Michelin-rated restaurants serving Filipino cuisine, whether here or abroad.

Turning 60 next month, I’d like to believe I’ve already done a lot of things, and been to a lot of places a lot of people only dream about when they turn 30.

When I was eight years old, Gemma Cruz became the first Filipino and Asian to win Miss International in1964. Five years later, Gloria Diaz, still in her teens, made a giant leap for Filipino womanhood to conquer the Universe (pageant, that is); while barely two days later, an American astronaut struggled to make a few small steps for mankind (pun intended) on the moon. Over the decades, there were many more Filipina Auroras, Margies, Melanies, Charlenes and Pias that conquered the universe as well.

In the world of fashion, a Pampango Roy Gonzales made a quiet revolution in Paris in the 1970s, becoming the head designer of the House of Jean Patou and then Pierre Cardin (Roy is a third-generation designer of RT Paras, the oldest and longest continuing haute couture house in the country). Josie Natori, Monique Lhuillier and Rafe Totengco made waves in New York as well.

In the world of music, Freddie Aguilar captured the hearts of millions around the world with his song Anak in 1978, spawning 54 covers in 14 languages. Then came Lea Salonga and Monique Wilson, opening the floodgates for Filipino talent to take the world stage. And followed did Lani Misalucha, Charisse, apl.de.ap, Arnel Pineda, etc. Not to mention the countless Filipinos who win talent competitions around the world almost on a monthly basis.

In sports, Manny Pacquaio pretty much dominated the world of boxing for the past decade, while in the culinary arts chef Cristeta Comerford became the first Filipina/ Asian to be executive chef at the White House for three American presidents; also, early this year, chef Margarita Forés was named Asia’s best female chef. Closer to my hearth, I won the People’s Choice Award in the Embassy Chef Challenge in Washington, DC, last May 25, besting 17 other chefs representing their respective countries.

Capt. Ronald Ravelo was the first Fil-Am to be named commanding officer of US Navy carrier USS Abraham

Lincoln; while a 23-year-old cross-fit trainer is set to be the first Filipino to fly into space aboard a suborbital Lynx space plane.

Homegrown fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. is gobbling foreign restaurant brands, the latest of which is the American burger chain Smashburger, while Filipino liquor company Emperador Inc. has acquired Spain’s largest and oldest brandy Fundador Pedro Domecq, as well as the world’s fifth largest Scotch whiskey company, Whyte and Mackay Ltd. And so has NutriAsia Pacific Ltd (Datu Puti, UFC, Mang Tomas, etc.), buying the American Del Monte company.

Readers of Travel+Leisure magazine voted three of the top 10 vacation islands in the world as Palawan (No. 1), Boracay (No. 2) and Cebu (No. 6); while Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards voted Palawan as the world’s best island for the past two consecutive years.

There’s no stopping what the Filipino can do and what the Philippines can become. As they say, libre lang mangarap. 1. No more political bickering, just work together for a better Philippines. 2. PDAP be given to its rightful recipients: the Filipino people. 3. Debt-free Philippines. 4. We won’t need a visa to get anywhere. 5. Philippine peso as strong as Hong Kong or Singapore dollars. 6. No more need for Filipinos to go abroad to seek greener pastures. 7. Reverse brain drain – OFWs returning back home in 8. droves. A Filipino pope. 9. A Filipino-descended American president. 10. Traffic-less Metro Manila. 11. Bullet trains connecting Metro Manila to Ilocos in the north, and Bicol to the south. 12. Japan-like efficient mass transit system in Metro Manila. 13. A switch to electric cars only. Fossil fuel-powered vehicles become a thing of the past. 14. World-class international airports in Manila, Clark, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao. 15. Tele-transport à la Star Trek. (“Beam me up, Scotty!”) 16. Self-healing/self-regenerating laser treatment à 17. la Star Trek. Time travel. 18. No more street beggars. 19. No more homeless street children. 20. A roof to shelter every Filipino family. 21. Enough food for every Filipino family. 22. Enough classrooms for every Filipino child. 23. Private and public school teachers becoming among the highest paid professionals. 24. Michelin-rated restaurants serving Filipino cuisine, whether here or abroad. 25. Presence of family-style/fine dining Filipino restaurants in all major cities around the world. 26. The Philippines as the top culinary destination in Asia. 27. More respect for our historic towns and heritage structures. 28. Realize my dream of making a Pampango food

movie in the tradition of Like Water For Chocolate, Babette’s Feast, Eat Drink Man Woman, Scent of Green Papaya, etc. 29. A Filipino movie wins an Oscar for best film, director, actor and/or actress. 30. Our son Nico will have settled down, with plenty of kids, successful in his chosen career.