The event was the inauguration of the HSBC Premier Centre and its new logo as well. The latter now sports a rich indigo color, the better to identify the brand.

The HSBC Premier is a global personal banking service that offers customers the ultimate convenience of being able to bank as they always have wherever they may be around the world. With the HSBC Premier, they can take their bank accounts, credit history and banking relationships with them wherever they choose to live and work or travel and expect personalized and expert services.

Among these services is access to a 24–hour worldwide emergency service which provides credit card replacements and emergency cash. Ask anyone who has had such an emergency and they’ll express extreme gratitude for HSBC for that instant relief.

Mark Watkinson, the new Philippine HSBC CEO, and other HSBC executives were there to welcome the guests, including some very important clients, to the new facility in Fort Bonifacio

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MANAMIT, an ongoing food festival showcasing Ilonggo’s native dishes, is attracting homesick Ilonggos (and other Visayans, for that matter) to the Captain’s Bar of Mandarin Oriental Manila.

Guest chef Pauline Gorriceta Banusing who did the Ilonggo foodfest at the Mandarin also last year, is back in the kitchen to indulge her fellow ilonggos with their favorite foods. Chef Pauline says her well–guarded recipes come not only from back home but also from neighboring provinces like Panay, Capiz and Aklan.

She was thrilled by her exuberant welcome and the fact that the region’s culinary experts contributed recipes when they learned that the foodfest was part of the National Heritage Month organized by the Filipino Heritage Festival Inc.

Sponsors also were the Department of Tourism and Air Philippines.

On opening day, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group performed Ilonggo folkdances after the ribbon-cutting rites by… former Guimaras Gov. Emily Lopez, Cong. Cynthia Villar (an "honorary Ilongga" being married to Ilonggo Senator Manny Villar), singer/composer and businessman Jose Mari Chan with his wife Mary Ann, Ilonggo arts patron Marivic Vasquez, Air Philippines senior VP Patty Chiong, Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. president Mita Rufino and Mandarin Oriental GM Helmut Gaisberger.

Seen also enjoying the lavish buffet were Chef Pauline’s husband Gus Banusing, her mom Sandra Sarabia Gomez and brother Mark Gorriceta… Gen. Robert Lastimoso, Jerry Treñas, Chichi Salas of Filipino Heritage, Yaying Dragon with her lunch group — Mary Madrigal de Leon, Marrot Moreno, Susie Ortigas, Girlie Dayrit, Baby Araneta, Cristy Bernasconi, Carol Magsibay Garcia.. ditto, Stan and Romana Bough, Paulino and Herry Que, Karen and Luis Ganzon, Herny, Rose and Miguel Pelaez, plus a slew of media foodies.

No doubt, they enjoyed the grilled managat, kansi, pinhalhan na salmon belly, kadios, adobado na alumusan, chicken inuom, La Paz Batchoy, pancit molo, crabs from Kalibo, oysters from Roxas, atbp. And for dessert … baye–baye, Oton’s bibingka, dulce gatas, butterscoti, lubid-lubid, yema cake — truly a sugar–high!