Memorable quotes from people we featured in 2024
One of the joys of the work that we do is getting to meet people, all kinds of people, asking them questions, and hearing what they have to say. Here are some of the many memorable things said by the people we’ve featured this year: “I love when people say our food is super consistent. I think that’s a feat. But I think what’s even more fulfilling is when people say that they love the service at all our restaurants. It’s like being able to have that warm embrace from me and from those of us who created this wonderful experience and sharing what comes from our home and from our hearts.” —Margarita Forés, chef and restaurateur
“Drag isn’t just about lacefront wigs, human hair, and being polished. All drag is valid … You can look however you want to look. There’s no limit.” —Marlyn, drag queen, makeup artist,
“Drag Den” Season 2 contestant “You know me as Juana Change, I’m always onstage, criticizing the government. I always thought my love language for this country is my performance. But when you’re talking to politicians, to people in the government, feeling ko sumusuntok ako sa hangin pero wala akong nasasapol (I feel like I’m punching air). When I do feedings, ‘pag suntok mo, may mga sikmurang nabubusog, may mga mukhang ngumingiti. I’ve been speaking truth to power but now I’d rather speak love to the hungry.” —Mae Paner, activist, actress, founder of Kawa Pilipinas
“If you leave the theater a little bit different than when you entered, the job is done. We don’t want to only give you pleasure. We want to touch the very sensitive strings inside you.” —Claude-Michel Schönberg, French producer and musical theater composer
“I don’t like this whole idea of a chef being a diva … If you really are a mature person, you don’t throw a tantrum. You don’t get your perfect world, tough. You move on … You need to strike the balance of protecting yourself and protecting people around you. And it took me a while to actually learn that because you know, as a woman, as a Filipina, you’re always told to accommodate.” —Miko Calo, chef “Life is short, buy the damn bag!” —Carey Arroyo, entrepreneur
“When you want to write, you’re bursting with stories and with characters wanting to be set free, wanting to be heard … you carry that with you. It’s a big responsibility and it’s a big hassle too because that feeling is always there. The best thing to do is let them out.” —Ricky Lee, author, scriptwriter, National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts
“It’s good for people to see on TV the kind of love that developed within a family, within a home. We are the product of love, we are the product of the love of our parents, of our family. If you accept your children who are also part of our community, you can have a good connection [as well] … Hindi kami salot. Hindi kami masamang tao. Productive kami, talented kami, at kaya naming tulungan ang pamilya namin sa abot ng aming makakaya (We are not bad people. We are productive, we are talented and we can help our families to the best of our ability).” —Maxie, singer, actor, winner of “Drag Race Philippines” Season 3
“As an aspiring cook myself, I realized early on that if you have no talent for cooking, you must use the best ingredients.” —Jun Sy, founder and president of Tao Corp.
“Pinoy pride, I will always bring that with TEQ63—that’s why it’s TEQ63, 63 is our country code. For one of the biggest Filipino icons to invite us to collaborate is a very big honor. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I’d be working with big brands such as Jollibee. Very surreal. It’s definitely a milestone. Makikita ko ‘to when I die, magfa-flash ‘to.” —Quiccs Maiquez, artist, toy designer
“I found that there is a lot of beauty in Manila as long as your eyes are looking for beauty.” —Marius Black, artist
“We need more of me, we need more men supporting women in leadership, we need more women leaders, and I joke, but it’s not a joke. I’m the first Second Gentleman, but I better not be the last.” —Douglas Emhoff, US second gentleman
“The real measure of professional success is one’s handling of the hard and soft skills. And many people worldwide have even skipped or have not finished school and became successful. The real world is where the real grades are handed out.” —Jeremaiah Opiniano, professor
“It’s also great to see new faces, young faces in the audience who probably weren’t even born here in our heyday … That just means that the music still translates to the younger generation, which is awesome because you know how they’re so hard to please now.” —Ely Buendia, musician
“If you’re a star in the making, own it. There’s really no point trying to fake things, so just be yourself so you will shine better.” —Eva Le Queen, drag queen, “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1 Top 4,
“RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars” contestant, CEO of The Playhouse “You take care of them. You feed them, you pay them well, you respect them. Then they’ll take care of you even when you’re not around. The secret to maintaining your staff is respect. Take care of them, because your people are your strengths.” —Socorro “Mrs. B” Rojas-Baylon, Baguio-based hotelier
“Filipino food is absolutely delicious and a cuisine I have tasted all around the world. I love the melting pot of influences and flavors that you find in Filipino food not just from Southeast Asia but also the diversity that comes in from the Spanish food cultures too. A sinigang soup is incredibly flavorsome, that perfect balance of savory, salty, and sour with local fish or seafood, delicious!” —Gordon Ramsay, chef, TV personality
“Let your children choose the kinds of books they want to read for themselves. Huwag ‘yung, ‘Ay huwag ‘yan, hindi ‘yan maganda’ ‘pag ang bata may gusto na at binubuklat (Don’t say, ‘Not that, that’s not good’ when they find a book they like). Let them be enticed by books and then later on, once they’ve whet their appetite for books, then you can go, ‘Here are the classics, you might want to try this.’”—Luis Gatmaitan, doctor and award-winning author
“A lot of good ideas don’t flourish simply because there are no resources to use. In many countries, artists can actualize their works because of the availability of grants. In the Philippines—and I’m sure many others in the global south—we have to have multiple jobs to survive and realize any other dreams. That is, if pursuing personal projects are even possible.” —Lyra Garcellano, artist
“You don’t say no to a blessing. It just shows up and you embrace it.” —Jo Ann Bitagcol, model, photographer, designer, entrepreneur “All that’s left of us is our art—the okir, which is the art of royals passed down to us by sultans—that’s why we cannot let it disappear.” —Lantong Pangcoga, LN collectible Producer Cooperative president
“One of the biggest risks we have for craft all over the world is that young people aren’t always interested in learning these crafts. And one of the most important things that any country needs to do as it pertains to craft is to make sure that it’s being preserved because once the craft is lost, it’s very hard to get it back.” —Imran Amed, The Business of Fashion CEO and editor in chief
“I’ve been doing this for more than 10 years, but I am constantly in awe of the creativity in our people … Every time we visit the community, I become speechless.” —Marimel Francisco, Artefino cofounder “Every day presents opportunity to honor the courage, resilience and diversity at the LGBTQI+ communities here in the Philippines and everywhere else around the world.” —MaryKay Carlson, US ambassador to the Philippines
“Every day presents opportunity to honor the courage, resilience and diversity at the LGBTQI+ communities here in the Philippines and everywhere else around the world.” —MaryKay Carlson, US ambassador to the Philippines
“If we don’t experiment, we won’t learn.” —Aris Go, architect
“On my first day at the office, I was surprised with the beautiful atmosphere. The staff were friends. And I realized, this is the way you are. You have bayanihan. That’s why you are happy because you know you’re never alone. If something happens, you know that someone will be there for you—friends, relatives, colleagues. In Europe we can be very alone. I guess this is something that you take for granted, but it’s good that you’re never alone … I tell my Filipino friends, ‘You won me over because you taught me how to be kind.’” —Marco Clemente, then Italy ambassador to the Philippines
“We talk to them, listen to their complaints, sometimes they’re like children … No day is the same, it’s never boring. But I feel so happy to be with the lolas.” —Sr. Sandra Da Silva, Mother Superior of Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly
“My [fitness journey was inspired by my] desire to live longer than my late father, who succumbed to alcoholism. I want to live longer to see my children—my tres marias—live their successful, happy lives. I want to travel around the world with my wife without any ailments. And I want to set an example to my peers that fitness can be achieved at any age with proper discipline and commitment.” —Dr. Michael Martin Malabanan, radiation oncologist and bodybuilding champ
“Luxury in the Philippines only hit its elevation point when the LVMH Group came to the Philippines direct. Prior, luxury was on a very small scale … The spending power today versus in 2015 is very different … Now we have a different level of luxury in the country, to the point where luxury retail has expanded all the way to Cebu.” —Karan Gopwani, CEO of Gastronova (Laduree Phils.)
