One island, three birthdays

As far as Mali Muertegui Garcia was concerned, an intimate cena, solamente con la familia, led by mom Isabel, who never seems to run out of interesting cuentos de tiempos pasados, and younger sister la guapisima Maribel Torrevillas, was how she thought she would be celebrating her 50th birthday. No fuss, no frills, not even the traditional birthday cake.

So it came as a surprise, something more of a shock to the energetic and full of life furniture maker, when she and her family dropped by the White Sands Resort in Mactan for dinner and 50 of her closest parientes and dearest amigos appeared as if by magic, singing and wishing her a very happy birthday.

Mali was clearly moved and after she had recovered from her surprise, she greeted and thanked all her guests for such an endearing gesture.

Among those present in addition to her brothers Antonio, Blue, and Dindo, who brought along his two adorable daughters Angela and Isabel, were associates from the furniture industry of Cebu, led by Bobby and Tamsin Booth, Philip, and Tina Lo and party conspirators, Ana Climaco and Tonette Fritzsche.

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It was a warm gathering of the closest of friends when Efren Belarmino, the good-natured general manager of Plantation Bay Resort, celebrated his birthday at the French resto-bar Le Paris.

It was predominantly his comrades from the hotel, resort, and airlines businesses who were around to help him mark his big day. Visible was Patrick Gregorio, host for the affair and president of the Cebu Waterfront Hotel and Casino. Also seen were Cebu Marriott Hotel’s GM Karl Hudson, the Mactan Cebu Airport top honcho Angelo Verdan and Qatar Airway’s Ritchie Tuaño.

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Turning 80 is definitely a milestone that calls for a grand celebration. No question about it.

Sisters Loreta Dy Tian, she with the kindest of hearts, and Benny Yu, a longtime resident of America who flew in just for the occasion, left absolutely nothing to chance and personally took charge of every imaginable detail to ensure that their mom, the loving Engracia Huang, and their guests alike, would have fond memories of the evening to be cherished for a long, long time.

A highlight of the affair was the solo performance of granddaughter Lorraine Dy Tian, a super baker and a performing ballerina, with her powerful yet moving rendition of The Impossible Dream, her grandmother’s favorite song.