The year 2015 was one of the few years I stayed in the Philippines the whole
year. Though I did not go to the NBA All-Stars, Pacquiao-Mayweather fight,
Donaire fight, Ms. Universe 2015 and Marvin Sonsona’s fight in L.A, I did have
a very fruitful and meaningful year with my clients old and new, family and
friends.
I can say that 2015 was a year of contradictions – of abundance and emptiness,
of gains and losses, of destruction and restoration.
The year started right
as I covered the support of the Philippine Red Cross in the feast of the
Black Nazarene on January 8 and 9, attended by millions of Filipinos. On
the same month, PRC Chairman Richard Gordon and Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang, together with the International
Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) Head of Delegation in the Philippines Kari
Isomaa, personally checked the areas hardest hit by Typhoon Hagupit that
affected 3.85 million people. I was amazed at the efficiency of the PRC in
providing thousands of hot meals, food packs and liters of drinking water,
blankets, mats and other non-food items. It sent ambulances, water tankers and
fuel trucks to the Bicol and Samar regions. Tents and shelter repair items were
dispatched with other emergency supplies including sleeping kits, tarpaulins,
hygiene kits and jerry cans to Samar.
During the Papal visit on January 15
to 19, the PRC brought life-saving services such as medical, first aid and
field hospital, ambulance transport, blood, rescue, water, welfare and
tracing/restoring family links both to Manila and Leyte. More than 10,000
trained personnel and volunteers from the PRC Chapters were deployed to assist
the public during Pope Francis’ visit.
It was in February when
the Yellow Ribbon Movement (YRM) led by Chairman
Margie Juico held the third leg of PNoy Sports to celebrate the
birthday of former president Cory Aquino in Lourdes, San Miguel, Tarlac, inside
the Hacienda Luisita. Eleven barangays from Hacienda Luisita participated
in the campaign to promote health and wellness and re-live
ethnic sports in the Philippines. The YRM also brought post-holiday
cheer to the boys at the Silong Tanglaw Foundation for Street Children, a
shelter for boys who were abandoned, abused, and homeless.
My good friend, one of the best coaches in the country, Coach Norman Black, renewed his longtime contract as endorser of
Bosch Skil tools.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and
wife Councilor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez invited me to a thanksgiving dinner for family, friends, U.S pastors
and the media at the North Forbes Park on February 7. The “I Love
Tacloban” band which Cristina established was launched. The band is composed of
11 youth, all of who are survivors of super typhoon Yolanda that devastated the
Visayas region in 2013.
In March, I had the
pleasure of meeting Top Rank Media Relations Head Ceatta Bogataj when she visited Manila with her friend Kitty. Sportsmanila
covered the One FC event at MOA with good friend Loren Mack and Tammy Chan.
I gained friends, I lost
some. This month, I ended my ties with Calayan SurgiCenter after a trivial act
of posting a selfie photo in a posh derma clinic in Timog. I was unaware that I
was not allowed to post my photos on my personal social media accounts. It was
sad, but Dr. Manny Calayan and I
remain friends until this time.
After a gloomy ending,
there was restoration when in April, YSA’s
Robert Nazal tapped me to assist in the publicity of their businesses,
especially the Glutamax brand.
In May, Joaquin Canas of the Loyola Meralco
Sparks Football Club became a talent of Team Sportsmanila, joining Coach Norman
Black,International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Pro Gemmalyn Crosby, Body Building Champ Luz McClinton, and rap artist Wilson Gaviola.
I was also happily
reunited with a frat brother and a very good friend of mine, international
Filipino director who was based in Hollywood for 10 years, Gorio Vicuña. Direk Gorio and
I have shared ideas, topics and projects the past two years. Our pilot movie
together, titled “Yolanda,” will be
shown next year. We are also working on a basketball-based movie titled “Clutch.”
Kring-Kring once again trusted me to work on the PR of Patio Victoria, both
Intramuros and Tacloban. I traveled back and forth Tacloban City and witnessed
the rising up of the city devastated by the super typhoon. I was also there for
the annual Sangyaw Festival where I brought media people for the entertainment
and the coverage. A year and a half after typhoon
Yolanda, Tacloban revived the Sangyaw Festival with the theme
Tacloban: Resilient City! The grand festival was celebrated for a month,
kicking off with a Grand Santa Cruzan on May 31and ending with the city
fiesta on June 30.
