A holistic experience with Grace Eleazar

Grace Bañas-Eleazar is a devout practitioner of holistic living. She has been a proactive environmentalist since 1989, and she sits on the board of the Institute of Alternative Medicine in the Philippines. Grace, however, is in real estate development, which gives her plenty of room to realize her holistic philosophy in community development.

Having led a well-balanced life, Grace‘s soul has been engraved with rich experiences and deep insights. Her 20 years of zealous study about life and consciousness found an extensive channel when Grace wrote her first book, The Soul Speaks. But just when she deemed the publication of her inner thoughts and feelings as a big and brave enough accomplishment, along came the icing on the cake. Barnes and Noble, a popular American publishing company, selected The Soul Speaks from among numerous other works to sell and promote on its website!

Family and friends managed to coax the self-deprecating real estate developer into commemorating this unexpected milestone by formally launching her book. On this intimate occasion, Grace, a nature lover and artist (her painting was used on the book cover), transformed the Filipinas Heritage Library into a little forest. Dried leaves and twigs blanketed the floor, roses bundled in nosegays bloomed in every corner, and aromatic candles rendered calm and intimacy.

The author was glowing and elegant in a black ensemble, a butterfly brooch perched on her right shoulder. She was humbled and overwhelmed by the full support from family and friends, among them her mother Paz and her sister, the jeweler Jul Dizon. Close pals like Gina Lopez of Bantay Bata, Jim Paredes of the Apo Hiking Society and Evelyn Lim Forbes took turns in reading passages from the book that struck their hearts. Joni Feliciano performed earth songs in keeping with the slices of truth and yearnings that Grace vividly expressed in the book. Other guests were ABS-CBN’s Gabby and Panjee Lopez, STAR columnist Doris Magsaysay-Ho, Raul Sunico, Ernie Ordoñez and Albert Yuchengco.

An author once said that a woman could consider herself fulfilled if she has done the following things: Bear a child, plant a tree and publish a book. Well, Grace passed all three! That’s a pretty good enough reason to celebrate. And thanks to Letty Jacinto-Lopez, I had a chance to share in this celebration!

* * *

Philips brings forth connectivity at a more personal level as it recently unveiled its newest mobile phone range amid sounds, faces and sexy bodies: the Fisio 820, Fisio 620 and Fisio 120.

The launch was well-attended by stars headed by multi-awarded news anchor Karen Davila, the chic and fashionable ladies of F Angel Aquino, Cher Calvin and Daphne Oseña with hubby Patrick Paez and Mega magazine’s Liza Ilarde.

Philips management came in full force with Bob Pillay, general manager, Consumer Communications Philips Consumer Electronics for South/Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Pacific giving light to what Philips has to offer in terms of the emerging market of wireless connectivity. Also at hand to welcome the guests were Philips president Pratt Hsu, PCE general manager Angelo Valenton and marketing manager for PCE Business Unit-Wireless Tetet Songco.

Powered by the human touch, the new Fisio range is geared towards promoting more personalized yet unsurpassed technological innovations in mobile phones. The Fisio range is made of three dynamic and stylish phones that aim to satisfy the different types of mobile phone consumers.

Keeping in mind the fusion of technology and human nature, the three new phones are engineered to suit a more personalized yet tech-loaded mobile experience.

Way to go, Philips!