A Swatch safari in the Year Of The Tiger

MANILA, Philippines - I’ve heard and read much about the famous Swatch events regularly hosted by Virgie Ramos. But last April 8 at SM Megamall, I had the great fortune of being there as a guest.

I loved this event’s safari theme — 2010 being the Year of the Tiger. Swatch Philippines believes in the tiger attributes of being intelligent, determined and sensitive as part of its business philosophy. Also, since in China, the tiger, not the lion, is believed to be king of all beasts — there definitely was reason to celebrate.

Aside from having the Swatch Safari at the Swatch Store in SM Megamall, the cocktail area was very well dressed up with succulent table top arrangements complete with wild bird and ostrich eggs. The cocktail tables were spotted like leopard skins and were flanked by islands of palms with African drums and faux leopard skins. The carte du jour of exotic dishes like wild boar and snipe made me feel like I was dining in a savannah. The look and ambiance was definitely complete. To top it all off, guests came in wearing their safari outfits in white, khaki or animal print.

First to arrive were celebrity endorsers Derek Ramsay and Billy Crawford who were busy entertaining friends from the press and awarding the artists as they arrived. Swatch endorsers Matteo Guidicelli, who happens to be the latest addition to ABS-CBN’s premiere roster of leading men, and the beautiful Angelica Panganiban also came that night. Having come from taping, Angelica still looked wonderful in her leopard print floor-length Venus-cut dress. Crawford would later host the event.

The show began with the hypnotic rhythms of percussion group Brigada Philippines. Director Rowell Santiago kept the program at a steady pace, holding tiger trivia games (with me as one of the trivia winners), awarding more artists and honoring special Tiger guests with their own sets of the Swatch Color Codes Collection.

Bagging the award for being the group with the most entries was the University of Santo Tomas. The UST Tiger mascot graced the event to receive the 121 individual good luck gifts as its special award.

It was spectacular to the finish as the toast to Year 5 of the Philippine STAR and Swatch Chinese New Year Art Contest was capped with flowing Moët et Chandon and Dom Perignon, ticker tape and confetti blasts.

I asked STAR Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil if she had a good time and she gave it her double “thumbs up” sign and said, “STAR is a proud partner! The event was wonderfully produced and thoughtfully conceptualized with such unique details by Tita Virgie and her team.”

SM’s Tessie Sy-Coson added, “Virgie is very good in bringing out creativity in people.”

Coson is surely right.

Now I find myself writing my first article for a broadsheet. What an event! Apart from taking home two beautiful Swatch watches, I, too, took home the powerful Swatch Safari experience.