Tina turns 40!

It is indeed a milestone when a friend turns 40.  International area manager of LVMH Fragrance Brands (Givenchy, Kenzo and Fendi) for Japan, Guam and Saipan Tina Tinio flew back to Manila just to celebrate that milestone recently.

She celebrated 40 years of her life with four parties over four days. Twenty-five of her close friends from Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore joined her in Manila for the massive four-day celebration.

Party No. 1 was the birthday greet-up (salubong) at Privé Luxury Club hosted by Dong Ronquillo and Kim Yao. Party No. 2 was an infinity pool party hosted by Jackie and Marco Antonio at the Century Skypark. Party No. 3 was at the Cabana Club in Republiq called “Tina Time 40 on Fire @ Studio 40,” which was pretty much the main event! Disco, glam and glitter were all over the place as gold necklaces were given to guests upon entry. The birthday girl was obviously having fun with all her friends around, despite already losing her voice.

I missed Party No. 4 the following day, which was an afternoon tea at the Polo Club in Makati City hosted by Iyay Coscolluela, Eli Antonino and Abba Napa.

Tina was business unit manager at Shu Uemura and later on at Kiehl’s in the Philippines before moving to Japan. She later on moved to Singapore to become the marketing operations manager-ASEAN zone at Shu Uemura and Kiehl’s for all of Southeast Asia.  Her college background in Tokyo and her fluency in Japanese helped her land the job she currently holds.

The parties were certainly hectic but fun! To a wonderful friend and my cousin by affinity, Tina, happy 40th birthday!

Celebrating the Filipino spirit

The country will once again witness the greatness of the Filipino spirit as our kababayans Betsy Medalla and Julian Valencia will embark on a historic open water swim in Cape Town, South Africa on Feb. 9.

Medalla and Valencia will brave shark-infested waters and temperatures ranging from 12 to 15 degrees Celsius and swim 7.2 kilometers from the shores of Robben Island to the suburb of Bloubergstrand in Cape Town.

The event, dubbed A Rainbow of Hope: A Celebration of Philippine-South African Friendship, is being organized by Georgia Consul Buddy Cunanan and Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Cape Town Steven Chaimowitz.

Over 400 people have made the Robben Island swim since 1899. Medalla and Valencia will be the first Filipinos and first Asians to do the swim. And for it to be recognized as an official Robben Island swim, Medalla and Valencia will only be allowed to wear standard competition swimsuits and goggles. Upon completion of the swim, they will receive certificates from the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association.

Lead swimmer Medalla is a 44-year-old mother of two, a former member of the Philippine National Swim Team, and an accomplished triathlete swim coach. Secondary swimmer Valencia is a 40-year-old age-group triathlete and runner, and a former member of the UP Varsity Swimming Team.

The swim will be a gesture of thanks to South Africans for their help after Super Typhoon Yolanda and to commemorate the life of the late former South African President Nelson Mandela, who passed away on Dec. 5, 2013. The pro-democracy icon was imprisoned for 27 years, 18 of those in solitary confinement and hard labor on Robben Island, along with other black opposition leaders.

“This will be a testament to the enduring close ties between Filipinos and South Africans,” stressed Cunanan. In November 2013, Cunanan and Chaimowitz organized the first Philippine-South African humanitarian mission for typhoon-ravaged Leyte province. Composed of the Philippine Coast Guard, private emergency response unit Rescue Team 926 Inc. and the Gift of the Givers Foundation, South Africa’s biggest and most active humanitarian organization, the project saw the deployment of 50 South African doctors and nurses, alongside Filipino medical personnel, to areas devastated by Yolanda. They also made a donation of over 10 tons of relief goods and equipment.

The Robben Island swim will also raise funds for the programs of Rescue Team 926 Inc. and the Gift of the Givers for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of communities in and around Leyte province.

The Robben Island Swim Team’s airfare is being sponsored by E.T. Dizon Travel Corp., a multi-awarded travel agency since 1965, and Qatar Airways and Rhenus Logistics. The Filipino athletes’ gear and equipment are being provided by Tyr Endurance Sport and sports apparel-maker PSI Custom Sports Gear.

(For more information, visit www.facebook.com/FirsttFilipinoRobbenIsland Swim2014.)

PeopleAsia cites MVP Group for humanitarian projects Lawyer Mike Toledo (second from left), media bureau chief of the MVP Group of Companies and SVP for corporate affairs of Philex Mining Corp., receives the special award from PeopleAsia magazine on behalf of the MVP Group during the People of the Year awards rites. The group received a special award for its “extensive relief efforts for the disaster-ravaged provinces in the Philippines.” The award was given by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Vice President Jejomar Binay and PeopleAsia publisher Babe Romualdez.