That’s more like it for me when I flew to Tokyo last week together with my boss here, Tet Andolong, and fellow BusinessMirror man Ronald de los Reyes.
There were others in the entourage too many to mention here. I am almost 101-percent sure everybody was very thankful to our host Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., through MMPC hotshots Buboy Alvarez, Froi Dytianquin, Arlan Reyes, Dan Jalbuna and Rosemary D. Cruz. They all did a wonderful job making our stay in the Land of the Rising Sun such a lasting experience. Mitsubishi president and CEO Hikosaburo Shibata must be proud of you, guys. Oh, yes, Junya Masuda, Mitsubishi executive vice president for Marketing, made the journey doubly memorable as he was game all the way, drinking beer, plum wine and sake with us in one fun-filled dinner. Thank you very much, sir.
This could be my last overseas fling this year. If it stands that way till the last day of 2014, the Tokyo trip, sure, was a fitting “yearcap.” The last shot, the last drop of vintage wine, if not single malt (Yamazaki, Hibiki or Macallan?) is the sweetest. Always.
I say my making it to Tokyo again (been there countless times beginning 1978 yet that the Japanese embassy finally gave me a multiple visa last year, a la my US visa) was pure luck fellers, because originally, the Japan schedule had conflicted with the 65th San Miguel Fil-Am Golf Championship in Baguio.
As you know, the Fil-Am Golf has become sort of a part of my life already, having continuously covered it and at the same time acted as Rules Man for the tournament the last 10 years together with Jake P. Ayson and the late Taby “Insan” Tabaniag. Love of the game. Love of the game’s rules, no matter how crazy some of the rules may be.
This year’s Seniors side of the Fil-Am was set from November 21 to 27 at the Baguio’s Camp John Hay and Baguio Country. The Mitsubishi trip was originally set from November 26 to 29.
I could have skipped the Seniors event and next gone refereeing the Fil-Am’s Men’s Regular December 1 to 6. But when Mitsubishi moved the Tokyo trip from December 27 to 30, it gave me a window.
Rico Agcaoili and Anthony de Leon, the one-two punch at Baguio Country Club who are traditionally the top guns of the Fil-Am Golf, must have been doubly happy as I would be around, too, for the Seniors—at least in the tournament’s first five days. I did.
When you live clean, you are, likewise, lucky, I guess—even if it happens only once in a while? Good enough. Each blessing must be appreciated to the hilt.
So, to finalize plans in paving the way for my Tokyo trip, Innova diehard Jake and I decided to hire another Rules Man to take my place the last two days of the Seniors tiff. That guy was Jim Reyes, the great grandson of writer Severino “Lola Basyang” Reyes (my idol no less). And, yes, hat’s off to Jim (he did the entire Seniors schedule in the end), who rose to the occasion and for which Jake was profuse in praise for a job well done.
Thanks again, Jim.
And because the Tokyo binge went in clockwork precision—credit goes to Mitsubishi efficiency again, of course—I was back in time for the Fil-Am Men’s Regular that began on December 1 (our delegation arrived evening of November 30 and at 12 midnight of the same day, I drove up to Baguio well in time for the 6 a.m. tee off the next morning. Whew!) The Fil-Am golf will conclude on December 6. Sideswiped because of my Fil-Am Rules Man job here in Baguio were the Christmas parties of BMW (December 4) and Honda (December 5) but that’s all right. You can’t win them all. However, even as I wasn’t around, I am sure BMW’s Bobby Rosales, Maricar Parco, Glen Dasig and Karl Magsuci, as well as Honda’s May Ann Q. Alitagtag fully understood.
And what was the Tokyo trip all about?
Secret. The event in Tokyo is under wraps. Everybody in the delegation was given strict orders not to divulge it. N’yet. Notice from Arlan Reyes: “Don’t even try to think about it or anyone ignoring the news embargo might see himself being dispatched by the Russians for military action in Ukraine.”
And so, for even trying to give a hint on what the Tokyo bash was all about, Ira Panganiban got almost banished to Siberia.
World racing champion Hiroshi Masuoka (he was such a lovable fella in Sodegauro) would be of no help, either, if one were found ratting on the rest of the entourage. Thus, delight for now for you to know that once the deal gets unsealed in February 2015, Mitsubishi will unleash a beautiful shock rarely seen in the industry.
Meanwhile, may I share with you some jaw-dropping moves that Ray Butch “Elvis” Gamboa and STV’s Jen Bleza unwrapped during the trip? Each of them bought a gift of a lifetime only the rich and famous can afford. But for Vernon B. Sarne, Brian Afuang and Ira Panganiban? A steaming bowl of ramen—very purely Japanese—was their biggest highlight in the trip.
Me? All of the above.
Pee stop. Congrats to Tom Panis of KFK Baguio for winning a Wigo as a raffle prize in the 65th San Miguel Fil-Am Golf awarding of the Seniors event. Another Wigo is up for grabs in another raffle on Saturday at the awards of the Men’s Regular. Last year a Hawaiian took home a Vios as a hole-in-one prize from Toyota Motor Philippines through TMP Vice President Sherwin ChuaLim.
Cheers!…congrats also to Petron for having passed rigid tests for oil efficiency undertaken by such noted muscles like Porsche 997 and Arnel Doria’s Volkswagen T4. Cheers!..Happy birthday to Ate Lourdes Boluso!