My last visit to the Philippines was the shortest, 49 hours and 35 minutes (from touch down to take off), breaking my previous record of four days and two hours. Happily the trip was not because of a family emergency.
 
I was one of six Negrenses who were honoured at the opening rites of the Global Pinoy Center at SM City in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental last September 8.
 
The other honorees were Georgette Sanchez, Virgelio Celis Jr., and a singing group composed of the Madrigal siblings Ana Katrina, Ana Kristina and Kristopherson.


Georgette Sanchez is currently a member of the Tanztheater Darmstadt in Germany. She finished Bachelor of Performing Arts major in Dance from the College of St. Benilde of De La Salle University. She underwent dance training with Ballet Philippines and CCP Dance School in 1991-1994 and was nominated as one of the “Young Dancers to Watch” in 2004 by the Critic’s Survey of trade magazine Ballet-Trans and Dance Europe and named “The Best Dancer” for Karole Armitage’s “10 Poems”. She was also the silver medalist in the 9th Concours International de Danse de Paris in the Contemporary Dance Category in 2000.
 
Virgelio “Jun” Celis is an instructor in culinary studies at the West Negros University in Bacolod City. He started as a cook for a floating Chinese restaurant then moved to become a Pastryman for Leisure Cruises Ltd. For several years he worked his way up in the kitchen until 2009 when he became a Sous Chef for RMS Queen Mary 2, which was the biggest transatlantic ocean liner in the world until 2006. He is going on board the same ship again in 2011.
 
Ana Katrina, Ana Kristina and Kristopherson Madrigal, are known as the Young Voices of Negros. They won the 2009 World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) as the Junior Grand Champion Group Vocalists of the World held in Los Angeles, California last July 11-19, 2009. The Madrigal siblings also competed this year in the Singapore Junior Performing Arts Competition. Kristopherson Madrigal won the gold medal in Solo Pop, 7-10 years old category. Ana Kristina won the gold medal in Solo Pop, 11-14 years old category and Ana Katrina won the silver medal in the Solo Pop, 15-19 years old category. Together, they received the 2010 Ani Ng Dangal Award of the National Commission for the Culture and Arts given by then President Gloria Arroyo at Malacańang Palace in February 26, 2010.
 
And what have I done to deserve the Global Pinoy accolade? According to the press releases I am an accomplished classical pianist, pipe organ specialist who has a PhD in Mathematics and a PhD in Educational Research. That as a product developer I have created dresses for celebrities like the late Princess Diana and recently for the Crown Princess of Norway. That I divide my time between London where I run my own product development consultancy company, Oslo, Norway where I am a consultant for Nina Skarra Designs and Hong Kong where I am a partner in a major manufacturing firm.
 
I should add a fourth frequent destination, the island of Negros in the Philippines where I am a dutiful son to an 88 year old mother.

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