STAR DREAM GIRL: Riva Maria M. Galvez Tan

Living a healthy lifestyle is as easy as performing a perfect swing in the fairways for half-Chinese beauty Riva Maria M. Galvez Tan. As co-captain of her school’s Women’s Golf Team, Riva knows the importance of taking care of her health. Thanks to her dad, former Health Secretary and now international health consultant and public health specialist Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, who has always reminded her to eat healthy food and to allot an adequate amount of time for sleep and exercise. “I don’t drink and I don’t smoke,” she says proudly. To relieve stress, Riva goes to the spa or spends time for meditation. This, she got from her mom, wellness advocate Ma. Rebecca Maraña. “My parents never pressured me to do something they wanted for me. Instead, they allowed me to discover myself,” the 5’5” looker adds.

At 20, Riva seemed to have discovered what she truly desires for in life. And mind you, she’s got a long list of them. A Communications Technology Management senior at Ateneo de Manila University, Riva is a consistent Dean’s Lister. In fact, she was a consistent honor student since high school and has always been recognized for her academic excellence as well as her exemplary behavior. A born leader who is always ready to rise up to the challenge, Riva serves as vice president of People Development of AIESEC Ateneo De Manila, an international organization which aims to develop future leaders. “It’s tough because I have to deal with people who have different working styles; but that’s part of becoming a great leader. It’s really impossible to please everyone. Essentially, what matters is you’ve done your best to address their concerns,” shares Riva, who was chosen to represent the Philippines in the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington and New York before.

Traveling is also her passion, as she had lots of opportunities to jet set at a young age because of her dad. Doing charity is another. Riva showed her down-to-earth side when she celebrated her previous birthdays with the less fortunate by coordinating with the NGOs.

“Ultimately, I want to be a bigtime tycoon and build my own business empire,” she says. She satisfies her strong passion for business and entrepreneurship by reading business and technology magazines.

Quite a young achiever and a dynamic dreamer, Riva knows that whatever her goals in life are, she will continue to hold on to the values inculcated by her ever supportive parents. — Jerni May H. Camposano