People-catching
Published Feb 9, 2023 12:02 am
MEDIUM RARE
Jullie Y. Daza
It’s been four years, counted Boss ECY when he welcomed guests to MB’s 123rd anniversary cocktails. Four years since the pandemic disrupted our lifestyles, it was time to renew acquaintances and make new ones.
When First Lady Liza Marcos arrived sans fanfare, she was in pink – her favorite color? -- and maskless, so I pulled down my mask for a mutual getting-to-know-you-again after five years, give or take a few or several months. Next, Sen. Cynthia Villar laughed at the suggestion that when she’s mad we’re happy that whoever she’s scolding is squirming in their seats. “The law is simple and clear,” she said, one million pesos is the benchmark for smuggling. “Why nobody has been arrested is beyond me.”
Moments later, Sen. Francis Tolentino moved into view. He planted the vertical gardens now growing hale and hearty along EDSA and invited the butterflies to flit above the traffic islands on Quezon Ave. However, the “Mabuhay lanes” created during his term to ease traffic every Christmas season have become a permanent nuisance to those living in strictly residential areas in the metro, long after Christmas. That was not the intention, Senator Tol said, implying we should complain to MMDA. (Boss, please remember to invite the new MMDA chief to next year’s party.)
As can be observed, people-watching is more fun with people-catching.
On their way out, the early party poopers couldn’t miss my good night-and-thank-you’s, right where I sat at the swanky Manila Hotel lobby. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco looked cool in her signature terno; slim silhouette, flat butterfly sleeves. Followed by Senator Mark Villar, former DPWH chief whom we miss after his super-fast, spectacular Build-Build-Build results. When San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora headed for the door, it looked like he was doing it in one long stride.
The night was getting on. I waited for friends to come out of the cocktail party still going on, the music loud and strong, the crowd not thinning inside Fiesta Pavilion. Standing on their feet for two hours to watch people was not enough for Lolita Ching of Chinatown TV and balikbayan Tessie Taylor from Canada, because they made it obvious they were in no hurry to come out, come out, sit down already!
Jullie Y. Daza
It’s been four years, counted Boss ECY when he welcomed guests to MB’s 123rd anniversary cocktails. Four years since the pandemic disrupted our lifestyles, it was time to renew acquaintances and make new ones.
When First Lady Liza Marcos arrived sans fanfare, she was in pink – her favorite color? -- and maskless, so I pulled down my mask for a mutual getting-to-know-you-again after five years, give or take a few or several months. Next, Sen. Cynthia Villar laughed at the suggestion that when she’s mad we’re happy that whoever she’s scolding is squirming in their seats. “The law is simple and clear,” she said, one million pesos is the benchmark for smuggling. “Why nobody has been arrested is beyond me.”
Moments later, Sen. Francis Tolentino moved into view. He planted the vertical gardens now growing hale and hearty along EDSA and invited the butterflies to flit above the traffic islands on Quezon Ave. However, the “Mabuhay lanes” created during his term to ease traffic every Christmas season have become a permanent nuisance to those living in strictly residential areas in the metro, long after Christmas. That was not the intention, Senator Tol said, implying we should complain to MMDA. (Boss, please remember to invite the new MMDA chief to next year’s party.)
As can be observed, people-watching is more fun with people-catching.
On their way out, the early party poopers couldn’t miss my good night-and-thank-you’s, right where I sat at the swanky Manila Hotel lobby. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco looked cool in her signature terno; slim silhouette, flat butterfly sleeves. Followed by Senator Mark Villar, former DPWH chief whom we miss after his super-fast, spectacular Build-Build-Build results. When San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora headed for the door, it looked like he was doing it in one long stride.
The night was getting on. I waited for friends to come out of the cocktail party still going on, the music loud and strong, the crowd not thinning inside Fiesta Pavilion. Standing on their feet for two hours to watch people was not enough for Lolita Ching of Chinatown TV and balikbayan Tessie Taylor from Canada, because they made it obvious they were in no hurry to come out, come out, sit down already!