MEDIUM RARE Jullie Y. Daza Oh, the people you meet at a tree lighting! Especially when tree rhymes with duty-free, as in Duty Free Philippines, where imported meets Philippine-made, global grade. Tourism Secretary Christina G. Frasco arrived at Duty Free’s Luxe boutique at the center of Mall of Asia’s sprawling estate and impressed the crowd with her welcome speech. Delivered simply and sincerely, it was music to DFP employees’ ears. She thanked them for their work and promised to support them in promoting Philippine tourism. DFP’s retail business is a profit center, contributing 50 percent of its net income to the Department of Tourism. Vico Angala, DFP chief operating officer, gladly shared news of recently arrived stocks to give Luxe a fragrant Christmasy air, just in time for the tree lighting. His sales staff confirmed that OFW’s now comprise a big chunk of their market, which to me means they, smartly enough, buy fragrances, cosmetics, wine, chocolates, fashion accessories, and all types of “pasalubong” at our duty-free shops rather than abroad, at the airports where they board for the return to ‘Pinas. Chinese tourists, POGO or not, continue to be faithful shoppers here. Though maybe not as loyal as Ma. Paz Alberto, president of Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association, who quipped, “I’m single, I have no spouse and no children, I enjoy shopping here, why not?” It must be that you get the same feeling browsing/buying at this shop as in any duty-free boutique anywhere in the world’s major airports. The nice thing about this shop is you also get to sample some of the best PH-made products, for my friend from Canada the best of which is Mango Rhum, bottled in glass and protected by a wrap-around tin. (This is for you, Aaron and Brandon Aw of Destileria Limtuaco.) To love your own, just look at Secretary Frasco, who can get away with anything on her slim figure but chooses to be dressed, Filipina style, by fellow-Cebuano Jun Escario. Minus the stiff ‘n stuffy frills, his creations are easily wearable, at least on Christina. His signature is recognizable in the subtle way he combines the weaves and patterns of our native weavers into the fabric. Fashion, it’s more fun in the Philippines!