Jose Paolo Dela Cruz, Author at PeopleAsia

From Leveriza to Paris: Carlos Yulo vaults into history, fame & fortune

The country’s first two-time Olympic Gold medalist, who hails from Leveriza St. in Manila, will be biting into so much more than his two medals in the coming days. Carlos Yulo during the Men's Floor Excercise at the Paris 2024 Olympics/ Photo from One Sports Soon after winning two Olympic…

PeopleAsia, “Men Who Matter,” Operation Damayan join forces for Carina victims

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ/ Photos by Renjie Tolentino PeopleAsia’s “Men Who Matter” awardees walked the talk as they joined the glossy magazine and The Philippine STAR’s Operation Damayan in raising funds for victims of super typhoon Carina. PeopleAsia honors its "Men Who Matter" 2024 awardees with PeopleAsia…

Conrad Manila’s ‘Inspired beginnings’ start where Michael Leyva’s rainbow begins

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ To say that Conrad Manila’s recently concluded “Inspired Beginnings” bridal fair opened in style is an understatement. After all, the bespoke two-day affair featured no less than fashion designer extraordinaire Michael Leyva on its first night, in a spectacular show that presented brides who…

Sweet Dreams at the Auro World Chocolate Fair in S Maison

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ Roses are red, violets are blue, dragon eggs — or duck eggs — can be sweet, too. Well, they most certainly are at the Auro World Chocolate Fair at S Maison in Pasay City, where the award-winning Filipino chocolate company and its partner merchants…

UTCI ‘DELI-vers’ world-class tools with latest venture

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ Fourth-generation businesswoman Michelle Ong explains how her family’s 156 year-old enterprise continues to empower hardware stores and local businesses with the introduction of Deli tools in the Philippines. UTCI executives Melody Lau and Michelle L. Ong, with Deli executives Luis Liu and Marco Hu.…

Divisoria, Manila & Rampa Manila 2

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ Neric Beltran, Anthony Ramirez, Val Taguba, Jhobes Estrella and Mark Rancy paid tribute to a sprawling city and its equally iconic shopping district at Rampa Manila 2. Neric Beltran Who hasn't been to — or at least heard of — Divisoria? Well, the land…

RCBC’s Lito Villanueva is now a ‘global fintech elite’

There's a new global fintech elite in town — and he comes from one of the country's leading homegrown banks. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) executive vice president and chief innovation and inclusion officer Lito Villanueva has been honored as one of the elite few on The Asian Banker (TAB)…

Geoff Andres & a boy named Whitey: A Father’s Day story

By JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ Fatherhood was not exactly on Geoff Andres’ mind when he flew to the Philippines to become property president of City of Dreams Manila in 2015. But life had other plans for this dashing hotelier and the very special people he would meet in the…

Likha Ko, Lahi Ko: World-class and proudly Filipino

By JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ / Photography by RENJIE TIOLENTINO Armed with a plethora of creations by 87 artisans from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the third Likha trade show — aptly called “Likha Ko, Lahi Ko” — trains the spotlight on the creative practices of Filipinos across the archipelago.…

Ternocon 2024: Jojie Lloren, Cary Santiago and Jaggy Glarino wear their hearts on their sleeves

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ The three featured designers served up a fashion revolution with their exquisite takes on the terno — adding both heart and innovation to the already iconic butterfly sleeve. “Kasarinlan, Kultura, Kasuotan.” These dramatic words effectively summed up what this year’s Ternocon show is all…