“We’re an integrated resort with a five-star and a six-star hotel plus a casino, so people who come here have purchasing power. We had to have a mall that caters to that.” —May Adolfo, head, The Mall at Nustar in Cebu City
“The role of an artist is to do anything it is asked for by its society or its community … You heard the call, and you looked around and there’s no one else. So, okay, it has to be you. And you have to sacrifice everything.” —Kawayan de Guia, artist “If you only look at the past, it’s better to just open a museum. And so my work with the team is to find this right balance between the archives and modernity. You have to renew yourself.” —Augustin de Buffévent, owner and creative director of Fauré Le Page
“It’s bigger than the Oasis Class ships, but it was really focused on how we could bring more experiences to life. And so it’s not like we’re trying to hide the size—it’s obvious, the size of it. The focus is just on more public space per person.” —Jason T. Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, on Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world
“We get so much love here whenever we come [to the Philippines]. The best screaming. I feel that the fans are very energetic every time we come. We always want to come back here.”—Jake of Enhypen
“Our song ‘Shout Out’ reminds me of the Philippines.”—Jungwon of Enhypen
“Nothing makes my heart flutter anymore.”—Ji Chang-wook, Korean actor, deadpans when asked what makes his heart race besides exercising
“My father’s English wasn’t very good. He wasn’t well educated whereas my mother was very articulate. So the only way my father and I could connect was through his broken English and his food. I am Filipino through food.”—Nicole Ponseca, chef of the defunct Jeepney and Maharlika in New York
“It is important to have a strong resolve and a solid goal. I think with these you will be able to focus and achieve what you want.”—Sana of Twice
“Eat delicious food and focus on making good memories with the people around you.”—Jihyo of Twice, on how to get over heartbreak
“I would tell myself to rest a little bit. It was too gigil, always in the studio, writing. But there’s time for everything. Now I tell the young artists I manage to take a break. I tell them to stop thinking about music for a while, and go on a vacation. That’s healthier in the long run, because it’s a marathon.”—Rico Blanco, singer-songwriter, on what he wants to tell his younger self
“Every time I achieve something, I always remind myself that I didn’t do it myself. There were people who helped me and. I have no right to brag about something that happened because of everyone’s efforts.” —Stell Ajero of SB19 on what keeps him grounded
“We’re transparent and open with our fans. We call each other out. If we see that they do something wrong, we tell them. In turn, if the Blooms see that we’re doing something wrong, they correct us. There’s a connection. We see them not only as supporters or fans, but as friends and family.”—Maloi Ricalde of Bini, on the group’s relationship with its fans
“In the past, there was a hint of longing during the Valentine season, especially when surrounded by couples attending my shows. But with Christ in my life, I have come to feel complete in a way that I hadn’t before. My happiness is no longer dependent on people or situations—there’s a profound sense of peace and contentment within me.” —Kuh Ledesma, OPM icon, on why she no longer yearns for a romantic partner
“Sometimes, it’s really scary to be seen for who you really are, so everyone has a front they put up. But I feel like, to create some of your best music, you need to learn to put that down. Because it’s real. People resonate with something real. So when you hear a song like that, you don’t even think about the person who wrote it — you think about yourself.” —James Reid, singer-actor, on baring his vulnerable side through music
“Everyone has different stories of why and how they broke up, so it’s kind of hard to give advice on how to find each other again and not have all those negative feelings in the heart. At the end of the day, I feel like with Joshua (Garcia) and me, it was a choice. You heal from something, you take accountability for where you went wrong—probably the part where you hurt the other person—then how to heal and forgive yourself, also. I feel like we’re so lucky because we have the same mindset. I’m just happy that we can still be together in one room and work with each other.”—Julia Barretto, actress
“We are guessing that people went to the cinemas for the JoshLia film because it’s a good story. We’ve also discovered (from an FDCP-sponsored survey) that the biggest promo is word of mouth. You start weak in the box-office, but when word of mouth starts working, people will flock to the cinemas to see you. It’s just sad that the number of viewers has decreased greatly.”—Jose Javier Reyes, TV and film director, Film Development Council of the Philippines chairperson
“Communicating in English all the time was also hard. Ang sakit sa ulo! My Tagalog words would come out sometimes. For example, I would say, ‘I was able to watch the movie last night. It’s a really good one, ‘di ba?’ Everyone would be confused and I’d have to explain what it means.”—Dolly de Leon, Golden Globe nominated actress, on working in Munich, Germany, for six months
