It's Christmas at the Zobel Tunnel

Every time I enter the tunnel that leads to Greenbelt 3 right after the Hermes boutique, I ask myself: “What is the artist-photographer Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala showing this time?”

Every two months or so, the mural in that tunnel changes.There used to be flowers-- beautifully photographed flowers. Then I remember those vividly colored  butterflies. And then just recently, boys tossing their bodies into the air, with the caption that went something like this: “Today, a somersault...tomorrow, a leap into their dreams.”

At a pre-Christmas lunch hosted by the Ayala Corporation last Friday at Lolo Dad’s, I got the answer to my question.Don Jaime’s next photo mural is a Philippine Christmas tableau which should be up by now.

Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby show their support for this year’s Ayala Malls Christmas campaign.

Don Jaime laughed as he explained how the photo mural materialized: “For cost efficiency, we decided to use Ayala employees as  models wearing native costumes in a traditional Filipino Christmas scene.At first, they were shy. Then all of a sudden, wow, everyone was so enthusiastic, volunteering a son or a daughter as models .”

The result? Two panoramic  scenes that will make you hanker for good old Christmases with the glow of lanterns and the sound of carols filling the air. At a glance I recognized two beauteous Ayala executives in a smaller version of the photo mural presented during the lunch — Cathy Bengzon and Maricris Bernardino. Today, I shall drive through the tunnel to fully see the blown-up details in Don Jaime’s photographs.

“You should call it the Zobel Tunnel for easier recall,” I suggested to Ayala dynamo Rowena Tomeldan, who was seated beside me.

Right now, they call it The Entrance to Greenbelt 3.You could say it is also the entrance to the visions of the Zobel patriarch.

And what is his vision for the next mural?” Oh, honestly I don’t know yet what I will present next year,”Don Jaime said with typical candor. “It is not that easy, huh!”

With the events ongoing in the country, it was easy for the Ayala Corporation to agree on a theme this Christmas: Inspire. And be inspired to bring out the hero in you. 

Faith, hope and Piolo

Michelle Chan of Hero Foundation, Ayala Malls’ Maricris Bernardino, Ayala Malls Group VP and COO Rowena Tomeldan, Karen Davila of Habitat for Humanity.

Beside me sat the famous movie hero and leading man, Piolo Pascual, who wasn’t touching any of the dishes being served that day.

First came Jamon Serrano, chorizo, cured salmon and chilled scallops with Mesclun salad. Then cream of woodland mushroom soup with parmesan twist. Then you had either pan fried fillet of halibut and tiger prawns, or char grilled rib eye steak and stewed beef. And finally, chocolate almond Segafredo with vanilla ice cream.

“It is my day of fasting,” Piolo explained. “Today, I take only liquids.

For religion or diet purposes? I asked.

“Faith,” Piolo answered.” Fasting teaches me self-control. And humility.”

I felt embarrassed for thinking it was to help him maintain his sexy figure.

“But I might seem impolite for not touching the food,” he whispered.

You should at least take the soup, I said.

And he did.

How often do you fast?

“Regularly,” Piolo answered. I do seven-day fasts, even when I have work.”

Oh, my God.

“If Gandhi could fast for 100 days, and Ninoy could fast for 40 days, what is seven days?”

Oh, my God. I felt like quitting on my plate. But the tiger prawns were delicious.

Paolo and Suzi Abrera of Children’s Hour

“I started fasting regularly in 2005,”Piolo explained.

I felt like dropping my fork.Then he showed me verses on his cell phone, which formed the mantra behind his foundation called Hebreo.

The verses read thus:”Hebreo 12:1: Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebreo is also the name of Piolo’s foundation, which has been sending poor children to school since 2005.Today, he has about 100 scholars , from grade school to college.

“Our country is so kalat, there’s no unity.. so in my own little way, I want to be able to get things done.”

Is he entering politics in the future? I couldn’t help asking quite tactlessly.

“No, never. It’s not about me, it’s about taking the extra mile to help and share with others.”

Oh, my God.

And to think that the first question I wanted to ask Piolo was something like: What’s the latest between you and KC Concepcion?

Shame on me.