Celebrating 25 years Pinoy style
What a way to celebrate 25 years in the industry! The 25th year is known as the silver anniversary and Travel Warehouse, Inc. (TWI)’s anniversary was called “Pilak,” which is “silver” in Tagalog.
It was a purely Filipino celebration for the milestone anniversary for TWI at the National Museum of Natural History. TWI president and CEO Jaison Yang, fondly called Jai by many, has led this travel agency for many years. He is also the public relations officer of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association.
TWI also has their unique “Fly and Share,” a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming education by providing essential learning tools and resources to students in need. Their mission is rooted in the belief that every student should have equal access to quality education and the necessary materials that empower them to succeed. They supply notebooks, stationery, digital devices, toiletries, and other educational resources to disadvantaged students across communities on an almost monthly basis.
They organize fundraising initiatives, donation drives, and collaborate with our friends to raise awareness about the importance of education and equitable access to learning tools. They even ask people to collect those toothbrushes and soap in hotels when they travel, as TWI collects them to distribute to communities that need them most.
After years of booking for land, air, and sea, fixing tours, flights, and visas, the Travel Warehouse team took one night to celebrate years of making so many customers happy with their services.
Guests were welcomed on a red carpet set up by the steps of the venue with Banda 4 de Malabon playing music as guests entered.
A grand dinner was set up on the second floor of the museum with entertainment from the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Cantantes de Manila, Tanghalang Bagong Sibol, eMPOwr Band, and the Hiyas ng Sining Folkloric Dance Troupe.
Tables were named after Manila jeepney stops and adorned with colorful Filipino themed papier-mâché. The guests included people from the Department of Tourism and others from most of the airline companies. The evening’s hosts were Kevin Lapeña, Arianne Bautista, and Kaloy Tingcungco.
Dinner representing the three main Philippine islands was prepared by three chefs who champion Filipino food. Luzon was prepared by Angelo Comsti with his Suam na Mais with Salmon, chilled corn soup that surrounded a salmon and shrimp mosaic garnished with a chili crisp.
Marvin Agustin rendered his Visayan dish with Apan-apan (the Ilonggo version of adobong kangkong), Stuffed Chicken Inasal with Garlic Adlai Rice — slices of stuffed boneless chicken served with atchara, adlai and coconut milk.
Dom Baldosano prepared the Mindanao dish, Kulma sa Itum, a combination of Kulma (a curry of tender beef cooked in coconut milk, peanuts, and tomato sauce) and papa itum (burnt coconut paste). He made his with beef, smoked pumpkin, and singkamas — sakurab sa itum.
After dinner, guests were asked to move to the ground floor of the museum where several stations serving various Filipino desserts. Jai called his COO, Otep Pelagio, so the two of them could make a Champagne toast to thank everyone in TWI for their years of service.
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For anyone interested in donating to their Fly and Share initiative, visit https://twi.com.ph/ on ways to donate.
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