Biz Icons of 2022

 

Tough times as the Covid-19 pandemic wrought on the economy, impacted yet by the surge in fuel prices which dominoed on the basic commodities and services that contracted, if not altogether shuttered many a business; tougher though stood, indeed excelled, in 2022 five enterprises, continuing on a trajectory to even higher achievements in 2023. The Editor

 

Aesthetics becomes proprietary

Beautéderm

 

“A DREAM come true.”

Rhea Anicoche-Tan, president-CEO of Beautéderm Corp., says of the eponymous corporate headquarters that took two grand festivities to inaugurate last January. And this, only as a prelude to the company’s 14^th anniversary celebrations this year.

“Each person who ever believed and continues to believe in my vision to contribute a beautéful difference in this world has impacted every brick, metal, and stone of this building. I did not accomplish this alone – I certainly had help. I dedicate this to all our consumers not only here in the Philippines but around the world as well, to my hardworking staff, to my brand ambassadors, and to all our resellers, distributors, and franchisees. Together, we are ready more than ever, to face the promises of the coming years anew with all our hopes and dreams,” enthused the beauty maven.

Shared hopes, collective dreams of her Beautéderm family that proved far stronger than the nightmare that is the Covid-19 pandemic that shattered weaker hopes, broke lesser dreams of many other enterprises, notably in the beauty industry.

For over a decade coming into the pandemic times, Beautéderm has steadfastly won the trust of millions of loyal consumers as an industry leader in the field of beauty and wellness with countless products that are now considered daily essentials that consists of skin and body care, vitamins and health boosters, home fragrances, and patented merchandise, to mention but a few.

Daily essentials. To that level of basic need has Beautéderm taken what used to be the easily expendable pan-retoke of womankind, expanding it to menfolk alike thereby, in effect, assuming proprietary rights to the art and science of aesthetics.

Beyond physical appearances, Anicoche-Tan designed a business to serve consumers with life-changing products that enable them to gain the confidence to maximize their full potential as individuals, and at the same time providing resellers, distributors, and franchisees a sustainable livelihood that empowers them with the financial independence to live full lives with their families and loved ones.

A template for success there, finding most manifest in the flourishing Beautéderm branches at SM City Clark, SM City Pampanga, Marquee Mall, One North Mall-Dau, New Point-Angeles City, and Clark Cityfront Mall – in Pampanga alone.

Success – excellence as well – monumentalized in the grand edifice that is the Beautéderm Corporate Headquarters, where domiciled too are the other subsidiaries of the Beautéderm Group of Companies – luxury store A-List Avenue that offers high-end fashion brands, BeautéHaus that is arguably one of the top aesthetic clinics in Northern Luzon, state-of-the art AK Studios for photo shoots and video productions, and Beauté Beanery, the poshest fusion restaurant and café in the city. Indeed, the premier lifestyle venue in all of Pampanga, if not Central Luzon, today.

“A testament to passion, dedication, and a lot of hard work,” Anicoche-Tan called it.

Heartthrob Piolo Pascual put it best though: “You are a game-changer in the skincare industry. I am forever grateful to my Beautéderm family.”

 

Born local, grown global

Mekeni Food Corp.

 

“SOMETHING BIG is coming your way this year and we could not be more excited for what is to come.”

So declared Pruds Garcia, president of Mekeni Food Corp., at the dawning of 2022 – so readily dismissed off as unguarded optimism at best, wishful thinking at worst. What with the pandemic not-quite contained, the African swine fever still extant, the fuel prices unsteady, and Russia about to invade Ukraine.

“We are bringing the Timplang Atin experience to a whole new level in the coming months,” Garcia boomed with supreme confidence, all the gloom and doom foreboding the economy notwithstanding.

As declared, so delivered.   

Within a month of Garcia’s declaration, Mekeni brought street-food favorites kikiam and fish balls to branches across California and Nevada. In July, Mekeni Classic Tocino was introduced to the Filipino community on the East Coast, particularly in New York and New Jersey, followed by orlians, squid balls, and two variants of fish ball sauce. These marine-based products are now available in key cities with Filipino communities.

“It feels different bringing our flagship brand to the US. When we launched our street food products and tocino, we were flooded with questions from friends, relatives, acquaintances, and kababayans about when we would bring more of our products. They say they miss it. The time has come,” said Garcia. 

Before the US, Mekeni has already been catering to international markets such as Dubai, Bahrain, Brunei, Qatar, Australia, Japan, Canada, and the UK.
“These milestones are a step toward further realizing our vision to be a world-class brand and our mission to uplift the lives of our employees and Filipinos worldwide. This is also a win for the Filipino culture as what we are bringing to the world are Timplang Atin flavors that we are proud of and love dearly,” declared Garcia.

It did not come easy though.

“At the time it was hard here due to low purchasing power, we recognized that Filipinos outside the country have that power but due to the pandemic restrictions could not come home,” he said. “So, we brought to them a taste of home with our products.”

“Of course, it is not all about Mekeni, but about Filipino food,” clarified Garcia.  “Our close family values as Filipinos also helped upon their knowing that Mekeni is a family corporation.” 

Family values that birthed the company in 1986, weathered the Mount Pinatubo eruptions and the devastating aftermath in 1991 through 1996, and surpassed the Asian financial crisis of 1997. In every crisis that came its way, no matter the scope and scale, Mekeni Food Corp. stood firmly on family values, and excelled.

