Fighting over money

2002 Retailer of the Year Golden ABC is bringing to Manila its Penshoppe image model, Mandy Moore, for a concert next month.

Since Golden ABC’s base is Cebu – where the family of president Bernie Liu comes from – except Ms. Moore to at least say hello to her fans in what is being marketed worldwide as that "island in the Pacific."

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A lot of well-off families are motoring north to Baguio in their convoy of Pajeros on the week of Christmas. The weather is cold enough to cuddle while watching "chestnuts roasting on an open fire."

Baguio is not exactly a vacation on the cheap but one of its major advantages over spending Christmas anywhere else in the world is, well, everybody who’s anybody – starting with President Macapagal-Arroyo is going to be there.

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Ortigas & Co. chief operating officer Rex Drilon II probably doesn’t have daughters (or these daughters do not shop at the never-ending tiangges inside Greenhills Commerical Center).

Otherwise, Mr. Drilon who used to run quite nicely the Cebu central business district put up by Ayala Land would have made sure there would be easily accessible and clean restrooms all over the commercial center.

The only decent washrooms are inside some restaurants. Public washrooms in buildings like Virra Mall and Shoppesville are an itty-bitty level better than those found in Divisoria (and as difficult to find).

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Bank notes 1: Last Thursday was the first time in four months that all seven members of the Monetary Board were present during their weekly meeting.

Okay, Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas II wasn’t around again but he wasn’t missed anyway since Trade Undersecretary Nelly Favis-Villafuerte has been sitting for him more often than not. (Mar Roxas only attends when the MB tackles an investment policy.)

Thursday was the first MB meeting attended by former National Economic Development Authority director-general Vicente Valdepeñas after his reappointment papers were finally signed last Friday by the President.

The MB also now has a lawyer-member, Fe Barin actually two, if you include Ms. Favis-Villafuerte.

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Bank notes 2: My, my. Former United Overseas Bank stockholders Edgardo Espiritu and Manuel Tan are exchanging very nasty words and Jollibee Foods Corp. president Tony Tan Caktiong is caught in the middle as Ed Espiritu’s friend.

In better times, Mr. Tan financially helped Mr. Espiritu get back on his feet after he resigned as president of Philippine National Bank to help in the presidential campaign of then House Speaker Ramon Mitra. At stake is a couple of billion pesos.

The Filipino stockholders have since sold their shares to their Singapore partner, UOB. The fighting is all about how much each will get. For example, Mr. Tan has documents to prove his stake in UOB is higher than what Mr. Espiritu lets on.