Christmas Season Birthday Celebrants

Attendance
The December 15 Grand Kapihan at Manila Polo was not only the traditional Batch63 birthday celebration of four celebrants but because of the high attendance, it seemingly also became the Christmas get-together of the Batch. The four December birthday celebrants who hosted the Grand Kapihan were Jimmy Gonzales, Eboy Cosme, Manolo Cristobal and Babes Alvarez. As the celebrants come to appear at the Willow Root venue, they received the usual warm abrazzos and greetings from friends. Celebrant Babes Alvarez (based in Bacolod) couldn’t make it that day but he gamely sent in his share of the financial requirement for the party anyway.

Apart from the four celebrants, the 24-strong other guys in the big party consisted of: Joey Angeles, Ed Oleta, Tony Estonina, Oni Mayo, Jack Arellano, Quito Moras, Ed Lim, Gary Salcedo, Polding Arnaiz, Francis Horn, Raffy Villarreal, Joey Ingles, Dendi Abdon, George Cunanan, Linggoy Araneta, Doug Marcaida, Gabby Valdez, Boy Carlos, Bert Saenz, Vince Misa, Richard Sycip, Lito Quiogue, Patrick Go and Joey Estagle. In behalf of Batch63, here’s wishing the December celebrants a very happy birthday and thanks for the usual fine breakfast! (The Willow Root buffet offered crispy tawilis, corned beef, cheeses, fruits and yogurt snacks this Wednesday)

Celebrants’ profile
Jim Gonzales has not slowed down a bit. He manages to swipe tennis balls at the Manila Polo courts between attending to his many business enterprises. (Recently, he has added swimming to his regimen and which he methodically does at least twice a week.) A major business undertaking of Jim today is the Arthaland condominium project at the Fort. On top of that, he still engages in Investment Banking activities (AO Capital Partners) that regularly take him to Hong Kong, Singapore and India. While he recently sold his commercial bank (Export Bank) to Henry Sy’s BDO, he has added three publicly-listed profitable gaming companies (IPVG Co.) where he is founder and Chairman and which his son is managing director.

Real estate developer Eboy Cosme has just completed his four storey building project in Makati. As of today, Eboy’s building enjoys a high 90% rental occupancy rate. One tenant in Eboy’s building is Sandy’s Pizza - the pizza parlor newcomer owned by Jack Arellano and his daughter Sandy. (With two other branches in San Juan and Cubao, Jack and Sandy have apparently decided to expand in Makati.) While Eboy appears physically hale, he was recently diagnosed with a tumor in his heart. He plans to have cutting edge robotic surgery for it in the US sometime soon. Typical of Eboy, he seems to be ever confronting affairs of the heart. Levity aside, we wish Eboy all the best in the future.

Manolo Cristobal is happily enjoying retirement with his family at the University of Perpetual Help compound in Binan, Laguna. As we know, the notable UPH institution that had its origins in the South of Manila, belongs to the family of Manolo. Manolo himself owns apartments in the compound that he is renting out mainly to students. (A neighbor in the compound is Ed Oleta who is married to Manolo’s cousin.) Manolo and his partner Marissa (25 years younger?) have been together for 12 years and are raising two children who are still in grade school. Manolo’s hobby includes pistol shooting that complements his being a reservist in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

I did not have the opportunity to interview Babes Alvarez, but we know that he is a dynamic rural banker from Bacolod. He is also into industrial ventures (the manufacture and supply of building materials) when he is not dabbling in local politics.

Miscellany
Congratulations to Gabby and Pam Valdez. Eldest daughter Beatrice became a TOYM awardee in ceremonies held in Malacanang. Beatrice (or Bea) designs bags and fashion accessories that she distributes in high fashion stores in the USA. She received the award recently for distinguished work in the category of fashion design and entrepreneurship.

Joey Estagle is the Batch’s controversial lover boy who retains the physical looks for living up to the reputation. Naturally, he is typically conscious about how he comes on to pretty young things. Recently he was flattered when one young girl addressed him as “Thunder”. Joey thought it had something to do with the awesome image of “thunder and lightning”. Poor Joey was deflated when he later found out that “Thunder” is street lingo for “Tanda”!

That’s all folks. For more photos of the event, klik on the link below.


http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd489/leonmayo1/Christmas%20Season%20Birthday%20Celebrants/?albumview=slideshow