The Glory, Part 2
Some recent feats of accomplishment and achievement that deserve accolades: Congratulations to the Manila Overseas Press Club or MOPC on the launch of its first-ever MOPC Grand Awards for Tourism, and to all its awardees.
These awards honor the outstanding individuals, families and enterprises who have made a significant impact and investments in tourism and the hospitality industry, which have made the Philippines an exciting tourism destination worldwide.
The MOPC, founded in 1945, is Asia’s oldest and most prestigious press club. It has among its members owners of the largest media organizations, top businessmen and professionals and, of course, the most experienced, senior and influential journalists of the land.The grand awardees are those who have made significant investments in major tourism properties, facilities and infrastructure to ease mobility and make travel both a pleasurable and memorable experience.
The grand awardees include the Sys and the SM Group, the Gokongweis, the Ayalas, the Gotianuns, Ramon S. Ang, and Kevin Tan, who was awarded as the Developer of the Year.
The institutional Aristocrat chain of restaurants, as well as St. Luke’s Medical Center, were also awardees. The Crimson Resort & Spa Boracay is Resort of the Year, while Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar of Housing Secretary Jerry Acuzar received an award for heritage tourism.
The Hotel of the Year Award went to Fairmont and Raffles Makati, while the Hotel General Manager of the Year Award went to Nantha Kumar of the New World Makati Hotel.
Transportation Secretary Jimmy Bautista was the guest of honor and speaker, as well as recipient of the Special Tourism Grand Award Citation. In his speech, he delineated the element of tourism promotion in various infrastructure and transportation projects, in the roads, railways, aviation and maritime sectors. “Tourism support and other advocacies prompt us to carefully calibrate our transport projects,” Secretary Jimmy said. “We at the DOTr will steer those multisectoral initiatives towards a common goal: a better travel experience for all.”
Finance Secretary Ben Diokno and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda were also recipients of the Special Grand Awards — Secretary Ben for conceptualizing and financing both the Build, Build, Build (BBB) of the previous administration and the Build, Better, More (BBM) of the current administration; and Rep. Joey for designing the template for provincial development in the realm of tourism promotion.
Speaking of Secretary Ben Diokno, congratulations are again in order for him, BSP Governor Philip Medalla, and the Monetary Board for winning the Best New Currency Public Engagement Program under the 2023 Excellence in Currency Awards of the International Association of Currency Affairs or IACA. The award was given to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP for its 1000-Piso Polymer Banknote Public Engagement Program, which was first implemented in April 2022 when Secretary Ben was still the BSP Governor.
Congratulations, too, to the mighty Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team that emerged victorious, as it claimed the gold in the recent 32nd Southeast Asian or SEA Games in Cambodia and regained the honor of being the region’s top men’s basketball team after losing the title to Indonesia last year.
Gilas overcame host Cambodia’s team 80-69 in a nail-biting finals game, a rivalry that was not without controversy, coming after the Philippines’ first defeat to Cambodia.“There were those who doubted this team after that first defeat to Cambodia,” according to Gilas head coach Chot Reyes. “But, I can tell you in the dugout, what I told the players was that it was a defeat that was required. We needed that defeat to bring that fire.”
Hats off to the Gilas team and coaching staff, as well as to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas or SBP, led by its chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, chairman Senator Sonny Angara, president Al Panlilio, and director Sonny Barrios for a job well done and for the pride and honor given to the country.