Golf, ahoy!

Over 90 of Manille’s prominent hotshot industry and society leaders, dahlings, hit the greens during the fun first ever SMART VIP Golf Invitational held at the prestigious Manila Golf Club a new moon ago. They teed off bright and early at 7 a.m., then first munched on breakfast and lunch between rounds of golf. They also received unique golf giveaways.

The event was the brainchild of SMART VIP Management Group’s workaholic beauty and brains Julie Carceller. She said the event was the first in what she hoped would become an annual tradition. Julie C. had envisioned the invitational initially as a way of thanking loyal SMART subscribers who fall under SMART’s tres important people category. "When you look at their backgrounds," she explained, "and their hobbies, golf is something they all enjoy. For these VIPs, golf is not a game, it’s a lifestyle."

As the idea for a golf gathering for SMART VIPs developed, palanggas, other SMART personas wanted to bring in namedroppables from other departments who have also helped the company’s growth as the country’s leading telecommunications firm.

Besides the 24 flights of four-man teams, palanggas, another prominent persona who lent her beautiful face to the event was gorgeous movie star Joyce Jimenez, who had done projects for SMART.

"The company was looking for a fresh face at the golf course," Julie C. explained to moi. "We wanted somebody who knows how to talk to VIPs and provide good conversations with them, and that’s Joyce."

Winners in each division were as follows: in the SMART Gold Division A, the "Big Three" finishers, palanggas, were Luigi Tabuena, Cesar Virtusio and Joseph Stevens; the SMART Money Division B saw Taketo Suzuki, Jocelle Panlilio and Cesar Buenaventura on top; Conrado Carballo, Ramon Garcia and Jose Mari Antunez won the top three spots in the SMART zed Division C; and the SMART Buddy Division D had Salvador Almagro, Horacio "Boy" Morales and Pariskhit Bhasin as the high scorers.

The event was such a blast, most of the participants sent thank you notes, flowers and texts of appreciation. What was important, palanggas, was that a sense of rah! rah! togetherness was fostered among those belonging to different industries. In a sense, SMART was the link that brought them together.

With that in mind, palanggas, SMART hopes to continue bringing people together. The First SMART VIP Golf Invitational was one smart means for this goal to be achieved.

The one-and-only Asian Hospital-ity

Philippine medical history reached a turning point with the grand opening of the ultra modern and fabi Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC). This ahead-of-its-time medical facility is the first to rise in the country apres over a quarter of a century.

This world-class hospital held its formal opening in grand fashion with no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo unveiling the hospital marker and inspecting some of its high-tech facilities. Key figures in politics and medicine joined the President.

Leading the hotshots was former President Fidel Ramos who happens to be one of the board advisers of the Asian Hospital Foundation; our dearest palangga na Ilongga, former First Lady Ming R.; mega Muntinlupa City Mayor lawyer Jaime Fresnedi; and Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit who took turns with the former First Lady Ming in displaying their virtuosity with the baby grand piano at the hospital’s elegant lobby. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal officiated the blessing.

Other tres distinguished namedroppables, palanggas, included Rep. Rufino Biazon; well-loved and respected Ambassador Jesus Tambunting; mega persona Jose Pardo and his wife; David and Iredesminda Consunji; la simpatica Marixi Prieto; Michael Gotianum; working heiress Doris Ho; balladeer Jose Mari Chan and his tres attractive wife, Mary Ann Ansaldo-C., who also unveiled a dedication marker at AHMC’s Cardiovascular ICU in the memory of his late father, Antonio Chan; founding director Thomas Lee; GE Pacific PTE president Andrew Nunemaker; GE Medical Systems Asia president and CEO Naren Gursahaney; and Karl Hickethier from Stanford University Hospital.

Joining them, palanggas, were Philhealth president Francisco Duque III; lawyer Leonardo Siguion Reyna; glamorous beauty Gloria Angara; Carlos Ejercito; that dashing Dr. Raul Fores of the Makati Medical Center; Jose Ledesma of the St. Luke’s Medical; business magnate, nice Butch Campos; and Azucena Tañada.

National Artist Napoleon Abueva (who created the artworks at the hospital’s chapel); Benjamin and Beatriz Laurel; top artists Ramon Diaz, Jeffrey Campos and Lourdes Lontok Cruz, couldn’t say enough about the hospital’s facilities.

