Another blessed year

Around 400 family members and friends recently gathered at the Grand Ballroom of the majestic Dusit Thani Manila to join your columnist as I welcomed another year. Guests were welcomed by the accommodating staff of Dusit at the cocktail reception area where they listened to original Thai music courtesy of a kim player from Bangkok as they eagerly anticipated the opening of the ballroom doors to start the evening’s festivities.

The grand ballroom looked like a portal to Thailand as it was adorned with décor and trimmings, made by the brilliant Robert Blancaflor, that accurately depicted a major Thai celebration. Guests were in awe as they entered and were welcomed by Thai dancers in their shimmering silk costumes. These dancers flew in from Thailand just to grace the merriment. To say that the guests were enthralled by the beauty of the opening of the party would be a great understatement. Everyone was mesmerized by costumes and classic movements of the Thai dancers who lined up on the aisle to greet them with a colorful dance number as they entered the grand ballroom. Clad in their traditional Thai dresses, the graceful dancers left the guests astounded with their exquisite moves artfully directed by the brilliant Raymond Villanueva.

Your columnist then welcomed and thanked the people behind the party: Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Porntip Makornpan, Dusit dapper GM Prateek Kumar and my colleagues who worked with me during my earlier years in the media industry. It was also a moment to help out different charities, which is why Advance Paper Corp.’s generous president and COO Connie Haw and vice president and sales manager Kester Haw were called onstage to present the conglomerate’s share in the noble cause. They gave 750 schoolbags packed with school supplies worth P250,000 equally shared by White Cross, Inc., that helps abandoned children, and Diether Ocampo’s Kabataang Inyong Dapat Suportahan (KIDS) Foundation for its various projects for its beneficiaries.

To help the cancer patients of the Kythe Foundation and Bea Zobel Jr.’s Baclayon project in Bohol, your columnist formally opened an auction of some valuable art pieces from expressionist painter Ivan Acuña, globally acclaimed artist Rene Robles and internationally-renowned sculptor Ramon Orlina as well as gift certificates from Coby’s design home furnishing store led by Charlene Cobankiat-Tiu. Everyone felt an adrenaline rush as guests started to bid for every item. At the end of the auction, Henry Zabarte got Ivan Acuña’s Metalscapes. Architect Jun Palafox and Cats Motors, Inc. president Felix Ang each took home a Coby gift certificate worth P100,000. May Neri braved other bidders and won the Chairs painting by Rene Robles while Eric Quiason and Bernadine Siy got the coveted Carved Blue Green Glass sculpture by Ramon Orlina.

A song number from seasoned bari-tenor Jack Salud ensued while I blew the single candle on the grand, three-tiered cake from the dashing Richard Tiu. More than a celebration, it was a way of expressing my gratitude to my dearest friends and colleagues for filling my life with excitement as I welcome each day with glee and much anticipation for all the blessings that will come my way. Again, thank you and I’ll see you again next year for the 25th anniversary of my 50th birthday!

Cheers and God bless!