MANILA, Philippines - Tito Benny, as he is endearingly called by close friends, including myself, is not only the chairman of the board of the expanding Rustans Group of Companies, and former Ambassador of the Philippines to the Holy See, in his own humble and gentle manner, he is the unifying factor of the ever-growing four generations of Tantocos.
He has been decorated with the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, rank of Commander, which is the highest award given by the Republic of Italy to a non-Italian, aside from the Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Piux IX from the Holy See (Vatican) and Knight of the Order of St.Gregory the Great. The Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem Rhodes and Malta conferred on him The Grand Cross “Pro MeirtoMelituseâ€.
This April 7, 2013, Tito Benny celebrated his 92nd birthday at his original Forbes Park residence surrounded by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with some of the extended families and a handful of close friends. His face was beaming with pure happiness, and so was mine, to be counted among those whose friendship he cherished together with my only child Vernon and daughter-in-law Happee. - GGG