First Life and wife realty businesswoman Elena Tanyu Coyiuto; real estate tycoon and Philippine Chinese Columnists Association president William Chenglay, Jr. and his wife.
When groom’s father Robert Coyiuto, Jr. invited this writer to the Hong Kong wedding and we asked why it was being held there instead of the Philippines, the insurance and Porsche tycoon replied: “Our kids wanted an intimate and romantic wedding. We prefer this to be a quiet celebration mostly for our relatives and close friends.” Retired from business at only age 50 when he sold the Sugarland juice business to San Miguel Corp., now 59-year-old philanthropist Dante Go told The Philippine STAR: “Both our families wanted an intimate and happy celebration, and we are happy to see our two children enjoy this special moment in a quiet environment.”
After the wedding, the couple went on a two-week honeymoon tour of South American countries including Brazil, Argentina and Peru, then went on to the Coyiuto family’s summer residence in San Francisco, USA.
Congratulations to Benedicto and Danna for their elegant, quiet and very beautiful wedding!
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