“I would like to believe that Aga (Muhlach) and I raised Atasha and Andres very independently. Even when they were young, we already respected their decisions. They did their end of the deal: finish school. We told them that when they reach a certain age, whatever they decide to do with their lives, we would support them. As parents, I guess the best thing we can do for them is to let them fly. We’re happy to see them grow day by day, as each experience comes.”—Charlene Gonzalez-Muhlach, actresson her children choosing to join show business
“When we parted ways, there were various stories coming out. Some parties were purposely becoming noisy. This was also the time when my family started getting messages that were below the belt… Things had already gotten way out of hand during the two weeks since we broke up, so I had to give Kim (Chiu) a call… to say we should release a statement that we’ve already gone our separate ways, that we separated on good terms. Of course, there were tears, pero walang masamang tinapay… I was just glad that we both got to release statements. I guess some people, whoever they are, want us fighting. We haven’t spoken after I begged for the statement, but we are on good terms. From the time we separated, we were okay.”—Xian Lim, actor
“You somehow have to laugh at all of it, even when the worst things are happening. I mean, this election in America, I had to take a minute to just go, this is it. This is what we get. There’s lots of stupid people in the world, but it is what it is. You have to laugh. It’s unfortunate. It’s not what I was expecting. But somehow you have to find the fun in it, you know? And I do that with everything, from something happening in my day to a death in the family. You’ve got to find the good in it. You’ve got to laugh. You have to find the humor in everything.”—Bianca Del Rio, drag queen, actor, comedian, costume designer, winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 6
“I don’t subscribe to the thinking that I am too old, or will be too old, to be mobile and athletic. I want to be able to do a back flip when I’m 60 and do handstands ‘til the day I die. But also I think taking care of myself allows me to be a role model to my children, at the same time allowing me to take care of them. And when I’m old, hopefully they won’t have to worry about me.”—Jade Schilbach, copywriter
“Timeless does not mean that we are not changing, because we are changing all the time, we are renewing all the time. We are introducing new ideas all the time… But there are also some things that did not change and maybe should not change. One of these things is quality.”—Jean Cassegrain, Longchamp CEO
“People protect the things they love, and loving something begins with getting to know them.”—Celine Murillo, nature photographer and multimedia storyteller
“If we empower more women, we empower more families, and we have a better country.”—Joanna Duarte, Ayala Foundation senior director for social development
“Art is a visual expression of our innermost thoughts and feelings. It is a mirror to how we view the world. It is about time that we see the world from a woman’s lens—from her heart, through her hands, cast on canvas.”—Joanne Zapanta Andrada, Zonta Club of Makati and Environs president
“Now that we’ve created more reasons for Filipinos to appreciate komiks, we hope that more Filipinos will read komiks. And more creators will go back to creating komiks, or keep creating komiks, or new creators to start creating komiks.”—Paolo Herras, Komiket co-founder, publisher, film director
“I poured my energy into the things that would help me. Of course, mental health. It’s super important. It’s as important as physical health. Kung paano mo alagaan yung katawan mo, dapat ganun mo din alagaan ‘yung emotions, ‘yung feelings, ‘yung pag-iisip mo. (How you take care of your body is how you should also take care of your emotions, feelings, your mind.)”—Carlos Yulo, gymnast, Olympic champion
“I did not realize I would become a professional beggar, but a beggar with style and substance because I believe I was doing it with honesty, with confidence… transparency and for pursuit of excellence.”—Cynthia Carrion, president of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines
“Piña is ours, tayo lang nakakagawa… There’s pride when you wear piña. I hope our generation appreciates our craft, our heritage more. I hope they use it in their daily lives.”—Carlo Reporen Eliserio, weaver and weaving advocate
“I love Jollibee because I always watch mukbang online and they’ve always got Jollibee, Jollibee, Jollibee… and I was so excited to come here and try it.”—Hannah Victoria, British actor, singer, dancer, “Six” cast member
“I feel like I’m at home… I cried when I had breakfast at the buffet that morning because it’s all of the same stuff that my Dad cooked. It just made me so emotional. I got to have longganisa and crispy dried fish and mango juice. I just really am home… meeting everyone at Stage Door and having them treat me like family, like I rarely get to see my family anymore. And so this filled up my cup. It made me feel like I was going home for Christmas or something like it felt like that.”—Yna Tresvalles, Filipino-American actor, singer, dancer, “Six” cast member
“Our Filipino crew are super committed to delivering an amazing guest experience and they’re just great employees to work with and be around. It’s wonderful to have them on our teams.”—Linken D’Souza, SVP of food and beverage global operations for Royal Caribbean
