OF TREES AND FOREST (Second of two parts) One of my staff asked me recently: “Sir, what was your Christmas like when you were growing up 25 in Tondo?” I do not know why but my memory immediately took me back to Mary Johnston. Mary Johnston Hospital (MJH), run by the United Methodist Church, is...
OF TREES AND FOREST (First of two parts) You hear a lot of people say that Christmas is only for children. Christmas is indeed for children. First, the season is about the birth of child Jesus, our Lord. Second, it is simply wonderful to see the pure and unadulterated happiness in the eyes of...
OF TREES AND FOREST The American industrialist Henry Ford once said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” We cannot stop learning once we step out of the university or once we reach a certain age. And it is not just about learning...
OF TREES AND FOREST Filipinos are world famous for the longest celebration of the Christmas season. We usher in the holidays beginning with the so-called “Ber” months. And so on Sept. 1 when the clock strikes 12:01, Filipinos, who are also world famous for their fun-loving character as...
Villar Group chairman Manny Villar, his daughter Camille Villar, Vista Land managing director, and grandchildren Tristan and Cara, led the ceremonial lighting of the towering Christmas tree, marking the start of Evia Lifestyle Center's holiday season. Christmas has always had a special magic,...
OF TREES AND FOREST Donald Trump won the US presidential elections by defeating his Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris. By all accounts, it was a stunning victory not only because it was an impressive comeback from his electoral defeat in 2020 but also because his triumph...
OF TREES AND FOREST Eighty-nine years ago, on Nov. 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was inaugurated. This political arrangement, provided for under the Philippine Independence Act of 1934, otherwise known as the Tydings-McDuffie Act, is a 10-year transitional government in...
The Villar family paid tribute to the invaluable contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the country's economy at the recent 13th OFW and Family Summit. Senator Cynthia Villar and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar hand over the symbolic key to Mylene Chua of Marikina City, an OFW...
OF TREES AND FORESTS In this column, I often write about the challenges faced by new entrepreneurs. I have advised young business owners to be prepared to make sacrifices, to deal with obstacles, and be prepared to fail. It is certainly not my intention to discourage anyone from taking that leap of...
OF TREES AND FOREST Faith is something that is deeply personal but also communal. The religion and spirituality that we embrace is our personal relationship with God. What we believe in is rooted in our experience as a person. We are first exposed to it through our family, specifically our parents....
Set in the heart of the sprawling 3,500-hectare Villar City, Brittany Hotel Villar City is the crown jewel of the Brittany Hotel group, offering a unique combination of warmth, luxury, and unexpected detail. Opened in March 2024, the hotel welcomes guests not just as visitors but as friends,...
OF TREES AND FOREST The National Capital Region (NCR) was established on June 2, 1978 by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos through Presidential Decree No. 1396, which also created the Department of Human Settlements. This presidential edict amended PD 824 of November 1975, which...
