Dear Loved Ones,

            Pleasant Greetings from Manila, Philippines! After a smooth flight from SFO airport, Rose Davies (a neighbor in Rancho and former NPC colleague) and I arrived safely at NAIA airport on Jan. 31 to begin my 2 ½ months stay in Pinas, be with my hubby and friends. Much Thanks GOD!

The month was a flurry of activities, meeting up with friends, business updates in our Fairview Shipping office, attending social events, watching free movies, and many more. I devised a schedule combining business, social, and time for relaxation. Mondays and Tuesdays are for my movies a and time in Quezon City; Wednesdays are free car coding day, Thursdays / Fridays are days in the office, while Saturdays / Sundays are days with my husband.

Significant highlights for the month:

·      Fetched at the airport by Gerry and company in the new Fortuner SUV silver automatic  which was his Valentine’s gift for me to enjoy driving while here; had breakfast at Burger King, then settled in our 9J El Jardin del Presidente condo;

·      Visited Citibank Greenhills to meet with Jenzy and Raisse, to review my investments and consider new products to optimize protection; BTW, made a decisive move to terminate my BPI-Philam Plan which was not serving my interest, even if I lost a substantial amount after 3 years. This was a good discernment  on my part based on the signs that God provided me toward the decision; getting only 20% of the original value (well, you win / lose sometimes), and it is all worth it!;

·      Breakfast meeting with Ms. Doray at Sulo Hotel, my external auditor for 20 years, who offered a Valentine treat of 2-days/nights stay (Feb. 15, 16) at the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino. It turned out to be a luxurious accommodation – a corner 926 suite with living room set, bar/kitchen sat, bathtub/shower, 2 TV sets, and buffet dinner – so expensive. Doray  and I actually started our respective business at the same time: in 1997, my shipping business so I was looking for an accountant to help me put up a system; then my grad school classmate’s husband recommended Doray who was his co-teacher at BSBA. With God’s Blessings, we have both flourished in our businesses!

·      Lunch meetings with friends Ms. Cora Ignacio at Trinoma, then with Dr. Arlene Bongosia at The Livestock in Sgt. Esguerra; likewise with Agnes Robles and her nephew Luis at Mesa, at Robinson’s Magnolia; with couple Cecille Caballero and husband Redgie at Café Adriatico – SM North EDSA, followed by movie LOGAN; dinner at Alex III with Chito and Tess Santiago, Japanese dinner with Fr. Bobot Clemen and Gerry at Century Park Hotel; More lunches and dinner are being scheduled;

·      Attended the memorable wedding of Joshua and Aileen Carbonell at the Manila Hotel where Gerry was one of 15 set of principal sponsors. The ceremonies and reception lasted more than 8 hours. Joshua is a 2^nd Engineer in one of our vessels;

·      Renewal of my documents: Driver’s licenses for Gerry, our driver Ely and for myself; Phil passport at SM Manila in less than 4 hours; my Sr. Citizen Movie card at the Q.C. Hall for my free movies;

·      Movies watched for free on Mondays / Tuesdays are: Kung Sakaling Hindi Makarating; Space Between Us; John Wick, Chapter 2, starring Keannu Reeves; Kung Fu Yoga, starring Jackie Chan; The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon; My Ex and Whys, starring Liza S. and Enrique Gil; I’m Drunk, I Love You, starring Maja Salvador and Paolo Avelino; Railroad Tigers, starring Jackie Chan; LOGAN, starring Hugh Jackman;

·      Met up with my lawyer in Bohol, Atty. Benjie Arcamo, who was attending a Convention in Manila, at the Nobu Hotel. I engaged the service of Atty. Benjie who is the No. 1 Bohol Board Member, to handle my real properties in Bohol; while Nobu is one of three hotels comprising the City of Dreams complex, composed of Crown, Hyatt, and Nobu Hotels;

·      I attended the annual Alumni Homecoming 2017 of the College of Engineering at UST where I met up with Fr. Boy Loanzon, Prof, now Msgr. Daniel Santamaria, Prof. Belarmino Viray, Carl Aquino, among others. BTW, the UST Graduate School asked for my Resume and they informed that I am one of the awardees for 2017 Outstanding Alumni. Ceremonies will be held on March 11, so more news on this later.

·      My Pinas  journey continues, and more updates later . . . . .

Much love and Best Regards!!!

SUSAN BG