BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ/ Photos by RENJIE TOLENTINO
From game-changing awardees who pair passion with purpose, to diplomats, business leaders, society figures and VIP guests who were present to celebrate their achievements, the well-heeled audience pivoted to brighter days ahead as they trooped to PeopleAsia’s “People of the Year” 2023 Awards Night.
As editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez said in her opening remarks at the Grand Ballroom of Hilton Manila, “Pagkatapos ng hagupit ng pandemya, tayo’y umusad muli, wala nang saklay. At ngayo’y gumaganti pa — revenge travel, revenge shopping, revenge business. Matamis na paggaganti, di po ba? Sweet revenge ’ika nga. (After the ire of the pandemic, we now move forward without crutches. And now we take revenge – revenge travel, revenge shopping, revenge business. Sweet revenge, as they call it.)”
PeopleAsia publisher (on leave) Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, who delivered his speech from Washington DC., further added that “This [event] really goes to show that PeopleAsia is here to stay, and the reason why it has become a very prestigious — and the most prestigious, in fact — magazine in the Philippines today.”
Leading the list of prominent awardees was none other than influencer Small Laude, whose vlogs have helped brighten many a gloomy day at the height of the pandemic. “When I hear from people that I helped them with their depression and that I share my joy, I get so emotional. I’m so happy and glad that I found my purpose,” said the “People of the Year,” “People’s Choice” and “Volvo Ironmark” awardee, before quoting Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh by adding: “Ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you are past your prime. Look at me!”
Business tycoon Sabin Aboitiz, on the other hand, shared the accolade with his staff. “This recognition is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the tireless efforts of every member of the Aboitiz Group. They are all ‘people of the year,’” he said.
Sen. Grace Poe, who had to rush immediately back to the Senate after receiving her award, said: “I will begin with two words my mom [Susan Roces] told me before I ran for the Senate in 2013. She said, ‘Pagbutihan mo…’ As I stand here, I think I could confidently say, pinagbuti ko at sa abot ng aking makakaya, patuloy kong pinagbubuti ang aking trabaho [I worked as hard as I could and continue to do so].”
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, on the other hand, said: “I would like to thank you for this award, which I will share with our team in Quezon City… If you put the people first all the time, there is nothing that we cannot achieve.”
SM Supermalls president Steven Tan dedicated his award to his mentor, SM Prime chairman Hans Sy and mom Juanita Tan, who were present that night, as well as SM Investments vice chairman Tessie Sy Coson and the rest of his SM family. “I often like to quote Tatang’s [the late Henry Sy Sr.] words of wisdom: ‘In good times, we work hard. In bad times, we work harder.’ This is how we made it through the past three years,” he said.
Angkas CEO George Royeca also stood proud, not just with Angkas’ 99-percent safety rating, but with the support of their 30,000 biker-partners. “When we believe in ourselves, in our people, what we also do is inspire them to do better, to become better… When we achieve this, with your support, I promise you we can truly end poverty in our lifetime,” he said.
Ramon Magsaysay awardee, doctor and children’s rights advocate Dr. Bernadette Madrid also urged everyone to join the fight against abusers of women and children. “We found out during COVID that we needed to be where the children are and that’s in the communities. So, that’s the reason for the tele-CPU Centers in the barangays,” said the executive director of the Child Protection Network.
Former Miss Universe and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) president Margie Moran-Floirendo also took to the stage to urge the audience to join her in a quest to restore the CCP to its former glory. “To end what I’m going to say, rehabilitating the CCP is not easy but with the first million that we received from BDO – we raised P 950 million, but we still need another P 950 million to complete it. But we do need help from everyone to make this beautiful lady come alive again!”
Angola Consul Helen Ong, who has raised millions for the Philippine Cancer Society, on the other hand, said; “Modesty aside, I have received numerous accolades and recognition, but this is probably one of the best, if not the best award that I ever received.”
JC and House of Franchise’s indefatigable co-founders also took to the stage. President and CEO Jonathan So started by saying “I would like to thank our franchisees and partners and all the staff, because at the end of the day, we could not have succeeded in this journey – especially during the pandemic – without the right people with us.”
The group’s vice-president and CFO Carl Macadangdang then added: “I hope this will always be an inspiration for us to do better and to serve better, not just for ourselves, but for our community and our country.”
Fashion designer Lesley Mobo also accepted the award from London. “This is really for all the people who believed in me from the very beginning. Your thoughts are in my heart,” he said.
Special awardee and chemist Pinky Tobiano took a moment on stage to talk about her life-long dream. “Every time I would attend an international forum of chemists and scientists, it would always be foreign speakers. So, I said, someday, I would speak on that stage as a very proud Filipino chemist – one who is not just a signature but an autograph,” she said, before adding that her homegrown Qualibet has been acquired by one of the largest laboratories in the world, Bureau Veritas.
Special awardee Jaime Ponce De Leon, who was recognized for his invaluable contributions to arts and culture through his homegrown Leon Gallery, said: “We at Leon Gallery truly believe in the power of sharing what PeopleAsia calls ‘the real lives and real stories of the real people…’ all of which make the world of Philippine art so profoundly special.”
PeopleAsia also honored its “Airline of the Year” awardee Singapore Airlines, for its game-changing innovations during the pandemic, which led to its continuous growth and non-stop operations – especially in delivering life-saving cargo.
Emceed by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. director Atty. Michael T. Toledo and Bianca Valerio, the event was made even more memorable by the musical stylings of The Company and the Marcy David Orchestra.
Event stylist extraordinaire Dave Sandoval also provided the magnificent backdrop for the red-letter affair, which was held at the Grand Ballroom of Hilton Manila in Newport City.
PeopleAsia’s “People of the Year” Awards Night was staged in partnership with Hilton Manila, Volvo Cars Philippines, HSBC Philippines, SM Supermalls, Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corp., Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., Megaworld Corp., San Miguel Corp., Wilcon Depot, Leon Gallery, Fredley Group of Companies, Ultherapy of Merz Aesthetics, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc., Montes and Grant Burge Wine by Ralph’s Wines and Spirit, and The Philippine Star.
