It’s reigning men!

It was a celebration of real lives and real stories of 14 accomplished men.

“It’s been nine years since we started Men Who Matter. It is with great pleasure that we celebrate it again this year. Tonight’s Men Who Matter are gentlemen from the government, business, sports and showbiz. Let’s continue to celebrate this tradition that we started in 2006,” said PeopleAsia publisher and CEO Babe Romualdez in remarks at the Men Who Matter awards rites at the New World Makati Hotel.

“Every year, we set the stage together with PeopleAsia magazine for men who make waves in their expertise and have touched the lives of many people. New World Makati Hotel is a proud partner of the magazine and it shares the same interest in real lives, real stories and real people. Very much the same encounter we have with our guests. Each day brings a new connection; each encounter for me is unique — warm, engaging and unique,” New World Makati Hotel resident manager Randal Linhart said.

This year’s men include Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, award-winning actor Piolo Pascual, The Philippine STAR Entertainment editor Ricky Lo, TV5 news anchor Paolo Bediones, Olympic skater Michael Christian Martinez, athletes Jeron and Jeric Teng, ABS-CBN news reporter Atom Araullo, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) GM Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, Camarines Sur Gov. Miguel Luis Villafuerte, 2014 Manitowoc Restaurateur of the Year Tony Boy Escalante, Coca-Cola FEMSA Asia division’s director Juan Carlos Dominguez, Beer Below Zero inventor Luigi Nuñez and Citibank CEO Batara Sianturi.

Babe Romualdez and Randal Linhart, together with PeopleAsia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez, Singapore Airlines GM Ranjan Jha, Lexus Manila president Danny Isla and Brand Gateway Inc. PR and communications manager Shauna Popple, presented the awards to this year’s Men Who Matter.

The event, hosted by Bianca Valerio, was graced by Ambassadors Toshinao Urabe of Japan, Agnes Nyamande-Pitso of South Africa, John Gomes of Bangladesh and Johny Lumintang of Indonesia, Deputy Political Counselor of the US Embassy Matthew Cenzer, US Embassy Consul Bill Christopher, Canadian Embassy Consul General Steve Chapman, Honorary Consuls Helen Ong of Angola and Agnes Huibonhoa of Gambia and Singapore Airlines marketing and communications services manager Rita Dy, among others.

The event showcased a runway preview of Piquadro’s latest luggage, leather bags and other accessories as well as the menswear from renowned Filipino designers Rhett Eala, Pepsi Herrera and Randy Ortiz. Iya Villania-Arellano entertained the guests with her impeccable renditions of popular hits.

PeopleAsia’s “Men who Matter” 2014 was presented by the New World Makati Hotel, Lexus, PLDT Home Fibr, Piquadro Tech Inside, Singapore Airlines, Ponds Men, The Gan Advanced Osseointegration Center, Max Factor, Ellesse Italia, Crossover 105.1 and The Philippine STAR.

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)