Proud to be Pinoy: Gilas wins a silver, PAL flies high with new A321 & CNN names two Pinays on its list of trailblazing CEOs

It is a great time, a great week if you will, to be Filipino.

On the heels of the Philippines’ being named by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services as Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economy, the whole nation got together to cheer the Philippine team to one of its greatest heights in basketball heaven.

When Gilas-Pilipinas secured a berth in the FIBA World Cup Finals in Spain next year by beating South Korea Saturday, grown men cried and young ladies did somersaults.

At the finals Sunday night, it was probably the first time in history that President Noynoy Aquino, Vice President Jojo Binay and boxing idol Manny Pacquiao were under one roof, rooting for the same team. I think it was also the first time Manny Pacquiao was cheering in an SRO duel that didn’t topbill him.

I loved it when Gilas coach Chot Reyes said, “It is such a privilege to be able to participate in writing your own history.”

Not since 1978, when Manila hosted the FIBA World Cup finals, has the Philippines made it this far.

“Our faith in our athletes and people nourished the impoverished soil of sports in this country,” Gilas’ driving force tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan (“MVP”) said Sunday.

And after all was said and done, even if we had lost to Iran, many Filipinos felt like they were walking on sunshine.

As The STAR said, the Gilas’ silver medal actually shone like gold.

In Metro Manila, even the rains from Typhoon Labuyo stayed away. In jubilation.

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Last Thursday, the country’s flag carrier, its spirits flying high because it can now fly to Europe, the first airline from the Philippines, allowed back into European skies since 2010, unveiled its newest baby, the state-of-the-art Airbus A321-200, in simple ceremonies at the tarmac of the PAL hangar in Pasay City. 

The brand-new A321-200 touched down at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Finkenwerder Airport at Hamburg, Germany, site of Airbus’ A320-series final assembly line, just the night before after an 18-hour journey, with a technical stop in Saudi Arabia.

“The A321’s arrival heralds a new, exciting era for PAL,” said PAL president Ramon S. Ang.  “It not only gives us size to fit our expansion plans but also the flexibility to match capacity to specific route requirements.  This is a tremendous advantage for us. Our passengers will love this highly efficient aircraft, which features a tri-class cabin with unique amenities.”

The new jet, one of the most modern and safest airplanes to soar the Philippine skies, will be assigned on two major domestic routes — Manila-Cebu and Manila-Davao.  It will also be deployed on high-density regional routes where it will alternate with the smaller Airbus A320.

The A321’s entry is an important PAL milestone — officially putting in motion the fleet renewal program that was set almost a year ago. Earlier, PAL signed a firm order with Airbus for 55 aircraft, worth $7 billion, regarded as the largest aircraft purchase in Philippine history.

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I was just as proud when I read a story filed by CNN about women CEOs of food brands who are reinventing their brand, citing two exceptional Filipinas.

According to CNN, “In 1966, two Filipino sisters, Milagros Leelin Yee and Clarita Leelin Go set up a small bakery putting a family-oriented spin on traditional local delicacies. Almost 50 years later, Goldilocks Bakery now boasts of 340 outlets in the Philippines with 24 stores in the US and five in Thailand.

“The much-loved family bakeshop has expanded to offer food choices and in 2010 underwent a full rebranding in an effort to keep up with other competitors. Meanwhile the sisters have continued their success, venturing into publishing with their recipes in Goldilocks Bakebook.”

The other women CEOs cited by CNN were Denise Morrison, CEO and president, Campbell Soup Company, who joined the 144-year-old company a decade ago; Indra Nooyi, the Indian-born chairman and CEO, PepsiCo; Martha Stewart, founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia; and Australian Donna Hay, food editor and cookbook author.

There is hardly a Filipino who has no Goldilocks favorite — from special mamon to pancit palabok, to fancy Black Forest and polvoron.

(You may e-mail me at [email protected].)