features Archives - PeopleAsia

French Ambassador Marie Fontanel: “The Philippines should be a reflex for France”

BY JOANNE RAE M. RAMIREZ Photography by Mark Chester Ang Beautiful and slender, she’s got the moves. But make no mistake — she is as graceful on the parquet as she is astute and seasoned on the diplomatic red carpet. Former adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, diplomat, wife, mother…

Eugene S. Acevedo: The Consummate Banker

BY JOYCE REYES-AGUILA A trained physicist, the president and CEO of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., altered the course of his career from science and the academe to the corporate world, specifically banking, after taking his MBA. Four years at the helm of RCBC, he has steered the bank to become,…

Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman: Honestly speaking

BY JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ According to various sources, the name Amenah means “faithful, truthful or honest.” In the case of the Philippines’ Budget and Management chief, the name could also mean hard-working, sincere and determined — not to mention, fun. People of the Year 2024 awardee Secretary Amenah…

The Bellevue Group’s Ryan, Patrick & Dustin Chan: Their suite life

BY FRANCINE Y. MEDINA Pioneered by the charming and energetic businessman Johnny Chan, the Bellevue Hotels and Resorts has grown from one hotel in 2003 to a series of properties, including a resort, in Alabang, Quezon City and Bohol. The Chan brothers — Ryan, Patrick and Dustin — who grew…

How this Lee Min ‘Ho-peful’ took the selfie of a lifetime

Of the hundreds of fans gathered at the Mall of Asia Convention Center, one lucky gal got the chance to take a selfie with Korean superstar Lee Min-ho and it was, undoubtedly, the selfie of a lifetime! There’s a saying that goes, “Dreams come true to those who truly want…

Kono Salinas: Growing pains & steady gains

By GRACE C. DIEZ / Photography by MAU AGUASIN When life threw him lemons, Kono Salinas didn’t just make lemonade. The former fast food crew member, store stockman, tricycle driver, factory worker and security guard, among other things, established his own business — and in doing so, made a difference.…

Maine Mendoza: Once Upon a Dream

Once upon a time, in the not-so-far-away town of Sta. Maria in Bulacan, there lived a girl named Maine Mendoza, who grew up with very low self-esteem. The very quiet girl wanted to become an artista but she knew she was not beautiful enough to enter Tinseltown. She thought she…

Alden Richards: Prince Noon

Nobody in PeopleAsia was surprised when Alden Richards (along with Maine Mendoza) was hailed as the "People's Choice" awardee for this year. But everyone in the team was definitely ecstatic. After all, the newly crowned Prince of Noontime TV has finally come to claim his rightful place in the pages…

Kevin Kwan on the Philippines, Crazy Rich Asians & Asian representation

By ISABELLA OLIVARES The man behind of one of 2018’s most anticipated weddings (and we’re not talking about the royal wedding) has a short chat with PeopleAsia about his books and upcoming film, his trip to the Philippines, Asian representation and how his mom still wants him to get a “real”…

OPPO’s new flagship model is bringing smartphone photography to the next level

OPPO unveiled its much-awaited OPPO F7 phone at the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel last April 19. This new model is slated to be the brand's selfie powerhouse thanks to its 25MP front-facing camera powered by state-of-the-art beautification feature, A.I. Beauty Technology 2.0, which targets 296 facial recognition spots for precise facial customization…