Australian Prime Minister John Howard was recently in the country to speak about safeguarding regional safety and security. A luncheon forum organized by the Asia Society Philippine Foundation under its "Meet the Dignitary, Policy and Business Series Program" invited the political leader who spoke about fostering regional security between the two countries.
The insightful forum was attended by Australian and Philippine business leaders and members of the media, among them Star publisher Max Soliven, Washington SyCip, Jorge Araneta, Ricardo Romulo, Doris Magsaysay-Ho and Dr. Carolina Hernandez. It was no doubt a meeting of great minds!
Mabuhay to our Australian guests!
The celebration of the Lion State’s National Day was held at the elegant ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Luminaries from diplomatic, government, business, media and social circles comprised the 600 plus guests.
With Singaporeans being sticklers for punctuality, the event started promptly at 6 p.m., with new Ambassador Lim Kheng Hua welcoming the guests. The lady ambassador was resplendent in a fiery red sarong kebaya. No one could have carried the island state’s national dress with more panache than she did. She was escorted by her tall and dashing husband, investment banker James Iseli who flew in from the home of Merlion to join the Ambassador in the joyous occasion.
In her brief address, Ambassador Lim Kheng Hua underscored Singapore’s recent victory in the fight against SARS. She made special mention of the Filipino nurses and health professionals who contributed to the effort. Her speech was met with hearty applause.
Sharing center stage for the traditional toast were Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Apostolic Nuncio Antonio Franco.
The night’s gustatory delights, prepared by Mandarin Oriental’s award-winning chefs, was naturally replete with Singaporean favorites. Hot cocktails featured Singapore fried noodles, spiced fish cakes breaded in coco flakes with chili mango salsa, Tandoori chicken skewers with cucumber raita, lamb and chicken satays with peanut sauce, prawn and vegetable tempura, among many other sumptuous treats. But the star of the menu, hands down, was the Hainanese chicken rice.
Guests from the diplomatic community included Singapore Embassy’s Defense Attache Col. Robert Tan and wife Julie, Counselor Paul Koh, Austrian Ambassador Christian Krepela, Honorary Consul of Togo Evie Costa, and Ambassador Jess Tambunting, among others. Seen in the crowd were guests from the government: Sen. Edgardo Angara and wife Gloria, Department of Foreign Affairs’ Alicia Ramos, Department of Science and Technology’s Estrella Alabastro, and former Sen. Leticia Ramos Shahani.
The business community was represented by Singaporean executives based here in the Philippines: Keppel Bank’s Ben Cua, Keppel Land’s Sim Wai Meng and Lawrence Peh, and CPGCorp.’s Kenneth Loh, among others. Other guests included Beth Day-Romulo, Bambi Harper, Liza Ilarde Cuenca and Vicki de Leon of Lifestyle Asia, Anna Sobrepeña, Myrna Borromeo, Frankie Evaristo and Evangeline Pascual, among others.
Happy 38th birthday, Singapore!
The delegation was led by the refined Anatoly Zlenko, Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, who was dapper in his gray suit and dark blue tie. Hosting the affair was none other than the amiable Consul General Oscar de Venecia of Ukraine who welcomed the delegation warmly.
Government officials and Filipino businessmen also attended the affair to foster our country’s relationships with the Ukrainians. Spotted were Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin, Department of Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Mauino Haresco and business people Olivia Limpe-Aw and Francis Chua, among others.
May both our countries prosper!
Advance birthday greetings to PLDT’s Marietta Santos, Irene Marcos Araneta and Marnie Santiago Litton, Sept. 15; golfer Bolo Tuason and FurnITALIA managing director Florence Ko, Sept. 16; singer and composer Aiza Seguerra, Toti Fernandez, restaurateur Larry Cruz, Bulletin’s Ben Rodriguez, Sept. 17; Don Peping Cojuangco, Sept. 19; philanthropist and Papal awardee Imelda "Meldyco" Cojuangco, Maridol Mabanta and Tony Carag, Sept. 20; and Judy Maret, July 27.
Happy wedding anniversary to my son E.J. and wife Tess Aguado Litton, Sept. 17. May you both have many, many more years of wedded bliss.
So, how was your week?
(For comments and inquiries, please e-mail me at jjlitton@indanet.com)