Towering Towers

La simpatica President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the super guest of honor at the super grand inauguration of the collosal RCBC Plaza, dahlings, the new headquarters of the old wealth Yuchengco Group of Companies (ygc). She headed the list of hot shot dignitaries welcomed by mega taipan Alfonso Yuchengco.

The whopping P12 billion RCBC Plaza consists of two towers, a three-level podium and seven levels of parking. The technology is state-of-the-art, with invisible security systems, fiber optics telecommunications and digitally-controlled building automation system.

RCBC will occupy 15 floors of the 46-floor Yuchengco Tower. Other flagship companies of the group will also operate out of the monumental building. Next month, the De La Salle Graduate School of Business will relocate its Makati campus to the RCBC Plaza, concentrating on IT and e-business.

Some 1,000 guests, palanggas, most of them tycoons with solid economic and social reputations, namedroppables with ancient money and heavy stock portfolios, both local and foreign were all accounted for during the inaugural.

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At 142,000 tons it’s bigger than the world’s largest aircraft carrier (the USS Nimitz is only 100,000 tons), is longer than four 747s and is as long as a 17-car freight train. Simply put, dahlings, it’s the world’s biggest cruise ship.

Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s newest addition, made its maiden voyage a full moon ago. In celebration, Baron Travel, the cruise line’s representative in the Philippines, gave a grand launch at The Peninsula Manila.

Baron’s ceo Marilen Sandejas-Yaptangco, also ptaa president, led the welcome. Present were airline partners Ditas Marquez of Canadian, Jojo Santos of Lufthansa, Marjorie Custodio and Jojo Gonzales of Cathay and Jojo Laurente of KLM. Guests oohed and ahhed when Marilen unveiled a cross-section of the ship, featuring 1,557 staterooms, numerous dining areas (so you won’t have to eat in the same place twice), an ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, a theater spanning five decks and ooh-la-la so much more.

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Remember, palanggas, "Our search for forgiveness ends only when we find Jesus Christ." Smile. See you.