There was another sad
goodbye this year as I ended my contract with Red Cross, when the 18-month
reporting of Project Haiyan commenced as well as the organization’s annual celebration of World
Red Cross Day. It was a bittersweet
moment, but working with Red Cross and Secretary
General Gwen Pang is something I will always be proud of.
I celebrated my birthday
with my family and friends from the media and sports
industry, as well as celebrities, who sponsored the three birthday bashes
I had this year. Calayan family matriarch Dr.
Josy Calayan and Lalen Calayan, head of marketing of the Calayan Medical
Group, Inc., hosted an intimate luncheon for my fellow media and friends
in the industry at Cusina ni Bunso. An unforgettable dinner with the theme
“Hip Hop Goes Ballad” was also held with rap artists, singers,
directors, actors, and others. I also celebrated with my family, former classmates, gym mates, Slykane’s
Tuesday Troops and my basketball team in the village where I live.
September was the
anniversary month of The Skin Specialist, which has been pioneered laser
treatments in the Philippines since it started in 2002 as the first
dermatological clinic in Timog, Quezon City. Known personalities from in
and out of showbiz Connie Sison, Lyn Ching, Luane Dy, Rhea Santos, Almira
Muhlach, MJ Marfori, Rita Daniela, Alex Tinsay, Gwen Pang and Alma Concepcion
graced the special anniversary event where the clinic’s latest
treatment – the ClearTight laser was launched.
In October, my good
friend Angelica Ligas, a Florida-based
Filipina nurse, was named one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in
the World by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) in a gala event in San
Francisco, California. Angelica was also cited by Tenet Healthcare USA as
one of the 2015 Tenet Heroes out of more than 100,000 employees. She was also
awarded the “2015 Most Successful Story of Buhay OFW” and the 2014 Heroes
in Medicine by Palm Beach Medical Society USA for making a difference in health
care.
A heartbreaking
happening came before the year ended. I lost my six dogs – German
Shepherds Tyrion and Ingrid, Mini-Pinscher Princess and Claudo, and their two
puppies. But life abundant was given despite the loss. I praise God for
giving my family Ichika Marie and Jasmine Eliz.
I am thankful to have travelled to Cebu, General Santos City,
Iloilo, Dumaguete and Cagayan de Oro with Coach
Norman Black; Tacloban City with Cristina Gonzales and my media friends; Tarlac
with Chairman Margie Juico and the YRM team. I may not have left the
country, but I found meaning in what I do here.
In this rollercoaster
ride, I have my family and friends behind me. Thank you, Coach Norman Black, Dr. Jean Marquez, Angel Ligas, Gemmalyn Crosby,
Jean Medel, Photographer Rey Belgado,
Rap Artist Wilson Gaviola and Gell Ang for being priceless and unexpected
vessels of blessings to me and my family.
My best friend celebrity
lawyer Atty. Alex Avisado who has
always been there for me and with me in good and bad times; my good friends and
prayer warriors, my sister-in-Christ Pia
Macan, Dr. Jean Marquez, Pastor Hillary, Pastor Joey and Sister Ut Rafael, Tita
Angeli Valenciano, public servants Kate Coseteng, Cristina
Gonzales, and PRC Secretary General Gwen Pang; Dr. Far
Shamsi and Dr. Shideh of Fashion Smile and Aramesh Spa; my
neighbor and good friend, Manila Times President Dante “Klink” Ang, Journal Group Gus Villanueva and Lolo Pocholo
Romualdez of Malaya Business Insight; my editors who have always been
there, MST -Isah Red, Ms. Gianna
Maniego, MST- Reira Mallari, Philstar -Ricky Lo, MB -Jojo Panaligan, New You Magazine -Ken Velasco, Malaya Gie Trilliana, Ate Che Francisco of Malaya, Philstar
Eliz Lim, PEP Maridol Bismark and Police files Enjel Manato.
I am blessed to be part
of the elite brand Glutamax and YSA.
Special thanks to Sir Paulo and Sir
Rocky, and my good friend and idol, the brains behind the success of
Glutamax and YSA Skin Care Robert Nazal,
and of course Ms. Sheila Nazal.
To all the people who
had been there when I was not, and who got my back in times of need, thank you
for your unconditional trust and valuable friendship.
Here’s to more abundance and less emptiness, added gains and
fewer losses, further restoration and no destruction. Here’s to life and
another exciting year ahead. #