Naturellement, the Asian Hospital, Inc. board of directors’ hotshot personas came in full force. They were led by amiable chairperson with the four B’s, that adorable persona who really cares, Evelyn Singson; founding chairman and internationally renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon par excellence Dr. Jorge Garcia; and directors Ramon Abejuella, Isidro Consunji, Rafael de Guzman, Edward Oh, Dr. Luis Rivera, Josephine Gotianum-Yap, and Dr. Vicente Poblete Jr.; AHMC chief executive officer Ron Marx. VP for Medical Affairs Dr. Rodrigo Floro; and Dr. Joseph Barril hosted the event.

AHMC opened a 258-bed hospital building next to the seven-storey Medical Center that houses 145 doctors’ clinics. It offers comprehensive treatments in various medical and surgical specialties, not to mention sub-specialties, palanggas, that are breaking ground in Philippine medical history.

A week later, AHMC invited media members who had a field day during the briefing at the sprawling medical campus in Alabang.

The event was organized by the AHMC rah! rah! smart marketing group led by marketing director Karen de Asis; VP for Patient Care Services Annabelle Borromeo, RN, Phd; VP of Ancillary Services Ester Romano; VP for Support Services Kenny Cruz; and director for IT Jun Arboleda.

The elegant lobby was so impressive that one journalist jokingly asked Evelyn Singson, "Are you sure that this is a hospital and not a hotel?"

"Sure this is a hospital! But you may check in as you would in a hotel since our rates are more competitive," Evelyn S. said humorously.

We then toured the facility and our first stop was the impressive Family Suite–AHMC’s top-of-the-line patient room, complete with a huge receiving and dining area and even a kitchenette. It looked more like a cozy apartel, would you believe?

The hospital’s modern facilities included the highly-advanced intensive care unit. Eye-catchers were the pediatric ward with its animated accent pieces and decor that provides a cheery confinement for tots and the much talked-about Birthing Center.

The last stop was, naturellement, the serene chapel featuring original works of National Artist Napoleon Abueva.

Commenting on the magnificence of the hospital, brilliant Evelyn S. said, "We are not perfect but we are trying our best to achieve perfection."

Dr. Garcia enthusiastically added, "We are aiming to be the best hospital in the country and eventually in the Asia Pacific region."

Ron Marx, who has an extensive background in hospital operations said, "I have been to various hospitals around the world and Asian Hospital is so far the best I’ve seen. What sets it apart is the friendly and personalized service we extend to our patients."

AHMC’s guiding philosophy is that patient care should take place in a total healing environment with relaxed and homey surroundings. This should take away the appalling thoughts commonly associated with traditional hospitals, dahlings.

The road to recovery, palanggas, is getting more and more sophisticated as far as technology is concerned but nothing beats the homey ambiance and compassionate care in soothing the pains of a patient. That’s the whole essence of the one-of-a-kind Asian Hospital-ity.

A new star behind the camera

WWW. (as in, Who, When, Where; WWW. just happens to be the weekly Manila Bulletin column of Amiel Martin-Cabanlig and Magic 89.9 DJ Mojo Jojo) presented the most up-to-the-minute event concept in the metro, infusing pop party culture, dahlings, with the multimedia appeal of photography and music for an innovative experience.

Shooting Stars was the first party of its kind where the beautiful celebrated the artistry of the paparazzi. Young and good-looking Amiel Martin-Cabanlig presented special moments preserved on celluloid, candid pictures of celebrities and other striking personas captured by his expert lens.

The photo bug’s portraits were hand-picked with the discerning eye of project curator Raul Teehankee, no less, and displayed in equally stunning venues filled with admirers and party-goers, palanggas. The fail-safe melange of music, libation and beautiful faces will surely entice and entertain. With extensive media exposure, an arsenal of coveted digitally rendered paparazzi portraits, and a strong arm of celebrity contacts and certified party people, Shooting Stars is an event not likely to be forgotten.

The happening took place at Rockwell’s partying arena, the popular Dish, where all the action takes place all week long, palanggas. All of Amiel’s subjects were present and accounted for, most of them not knowing that they were even being photographed at the time. Well, that’s what paparazzi-ng is all about, dahlings.

Shooting Stars was happily sponsored by Alcatels One Touch 511; EPSON; Chivas Regal; in cooperation with Potion Planet; Magic 89.9; 99.5 RT; and Red Pumpkin.

That night, another star behind the camera was born–Amiel Cabanlig.

If you’re SMART, you can’t go wrong with one of the best Asian hospitals in the country and a new star in the world of photography.

Do drive safely and have a great weekend, palanggas.

See you.