To celebrate 50 golden years of Philippine Tourism this month, the Industry’s stakeholders took a fashionable break from the daily grind and staged a glittering affair for a noble purpose.
Renee Salud with his models Philippine Airline Vice President Ria Domingo, Okada Manila’s Cielo Reboredo, Megaworld’s Cleofe Albiso, Tourism Secretary Frasco, Deputy House Speaker Congressman Duke Frasco, Hotel 101 Group General Manager Gel Gomez, Chroma Hospitality’s Carmela Bocanegra, and PATA Philippines Chairperson Pat Alberto.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)—Philippines Chapter came up with an attractive way to mark the Tourism Industry’s golden year through a dinner event, “PATA Gala—A Fashion Show with a Heart” at the grand ballroom of the historic Manila Hotel. It gathered together the leading tourism personalities and put up a dazzling show that drew in an overflow crowd.
The main objective of the milestone event was to raise funds for the organization’s dozens of Tourism scholars currently enrolled in various universities in Metro Manila. Moreover, the boatmen of Pagsanjan Falls, who lost their livelihood during the pandemic, will also benefit from this golden anniversary celebration because part of the proceeds will fund PATA’s skills upgrading programs to accelerate the boatmen’s recovery from almost three years of zero earnings due to the pandemic.
Wear Your Culture’s Alvin Degamo (second from left) with his models Hotel 101’s Philip Olimpiada, Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo Nograles, and DOT Undersecretary. Shalimar Tamano.
The dinner fashion show highlighted the beautiful creations of young artists from the Fashion Institute of the Philippines and those of celebrity designers, Renee Salud and Philip Rodriguez. A total of twenty models, all leading personalities of our tourism Industry, showcased our country’s beautiful textile and weaves.
Parading down the ramp were Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Marga Nograles, Hotel 101 Global Group General Manager Geraldine Gomez, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts Managing Director Cleofe Albiso, Davao Tourism Association Vice President Nicole Ledesma, Conrad Manila Commercial Director Joanne Gomez, Bluewater Resorts Vice President Sales & Marketing Margie Munsayac, PATA Philippines Chapter Chair Pat Alberto, Philippine Airlines Vice President Marketing Ria Domingo, Chroma Hospitality Group Vice President Sales & Marketing Carmela Bocanegra, and Okada Manila Vice President Sales & Marketing Cielo Reboredo. Great performance, ladies!
PATA Philippines Chapter past and present Chairpersons, Bob Zozobrado and Pat Alberto, respectively.
The debonaire gentlemen who also did the ramp walk were Deputy House Speaker Congressman Duke Frasco, Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo Nograles, Philippine Airline Chief Operating Officer and President Capt. Stanley Ng, Philippine Airline Manager Brian Solis, Air Asia Financial Officer Ray Berja, Philippine Airlines Vice President Sales Bud Britanico, Hotel 101 Global Senior Sales Manager Philip Olimpiada, Air Asia Spokesperson Steve Dailisan, and Department of Tourism Undersecretary Shalimar Tamano.
This first-of-a-kind fashion celebration from our country’s tourism stakeholders is the Industry’s biggest social event this year, and was preceded by cocktails which featured wines from Le Cellier and craft beer from the popular Engkanto Brewery. A silent auction of expensive jewelry, de luxe tour packages and international airline tickets was also held during the cocktails. Of course, the customary raffle of valuable luxury hotel packages, airline tickets and lifestyle gadgets was conducted, much to the delight of the eager crowd.
Philip Rodriguez with his models Bluewater Resorts Vice President Margie Munsayac, Philippine Airlines Chief Operating Officer & President Stanley Ng, Tourism Philippine Board and Chief Operating Officer Marga Nograles and Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo Nograles.
Secretary Frasco later shared the good news with the jam-packed crowd of stakeholders that the Industry is bouncing back faster than expected and that our country is well on its way to experiencing once again the pre-pandemic volume of visitors that has made our Tourism Industry a major revenue source.Very good news indeed!
PATA is currently the biggest travel organization in the world, with a membership of close to 10,000 coming from 55 chapters in different countries. It traces its history back to 151 when it was first established in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Philippines Chapter, with approximately 100 carefully selected members, has existed since 1973 and lays claim to being the only tourism organization in the country that has tourism schools as members, in line with its advocacy of developing the culture of tourism among our youth.
*Membership to and additional information from PATA Philippines Chapter may be obtained through the Secretariat 0956-3409010.