Intrigue at PAL

Whenever there is a major management revamp – be it in government or in a private corporation, some fallout can be expected and all the corporate snakes start coming out of their dens to sow poisonous intrigues. When Lucio Tan got Philippine Airlines back from the group of Ramon Ang, among the major management changes included the appointment of “El Kapitan’s” son-in-law Joseph Chua as vice chairman.

It seems though that Joseph has become the target of a “demolition job” that stemmed from a simple incident where businessman Tony Garcia asked for one of his friends (who wanted to watch the Manny Pacquiao-Chris Algieri fight) to be accommodated on a PAL flight to Macau. Apparently, some ABS-CBN people were also on the same plane, so when the flight was slightly delayed, they proceeded to make a mountain out of a molehill.  But according to Tony, the real cause of the delay was a passenger who failed to show up, so the flight crew had to offload this “no-show” passenger’s baggage.

Inside informants tell us the incident is now being blown out of proportion by Lucio’s relatives who want Joseph Chua out because they themselves want in on the new PAL management. Joseph Chua’s image in the business circle is one that is personable, well liked and highly regarded as a professional, being the president and CEO of Macroasia. He is also a director of PNB and the LT Group Inc.

“The new management in PAL is very solid” with Jimmy Bautista at the helm as president, according to aviation analysts, and we’re told that a few of the good reforms initiated by Ramon Ang will be continued and better financial practices will be adopted so that passengers can expect even better service enhancements next year.

‘Royal wedding’ for Chiz and Heart

Business magnate Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin and Mario “Babes” Oreta hosted a private inaugural dinner for the Balesin Royal Villa with a select group of invitees that included Sen. Chiz Escudero and his showbiz celebrity fiancée Heart Evangelista.

The Royal Villa is the latest development in the 500-hectare Balesin Island Club and was rushed in time for the “royal” wedding of Chiz and Heart on Feb. 15 next year. The Royal Villa features 14 grand suites luxuriating in lush surroundings complemented by a fantastic view of the Pacific Ocean. The place can accommodate as many as 300 people for a sit-down dinner. Exclusive Balesin Resort Club members can rent the entire Royal Villa for P250,000 a night, and we’re told that it’s already fully booked for the holidays.

We have to admit, Bobby has done a fantastic job in developing the top-of-the-line resort club located off the coast of Quezon. Balesin has now become a byword not only among locals, but also among foreigners who are all interested in obtaining memberships at the highly exclusive club that boasts of themed villages that reflect the best of the world’s most famous destinations – Mykonos, St. Tropez, Toscana, Bali, Phuket, and Spain’s Costa del Sol.

Balesin’s pristine white sand beaches, landscaped pools, luxurious villas plus a sports center and a spa offering holistic treatments make the club a perfect getaway. Those who love the sun, sand and water will enjoy the various sports from beach volleyball to frisbee to waterskiing, kayaking and windsurfing, while divers can explore the various coral reef formations.  

Each themed village reflects the European fine taste of Bobby Ongpin, whose experiences in Europe and Asia have certainly helped in making sure that the development will not miss out on even the tiniest details – from landscaping down to the architecture, the interiors and the menu to create an air of authenticity. Balesin – now valued at P30 billion – has its own private concrete runway (with a length of 1.5 kilometers) to accommodate the club’s Cessnas and Jetstreams that are used for transporting guests from Manila with travel time averaging 20 minutes.

Bobby Ongpin is also very lucky to have someone as reliable as Babes Oreta for a partner and president of Alphaland Corporation – the developer of Balesin and other high-end projects like Alphaland Makati Place and the City Club. Both men have been friends since 1982 and Babes – whose family is into the construction business – was already a successful lawyer-businessman before he joined Bobby Ongpin. More than his management savvy, however, what really makes Babes Oreta extremely valuable is the kind of loyalty he has with his friends, as evidenced when he stuck it out with Ongpin especially during the height of controversies surrounding the former Trade minister.

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