Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Espina: Trailblazers By Mila C. Espina In my diary
THE events in June and early July moved so fast and we could hardly catch up with all of them. Weddings, foodfests, anniversaries and conventions, not to mention product launchings and exhibits, certainly filled up my calendar.
I missed some of them because of my preparations for the 2008 Tourism Congress and my fam-tour to Xiamen. I couldn’t make it to Kenya, and the Hong Kong famtour of Cathay Pacific as well.
The Northwest Airlines had a classy 2007 Top Producers Awards at the Abaca Boutique Resort and Restaurant. China Bank celebrated its 60 years of successful operations in Cebu at the Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino (WCCHC). The 10th university president of the University of San Carlos, Fr. Dionisio Marcelo Miranda, SVD, met the Cebu press last Tuesday, July 1. The wedding rites of Gerald Besabella and Dafodil Pastor at the garden altar of Our Lady of Fatima Parish was simple but heartwarming.
Daffodil, 2002-2005 runner-up in the Ambassadress of Trade and Goodwill, cried all the way with the thought of a new life ahead. The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) signed a memo of understanding with the Tsunieshi and Cebu Industrial Park Developers Inc. for a long-term partnership in the operation of its Balamban Campus in Arpili. This is one of the highlights of the efforts of the present administration led by Fr. Anthony Morillo, OAR. It’s Cebu Industrial Park Developers Inc. It’s to trailblaze its industry-academe linkage.
We congratulate the Cebu Parklane Hotel for its 2nd anniversary in Cebu and the Hotel, Restaurant and Resorts Association (HRRAC) and the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel for the well-attended Cebu Goes Culinary chaired by Lita Urbina.
Debbie Gandionco and Steve Hassan of USJ-R were so excited having unanimously won the overall champion school category. The WCCHC won the table setting, professional level, and over-all champion. The University of Cebu and University of San Carlos displays were also commendable. HRRAC executive director Aissa de la Cruz and prexy Marco Protacio deserved a good rest after their hectic schedules. All our best to more years of blissful togetherness to Ben and Zeny Yapjoco who celebrated their 40th year of marriage at Whitegold House.
All the guests were glued on their seats, with all eyes and ears focused on Gov. Gwen Garcia, as she delivered forcefully, not a word wasted, her historic State of the Province Address (Sopa). She enumerated the phenomenal economic and political milestones of the Province. The audience believed and applauded. No doubt, the first woman governor of the Cebu Province is one persuasive speaker, a hard act to follow.
The Ambassador of Belgium Gregoire Vardakis and Consul a.h. of Belgium Enrique Benedicto, with his wife Helena, celebrated the National Day of Belgium at the WCCHC. Congratulations.
