The best of Australia

In its bid to promote excellent and high-quality Australian produce to Filipino consumers, the Metro Retail Stores Group, in partnership with the Australian Embassy, organized recently a  one-of-a-kind food and beverage festival entitled “Market Australia.”

To formally open the said festival, a grand launch was held at Metro Supermarket Alabang in Muntinlupa City. The launch was attended by top company executives including Metro Retail Stores Group chairman and CEO Frank Gaisano, president and COO Eduardo Ponce, corporate affairs head Anna Marie Periquet, Metro Supermarket and Hypermarket managing director Christian Nervegno along with Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell and Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) senior trade commissioner Anthony Weymouth.

The three-week foodie event, held in six Metro Supermarket branches in the country, featured a wide selection of products from the Land Down Under including wine, cheese, beef, lamb and fresh fruits that are certified clean, green and safe.

Congratulations, Metro Retail Stores Group for this successful affair!

Putting a premium on customer loyalty

As an industry icon, Wilcon Depot has instituted  innovative changes that revolutionized the shopping experience of people looking for construction and home decorating supplies.

Wilcon Depot, which has been in the business for almost 40 years with 32 branches, recently conducted the final draw of its year-long Win-A-Ride promo. With more than P12 million worth of prizes at stake, the nationwide promo is the company’s grand gesture to thank its loyal customers.  Wilcon executives led by president and CEO William Belo and senior executive vice president and COO Rosemarie Ong joined valued suppliers, industry and promo partners at the event.

The names of the winners were drawn by radio and TV newscaster Mike Enriquez at Wilcon’s main office in Libis, Quezon City in the presence of Department of Trade and Industry representative Rosila Egmilan.

The top prize — a sleek Mercedes Benz ML350 CDI AMG — went to Ruby Grace De Ocampo from Alabang. Fifty winners of iPad Mini were also announced during the raffle draw. 

Congratulations to all the winners!

Talking about culture

The Society for Cultural Enrichment  Inc. (SCEI), headed by its president and chair, Angola Consul Helen Ong and vice chair Dr. Jaime Laya, held its first fellowship event for the year at the residence of SCEI member Lita Goño and  her husband, lawyer Efren Goño.

The gathering was also an opportunity to marvel at Lita’s collection of sculpture pieces by 18th-century artist Isabelo Tampinco. Lita has 12 of these pieces — five life-size pieces from the collection are displayed in the garden and inside her house. Lita also has a natural-looking waterfall in her garden and a fountain as high as 16 feet.

The SCEI group also appreciated Lita’s  other antique collections like the 15th- century collection of statues of saints. Tell us, what venue could be more fitting to talk about culture than here?

Thank you, Lita and Efren, for your hospitality!

Two decades of love for Butch & Cris

Fila’s power couple Butch and Cris Albert joyously celebrated two decades of love and marriage with family and close friends at their favorite dining place, The Prince Albert Rotisserie at the InterContinental Manila.

The Albert family was in complete attendance: the couple’s children Carlo and Isabela with BJ Albert, Marty and MJ Albert, Carlo and Monique Lopez, Raffy and Rina Llamas, Ana Abad Santos with her son Tommy Bitong and the ever gorgeous Wanda Louwallien.

Guests entering the Carlos P. Romulo room were greeted by the sight and scent of beautifully arranged colorful blooms, a perfect setting to celebrate a lengthy romance and fulfilled dreams of the couple.

Of course, the real vision was the ever-stunning Cris Albert in a fairytale-inspired black Rajo Laurel gown. As usual, in true Albert fashion, champagne and music flowed endlessly as the couple celebrated with their guests. 

To Cris and Butch, here’s to many more years of love and happiness!