When John Keats wrote, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever…,” he probably had last week’s events in mind, as everything I had in my social calendar showcased such characteristic and I’ve been feeling good the entire week.
I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to bask in such pleasurable environment in these gatherings.
LPU’s Mr. & Ms. CITHM
The College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (CITHM) of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU)-Manila Campus held this annual search last week at the jampacked Star Theater of the CCP Complex. It was the first time the university or any of its colleges held an event outside the campus.
Students of an Events Management Class in CITHM handled the pageant and they took care of every single detail needed to make it a tremendous success. In fact, I thought a professional Events Handler was hired to stage the colorful extravaganza. Everything ran so smoothly. Small wonder it did, because the students were led by the statuesque, gracious and excellence-driven Tourism student and Student Council President Teresa Tugade, a beauty in her own right, having been recently proclaimed the Ms. LPU 2015.
There were ten female and ten male candidates vying for the title. I enjoyed having been asked to sit as one of the judges, together with Globe Sales Manager Jam de la Cruz, First Stop’s Arnel Stinson, Chef Jonathan Jota of Vikings Luxury Buffet, Professor James Marshall of LPU’s College of Business Administration, and Ms. LPU 2015 1st Runner-up Jamie Joy Imson. I must hasten to add, though. that I had a hard time choosing the best. The entire line-up seemed like they were already the best-looking group of young students anybody could ever put together.
But, we had to do our job and choose the best. After the usual Q&A portion, a couple emerged as winners—Ivan Policarpio and Allyssa Padilla, both Cruise Line students. They were crowned by last year’s winners, Tourism students Julia Monroy and Cedric Martiniano
It certainly was an evening of beauties, in an event handled by the best bunch of student movers-and-shakers any university would be proud to have!
Belo Beautiful
A respected entrepreneur in the beauty industry, Belo Medical Group Chief Executive Officer and founder Dr. Vicki Belo shared her expertise with the employees of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AmCham) in a talk entitled, Reinventing the Workforce Value.
Held at the association’s Makati headquarters and organized by the AmCham Health and Wellness Committee, the seminar focused on how beauty creates more opportunities and “the importance of being gorgeous in a professional setting.”
Naturally, she also talked about the products and services her clinics provide, the most popular of which are the ZO Skin Health, Belo Collagen Drink and the Belo Herbal Diet Pills.
Personality Of The Week
Robert G. Vergara
It was a delight to break bread last week with GSIS President and General Manager Robert G. Vergara, and learning of the agency’s rapid growth under his watch. Its total assets increased by 16% to P910.4 Billion in 2014 compared to that of the previous year, and its total revenues, by 72% to P231.5 Billion in 2014, against that of the previous year.
GSIS now has 1.44 Million members, more than 400,000 pensioners, and has more than 4000 satellite locations all over the country. It was recently awarded the Citizen’s Satisfaction Center Seal of Excellence by the Civil Service Commission for its exemplary frontline service—they now process a loan within a week, and retirement benefits, within 3 months. Not bad for an agency which used to be the butt of criticism and the source of horror stories by its members just 3 years ago.
There is this talk that Mr. Vergara is the highest-paid government employee in the country. Although he was mum about it when “cornered” by a colleague, he did give us tips on how to invest our hard-earned savings wisely. Frankly, I don’t mind heaping the taxes I paid for on a government employee who does his job very well, efficiently and honestly.
YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE 😀
PUPIL: “Ma’am, would you punish me for something I didn’t do?”
TEACHER: “Of course not.”
PUPIL: “Good, because I didn’t do my homework.”