Ang galling talaga ng Pinoy

Manila, Philippines -  • President Aquino opened yesterday’s session with a grand speech, highlighting the administration’s “gains” but it was the world-class performance of Ballet Philippines and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra prior to his speech that captivated the audience. Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Olivier Ochanine provided the music as singers led by Jed Madela, Jacqueline Grace Ramos, Madz et. al., the Philippine Madrigal Singers as well as the Ryan Cayabyab singers serenaded the crowd. The songs included “Our Time is Now” composed by Jim Paredes as the theme song of the four-day event, “Manila! Manila!”, Ryan Cayabyab’s “Limang Dipang Tao”, “City is a Song”, “Futurescape”, “This is the Moment”, “Ngayon” of George Canseco, “Lipad”, “Tagumpay Nating Lahat”, and “Impossible Dream.” Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and Ballet Philippines also rendered dance numbers.

“Ang galing talaga ng Pinoy” was overheard among the crowd and not “ang galing ni P-Noy.”

• Ever wonder how the foreign dignitaries and VIPs billeted in the different hotels near the Philippine International Convention Center get to PICC and back in the sweltering heat? The government hired service shuttles to bring the guests around. At least 30 coasters were hired and more than twenty buses. They wait in designated waiting areas at the PICC and SMX Convention Center and bring the guests back and forth to the different hotels: Manila Hotel, Traders Hotel, Diamond Hotel, Hyatt, Century, Hotel Sofitel as well as Makati Shangri-La, Hotel Intercon and The Manila Peninsula.

• The organizers of the 45th ADB annual meeting had apparently thought of practically everything. They even provided prayer rooms for Muslims at the PICC, one for male and one for female.

• Inside the posh Forbes Park subdivision, nine “elite” families organized an exclusive and strictly “by invitation” only dinner for the 67 finance ministers and central bank governors on Thursday night. According to a confidential briefer, the family dinner hosts were Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Washington Sycip, Henry Sy, Lance Gokongwei, Jose Tambunting, Doris Ho, Arthur Ty, Benjamin Romualdez and Miguel Cojuangco.