So this birthday party was pretty special since it also was the Mannings’ farewell to their many, many friends in the Philippines. Warner and Julie were so well liked and I think they liked us as well so much so that everybody was feeling a bit teary-eyed… not just the people who have worked with Warner in HSBC like Laine Santana (now with HSBC Hong Kong) and Tessa Cuenca but friends like… British Amb. & Mrs. Peter Beckingham, Canadian Amb. Peter & Jill Sutherland with their daughter Jaime, Amb. & Mrs. Roberto Romulo, Amb. & Jesus & Marge Tambunting, Canadian Amb. Anthony John Hely, Bangko Sentral Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr., Senator Pia Cayetano, Cong. Allan Cayetano… ditto, Cesar & Joy Virata, Tessie Sy Coson and Hans & Caroline Sy of SM Prime Holdings, Jose Cuisia of Philam Life, Ramon Sy of Metrobank, Willie Ocier of Tagaytay Highlands, Willie Soong of Jaguar Philippines, Aurelio Montinola of BPI, SEC Comm. Fe Barin, Elena & Peter Coyiuto, Evelyn & John Forbes of American Chamber of Commerce, William Go of ChinaTrust, Rico Tantoco of Rustan’s, Anton Huang of Store Specialists Inc., Raul & Menchu Concepcion of RFM Corp., Aloysius Colayco of Jardin Davies, among other namedroppables.

We also saw… Paeng & Mely Hechanova, Raul Concepcion, Jeannie & Sydney Goulbourn, Grace Glory Go, Alex & Marixi Prieto, Robbie & Helen Delgado, lawyer Katrina Legarda, Menchu Katigbak, Theo & Beth Arnold, Dr. Randy & Irene Francisco, Johnny Litton, Gina Lopez of ABS CBN Foundation, Rupert & Tina Jacinto, et al.

The new HSBC CEO Mark Watkinson and his wife Sarah got their first taste of Filipino hospitality. They had just arrived from New York where Watkinson was last posted.

The party was held at the Mannings’ South Forbes residence where a huge white tent was pitched up in the garden. There was a stage because the HSBC staff planned a surprise show for their exboss. They invited Lea Salonga to sing two of Warner’s favorite songs — "Home" and "White Christmas." Lea and her musician brother Gerard Salonga had to hide in one of the bedrooms before showtime.

The Hail Mary Children’s Choir seremaded us beautifully with Christmas carols while we were having dinner and what a holiday feast that was, catered by Margarita Fores. We started with a cheese bar of Philippine carabao mozzarella and mozzarellini Laguna cheese, then… yummy grilled blue marlin and Capiz scallops, tagliata fo roast beef tenderloin with bistek tagalog reduction, salabat ginger cream drizzle and fresh pappadelle with salted red eggs, asparagus spears, onion cream and white truffle oil. Wine and cocktails flowed all evening.

Bart Guingona who got some ribbing for his SkyCable commercials was the emcee, a funnyman he turned out to be.

Then Ramon RJ Jacinto and his band took to the stage. He was just supposed to play his usual brand of rock ‘n’ roll and the guests were supposed to listen. Well, soon enough, the tables were being set aside and on the itty bitty cemented space round the swimming pool, we were dancing the night away.

It is difficult to listen to RJ playing and not dance. Impossible! So we boogie’d, twisted, swung a bit and disco danced till we were all sweaty and panting… it was fun, fun, fun!

*****

BY THE WAY… Birthday greetings this second week of the year go to….exBulletin business editor Rudy Romero, today, Jan. 9; Wyden King of Legend Villas, Irene Salud, Jan. 10; hotelier Anos Fonacier, Butch Dans, my sis-in-law Cynthia Soliven (in New Jersey), Jan. 11; Greggy Araneta, actor Piolo Pascual, Edgar Pajaro, my STC classmate Val Pineda Barcelona, Jan. 12; Peachy Sacasas Alimurong, Elsa Payumo, Mod editor Chay Santiago, Roni Tapia Merck, my STC classmate Leticia Macam Yandoc, Jan. 13; my musician/composer buddy Dingdong Eduque, Cebu businessman Jun Kintanar, hotelier Archie King, cong. spouse Jennie Sandoval, my STC classmate Consuelo Concepcion Rialp, Jan. 14; Nena Casimiro, Jan. 15… my condolences to Princess Monjierra Disini on the death of her mom, and to the family of Sebastian Palanca who passed away just before the New Year… my "kuya" Maximo V. Soliven shall be interred on Wednesday, January 10, in the Libingan ng Mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio after 9:30 am Mass in the St. Ignatius church in Camp Aguinaldo. January 10 is the death anniversary of my father, the honorable Assemblyman Benito T. Soliven, a true bayani who fought in the Battle of Bataan. I miss my manong Max so much. He was my icon, my mentor, my protector and above all, the best brother… appreciate your life, no matter what the circumstances, and be thankful always. SMILE!