Season’s defining events

For the popular and the show biz, the defining event of the last Christmas season may have been the “royal wedding” of DongYan (Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera) at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City, on Dec. 30, with President Aquino as “witness of honor.”

P1 billion for education. The star-studded nuptial was officiated by 15 men of the cloth (led by Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco with a quotable homily by Bishop Ted Bacani), attended by 40 principal sponsors, 25 secondary sponsors, 18 groomsmen, 18 bridesmaids, eight bridal showers, two marriage proposals and 500 security personnel, and sidelighted by the “reconciliation” of Kris and Ai Ai.

Eight was obviously the couple’s favorite number as evidenced by their 8-second kiss, exact time of the wedding ceremony (2:38 p.m.) at the 800-seat Cubao Cathedral, and exact time of the reception (6:08 p.m.) at the 18,000-seat Mall of Asia Arena.

Lesser mortals had their own momentous season events, perhaps not as grand and as eye-popping but momentous nonetheless. As for me, my season events were topped by a quiet dinner for 16 held in honor of Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda, the 89-year-old honorary chair of Toyota Motors of Japan, hosted by Dr. George S.K. Ty, group chair of the Metrobank conglomerate.

What made the dinner ultra-significant was not the menu or the VIP attendees, but the P1-billion donation of Dr. Ty to the Toyota School of Technology (TST) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Toyota Philippines is the only Toyota affiliate in the world in which the giant Japanese auto maker holds a minority interest (35 percent) while the local partner (Metrobank group) owns 51 percent (Mitsui and Co. holds the remaining 14 percent). Elsewhere, Toyota Japan always owns and controls the majority.

Toyota has dominated the Philippine motoring industry consistently during all its 27 years of partnership with Metrobank. In no other country has the Japanese automotive giant topped the market continuously for such a long period.

Dr. Ty said that, in gratitude, he thought of establishing the TST in honor of Dr. Toyoda, a direct descendant of Toyota founder Sakichi Toyoda. I replied that, in so doing, he was really performing a great service to our people because science and technology are essential to propel our country to sustainable prosperity. Besides, though established in honor of the Toyota leader, the school will remain in the Philippines.

Carillon bells. The second major season event I attended was the formal inauguration of the 23 new carillon bells donated by Alberto and Sylvia Lina to the Manila Cathedral. Prior to its recent refitting and renovation, the cathedral received 14 carillon bells from the Linas in 2011. But after I (as president of the Manila Cathedral Foundation) requested him to add nine more bells, Bert volunteered to order a new set of 23 bells from the Netherlands.

Explained Bert: “If I ordered nine new bells, they may not be in tune with the 14 existing. So, I will give a complete set of 23 new ones. After all, to me, bells are the voice of God. When they ring, they call our faithful to worship in His church.” What to do with the “old” set of 14 bells? “Well,” Bert said, smiling, “I can donate them to another church, perhaps in a ‘Yolanda’-stricken diocese.”

Book launches. Significant, too, were three books launched during the season of grace:

(1) The “Autobiography” of GMA Network chair and CEO Felipe G. Gozon. Written in simple, easy-to-read English, the book was launched during the author’s 75th birthday. I met Henry, as friends fondly call him, more than three decades ago when we were both actively practicing law.

Fully convinced of his “proven competence, integrity, probity and independence,” I asked him several times in the late 1990s to consider joining us in the Supreme Court. But he humbly declined, saying he had a commitment to fulfill, which I later learned was the development of TV-radio as the prime embodiment of the freedom of expression to transform society.

In an earlier tribute quoted on pages 237-238 of the book, I said in part: “In the law profession, in the broadcast industry and in his other undertakings, he has been courageous in formulating, pursuing and achieving his objectives. He deftly uses innovation, people skills and technology to make sure GMA fulfills its mission. Cowed neither by threat of failure nor by the uncertainty of the future, he forges his dreams intrepidly, always confident of his labor and the blessing of the Almighty. It is difficult to define Henry in one word, but I think ‘Gutsy’ with a capital ‘G’ as in Gozon comes closest.”

(2) “Stirred, Not Shaken” by Eduardo H. Yap. Of the author, I wrote in part in the foreword: “Eddie Yap has 6Gs—gift of gab (both written and verbal), gift of giving (of himself and of his possessions to his favorite charities and civic causes) and gift of genius (manifested both in his persona and in his writings).”

(3) “Echoes of God’s Love” by Fr. Roberto B. Manansala, a collection of concise, life-touching and unforgettable homilies for one whole liturgical year (Cycle B).

I have run out of space for other notable events, like the lovely Christmas musicale at the home of Ave and Helen Cruz, the solemn affiliation of Titoy Pardo to the De La Salle Brotherhood, the 50th wedding anniversary of Louie and Triccie Sison, the 90th birthday of national artist F. Sionil Jose, etc.

But let’s not ever forget, the birth of our Lord

Jesus Christ is the real reason for the joyous season!

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