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."
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.
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).
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.
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.