PEOPLE Asia turns one

Dubbed "the publishing miracle of this recession year," People Asia celebrates its first anniversary with a bang, with a star-studded December issue.

"The past 12 months and the runaway success of this publication (despite a period of recession and sometimes emotional depression ‘outside’) have demonstrated anew the truism that people are interested in people," said PEOPLE Asia publisher Max V. Soliven.

"There are six billion ‘people stories’ out there, all waiting to be told, and each month we can manage to retail only a miniscule number of them. But those we have been able to draw into our editorial net, or whose images are captured by our photographers, have – in the intervening period since we nervily launched this magazine in December 1999 – brought to our readers some of the love and laughter, and sometimes pain, that exist in our colorful world," he added.

People Asia’s December issue promises to delight, with "Christmas Three" Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres and Baby Juliana – the country’s newest and youngest commercial model – on the cover. Also in this issue are celebrity moms Apples Aberin Sadhwani, Tweety Gonzalez and Patty Betita with babies Martin, Emilio and Nicklaus in an Ann Geddes-inspired pictorial. We also have the goodlooking Borgy and TJ Manotoc who strengthen brotherly ties, celebrity couple Dodot and Mikee Jaworski with son Robbie, and business couple Anton and Nina Huang.

This issue also zizzles with Hollywood hunk Pierce Brosnan in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE Asia; ravishing lass Assunta de Rossi; Miss Saigon star Cez Campos; KC Montero and Chill in a special "wrapping" section; and style icon Tita Maristela-Ocampo.

Printed in Hong Kong, PEOPLE Asia is published by the Stargate Media Corp. with Soliven as chairman, Jose Manuel "Babes" Romualdez as vice chairman, Ramon Cojuangco Jr. as president and Miguel Belmonte as associate publisher.

The PEOPLE Asia editorial staff is composed of editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez; executive editor Philip Cu-Unjieng; creative director Manuel Roma Jr.; contributing editor Preciosa Soliven; assistant editor Bing Parel-Salud; editorial assistants Charmaine Baylon and Rhea Dumdum; creative assistant for photography Amanda Lu Ym; and graphic artist Jaime Bautista.

Regular columnists include Ricky Lo, Maurice Arcache, Martin Nievera, Malu Fernandez and Bea Valdes.

PEOPLE Asia is available at your favorite newsstands. For inquiries and subscriptions, please call 750-6899 (Grace) and 527-7901 (Mina).