Joel Cruz’s dazzling birthday bash

PLUS: Rising Tigers’ ‘People To Watch 2023’ launch

Lord of Scent, Joel Cruz celebrated his birthday in the company of his intimate friends and college classmates last night.

On arrival, guests were offered cocktail food, wine and champagne while Marcy David Band played instrumental classical songs at the spacious living room of Joel’s fabulous mansion, Chateau de Milagros.

Nonie and Bert Basilio

 

Marcy David’s Strings band

 

Noel Crisostomo, Richard Hiñola, Alex Vergara, Chito Delos Santos

 

Albert Andrada, George Yano, Gerry Sunga

 

Connie and Amb. Vic Garcia

 

Frieda and Jorge Hizon

 

Hi Society, Gen. Rhodel Sermonya, Dr. George Sarakinis

 

Cory Qurino, Dr. Egor Prikhodko

 

Royce Ramos, Maridol, Kyla and Mike Cruz

 

Hi Society, Prince Sean, Charlotte, Charles, Joel Cruz, Princess Synne, Harry, and Harvey Cruz

 

Lambert Lopez, Egor Prikhodko, Edouard George, Remar de Leon

 

Bryant and Emmy Cragun 

The celebrant after exchanging pleasantries and photo-op with his guests invited them to a formal sit-down dinner catered by Juan Carlo at the French Garden dining room on the second floor accessible thru a grand winding staircase or an elevator.

The menu consisted of baked scallop with pastis prado wine & paprika cream sauce as appetizer; fresh ocean clam in ginger garlic broth in buco shell for soup; fresh baby leaf salad, chianti poached pear with cambozola cheese, caramelized peach, candied walnuts as salad, pacific ocean char-grilled blue marlin and fillet with sesame soba noodles, ginger garlic essence kailan leaves for main entrée; and galaxies delight for dessert with pink lychee lemonade as drink.

During dinner, Marcy Band who swiftly moved to the dining area, entertained the guests with modern and classical songs by the band’s much sought after vocalists, Maxine, Anya and Raif.

The highlight of the night was a raffle which consisted of several cash prizes in ampaw envelopes. From our table, Hi Society, Connie Guanzon Garcia and Frieda Hizon were the lucky winners.

Thank you, Joel, for the wonderful evening. Happy Birthday! May you have many more years of happiness and success ahead!

* * *

Meanwhile, Rising Tigers, the most distributed local magazine in National Bookstore, launched “People To Watch 2023” in the Presidential Suite of The Manila Hotel presenting the emerging leaders of this generation and they are from different industries.

The honorees were awarded by Poland Ambassador Jaroslaw Szczepankiewicz, Dr. Elton See Tan and myself and these honorees will be featured in the March issue of the magazine.

Andria Terese, Andrew Troy, Grace Bondad, Alexa Tracy, Alexis and Tiffany Nicolas

 

Dra. Araceli and Sec. Sal Panelo

 

Choy Bernardo, Bing Carrion, Ayna Ong, Dawn Salvador

 

Teody Nicolas, Emercinda Nicolas

 

Delia Dela Fuente, JonJon Escaler, Remy Bondad

 

The ‘People To Watch 2023’ honorees

 

Jonjon Escaler, Odessa Escaler

 

Joey Lina, Brian Poe Llamanzares, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez

 

(Seated) Atty. Joe Redoblado, Atty. Melvin Mendoza, Daisy Anzures, (standing) Lito Marquez, Florence Ajero, Perry Camba and Bernadette Guijo

 

Cory Navarro, Ayna Ong, Darius Razon seated- Gov. Baby Ortiz, Manny Negado, Choy and Jcuppacake Chef Julz Bernardo

 

Dr. Elton See Tan, Grace Bondad and Andria Terese Nicolas, Hi Society, Brian Poe Llamanzares, Tanyu III 

According to the CMO of Rising Tigers, Andria Terese Nicolas, “We are genuinely grateful to all of you for joining us in this momentous occasion, for this is another milestone for Rising Tigers Magazine, our first event of the year, which is the People to Watch. I am here to share to you all what Rising Tigers has to offer. This magazine started from an Idea of bringing leaders together in one publication.”

“This publication is designed to inspire and motivate those who wish to start and grow their businesses. But what exactly is our purpose? We share the voices and success stories of those leaders who helped shaped our country today. Our Rising Tigers and Nation Builders are respectable individuals from diverse backgrounds, and different generations. Because we believe all generations should be heard. They are all gathered and highlighted for the same goal and it’s to spark inspiration to many, through them, we can help create more future rising individuals and game changers in our society.”

The 13 honorees are: Brian Poe Llamanzares of Pantheon Holdings; Arch. Miko Delos Reyes of Imagimax; Walther Uzi Buenavista of Shawarma Shack; Congresswoman Margarita Nograles; DILG Usec Margarita Gutierrez; DICT Usec Anna Mae Lamentillo;Rafael Oria Jr of Beyond Leisure Property Consultant; Dionisio Tan Jr of TCI Village Inc.; Atty. Arnel Mateo of ADM & Partners Data Privacy and Consulting Inc; Actor and entrepreneur Coco Martin; Actress and entrepreneur Lovi Poe; Musician King Tomoro and Beauty Queen and entrepreneur Michelle Marquez Dee.

According to Andria, “I look up to our roster of leaders, what they all have in common is that they are all young visionaries, and dedicated individuals who worked towards their purpose. After all, just like what Lewis Carol said ‘One of the secrets of life is that all that is worth doing is what we do for others.'”

VIP attendees included Secretary Salvador Panelo, Cory Navarro, Richard James Merk, Darius Razon,Rotary Governor Leonida Baby Ortiz, Glenda Hufano, Silliman Sy, Atty. Joe Redoblado, Atty. Melvin Mendoza, Renan Ponce Pascual Morales, Senator Joey Lina and Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Consunji Gutierrez among others.

Rising Tigers will be celebrating their Anniversary on March and they are proud to say that they are growing faster and stronger than ever. That is why, at Rising Tigers Magazine are calling all Nation Builders and emerging leaders to join and to show to the world that the Philippines is indeed open for business.

Congratulations go to Tag Media Head Grace Bondad Nicolas.