Friendship never ends
“Two things you will never have to chase: true friends and true love.” – Mandy Hale
Woven with threads of trust, loyalty, and shared experiences, true friendship is a cornerstone of a fulfilling life. It is a source of strength, comfort, and joy, offering a loving haven amid life’s challenges. From the initial spark of connection to the hurdles of navigating differences and celebrating milestones together, the journey of each friendship is a treasure that requires consistent effort and understanding.
Birthday special
Keeping many different circle of friends, my social calendar is full of special birthday celebrations and parties to honor my longtime friends. Last month, one of our Red Charity Gala (RCG) supporters, Dette Tan celebrated her milestone at Sage Restaurant and Bar. Surrounded by family and close friends, Dette hosted this lovely dinner that included heartwarming speeches and some singing and dancing.
Last week, style guru PJ Pascual gathered his closest friends to celebrate his birthday at Manila House. It was a wonderful gathering of beautiful ladies who shared life stories and updates in all subjects including some blind items circulating!
The next day, a smaller group hosted the birthday of our generous RCG sponsor Alice Eduardo at Canton Road in Shangri-La at the Fort. Together with Agnes Huibonhoa, Anton San Diego, Bea Zobel, Carol Garcia, Karen Davila, and Sharm Hiranand, Alice’s sister Small Laude organized this intimate Chinese dinner where we all enjoyed catching up with each other. Alice shared her gratitude for all who spared time to celebrate with her. Our valued friendship through the years is much appreciated.
Fantasy takes flight
From the dinner, we all dropped by the newly opened The Iron Fairies Manila in BGC. It is wonderful to have new night spots opening in the city in spite of all the global tension happening. To dress in theme, I brought my fairy wings to complete my outfit. The newest hot spot features a live band from South Africa in between DJ music. The opening was organized by Javi Martinez and Tim Yap who invited the city’s party crew.
My other set of friends is a new group who owns Teviant makeup. I am a fan of all their products especially the concealer, liquid foundation, and lipstick. Last month, Teviant officially opened its first standalone store in Cebu at the ground level of Ayala Center Cebu, marking the brand’s first venture with Ayala Malls and a major milestone in its nationwide expansion.
Held in celebration of Women’s Month, the grand opening carried the theme “Bloom with Teviant”—an ode to growth, femininity, and new beginnings. Nearly 200 guests filled the venue, including top beauty creators, Cebu-based editors, VIP clients, and longtime supporters, with Teviant gifting fresh flowers to participants as a tribute to the women who continue to shape and inspire the brand’s community.
The launch was hailed a success, driven by exceptional attendance, a thoughtfully curated program, and strong opening-day sales that surpassed initial projections. “This is more than a store opening. It’s a statement of intent,” said Albert Kurniawan, founder and CEO of Teviant. In a heartfelt surprise, the founder’s family flew in to celebrate the milestone—parents straight from Indonesia, and siblings and family from Singapore—turning a corporate launch into a family celebration.
The Ayala Center Cebu location is Teviant’s first standalone store in the Visayas and signals the start of an aggressive retail expansion across key cities in 2026 and beyond. This event was like no other. The energy, the turnout, the stories shared—it showed us that Teviant is no longer just a brand. It’s part of people’s daily lives. And this is just the beginning.
Trade show
Aside from my media friends, I also have close friends who are in government service. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cris A. Roque has been my longtime friend from her Kamiseta Shop days. This hardworking, dynamic DTI Secretary has been so busy with so many projects that promote trade and industry in the country. Two months ago, we were together in Bangkok to promote Philippine fashion and crafts. The brilliant fashion of Rajo Laurel was showcased in a fashion show at Dusti Thani Hotel overlooking the beautiful Bangkok skyline.
The latest program of DTI was the 2026 DTI-Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair at Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall. At the launch, Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was present to open the fair that featured over 320 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from across the country engaged in food manufacturing, processing, and related enterprises.
As the country’s premier platform for Filipino food products, the NFF showcased a wide range of regional flavors and culinary innovations from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It continues to serve as a strategic venue for enterprise development and market expansion.
Among the highlights were food concepts developed by former Overseas Filipino Workers who have transitioned into entrepreneurship. These enterprises demonstrated the potential of business development to generate sustainable livelihood opportunities in the Philippines.
In line with the Bagong Pilipinas agenda, the National Food Fair underscored the resilience, innovation, and global competitiveness of Filipino MSMEs. Our country could really benefit from projects like this when local food production needs attention.
In my healing journey for the last five years, I have anchored myself to all the different circle of friends who have been the most compassionate and understanding through my emotional roller coaster. I am just so fortunate to be surrounded with positive energy and energetically happy friends who bring even more sunshine to my already sunny world!