With the pandemic continuing to wane, greater optimism pervades Mekeni, Garcia himself self-assured of a double-digit growth in 2023.

 Mekeni in Milan

We decided to drop by again at Pinoy Saver’s Mart after our appointment at Intesa San Paolo on Friday (Jan. 27) and was really glad to see products from our very own Mekeni Food International available there. What they have there are Mekeni’s fishball, squid balls, and kikiam, which according to Gelvin Calolot, the son of the owner, were imported from the Philippines via the Netherlands the same way most of their Filipino products are. We can’t wait to see Mekeni tocino, longganisa, hotdogs, and other meat products reach Italy and the rest of Europe the way these are now penetrating the United States. We hope we could find a way to get these straight to Milan so that these would be more affordable to our kababayan. Because of the high cost of bringing the products to Milan, the price of a kilo of another popular Filipino hotdog brand is €25.00. ConGen Elmer G. Cato, Philippine Consulate General in Milan, Italy

 

Building homes, uplifting lives

The Hausland Group

 

“MY VISION is to uplift lives through housing because the greater majority of struggling individuals still think that having a decent roof over one’s head is almost a wish upon a star.”

The Hausland Group chairman and president Willy Tan readily translated that vision into his mission to “deliver the dream of home ownership one within reach and one that spells decent living” to as many the company could reach. And he has not wavered even a bit since.

In a span of a few years, Hausland Development Corp. (HDC) has grown out of its Pampanga niche to home in the outlying provinces of Central Luzon. Aye, breaking ground, building, developing, the Covid-19 pandemic notwithstanding.

Launched in September 2022 was Hauslands Subic, the company’s first mid-cost to upscale housing project that forms part of a vast 80-hectare master planned, mixed-use and sustainable development.

The 8.5-hectare first phase of the development comprised 271 available house and lots, and amenities including The Pavilion, an air-conditioned multi-function hall, indoor gym, homeowners’ association office, swimming pool, and landscaped parks.

A month after, Hauslands Bataan broke ground in Abucay town in a 13.8-hectare property subdivided to 697 lots and spacious community amenities. With a front area of 80-meter setback, the development can easily host fast-food chains and a mall.  

In December, The Hausland Group opened the FAB Central Terminal in Mariveles, Bataan its first project in commercial property business development. The 4,500 square meter-terminal facility is part of the 5.9-hectare property for a mixed-use development project in partnership between the company and the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan.

Envisioned to be the central hub of Mariveles, the terminal can accommodate various vehicles with two-zone allotment for tricycles, 11 slots for PUV/PUJ jeepneys, 16 slots for regular buses, and nine slots for mini buses. It will also house 30 commercial stalls and two restaurant facilities.

It was also last December that The Hausland I am Home, Greener project was launched in Mabalacat City. The 14-hectare development for 938 future homeowners is masterfully-planned featuring a grand entrance gate, an airconditioned multi-function hall called The Pavilion, swimming pool, and naturally-fenced play park.

The Hauslands Mabalacat will also grow 28 balacat trees upon its completion, in partnership with the city environment and natural resources office in the hope of saving this endangered species.

Fiesta Communities

The string of successes of its Hauslands brand has not in any way hampered developments in HDC’s Fiesta Communities Inc. projects.

Launched in May was Fiesta Communities-Mariveles Phase 2 comprising 10 hectares with 1,093 units in Barangay Balon Anito.   

Started on Dec. 1 was PRIME Pampanga in a 15-hectare property of 865 lots in Manibaug-Paralaya, Porac.

On Dec. 17, launched was Fiesta Communities-Abucay in 16.8 hectares in Barangay Gabon subdivided to 1,282 lots.

Paying it forward 

Borne by Tan’s article of faith: “…ang lahat po ng nakikita natin dito hindi po nanggaling sa amin. Nanggaling itong lahat sa Diyos at ibinabalik lang po namin by way of following what we feel is our mandate,” HDC embarked in corporate social responsibility endeavors finding few precedents in the local housing industry.

On March 1, the Angeles-Magalang Bypass Road was inaugurated to ease the traffic congestion in the old Angeles-Magalang Highway. Some 8,200 square meters were donated by HDC to the city for the right-of-way of the road project.

On April 12, Hausland Group donated 10,505 sqm of land in Barangay Anunas also to the Angeles City government intended to be developed as a relocation site of 171 residential lots for an estimated 700 individuals from Anunas and EPZA.

On Dec. 4, a 2,000-square meter lot at Seabreeze in Barangay St. Francis II, Limay, Bataan was donated by the Hausland Group to site the Limay General Hospital.

As much in successful projects as in acts of benevolence did The Hausland Group close 2022 – on the highest note of excellence.

 

Taking off anew

LIPAD Corp.

 

HONGKONG, BANGKOK. Singapore. Macau. Tokyo. Multiple times weekly.

Caticlan. Davao. Cebu. Iloilo. Bacolod. General Santos. Cagayan de Oro. Puerto Princesa. Multiple times weekly, likewise.

February 27’s announcement by Cebu Pacific of the destinations it shall serve starting March from the Clark International Airport was a first in the history of the aviation industry in the country – for the airline too – if only for the sheer number of fights ticked off in a single event.

CEB is also getting three additional aircraft which will be based in Clark, on top of the 10 new Airbus NEO aircraft that will be delivered in 2023 to expand the airline’s entire fleet.

As much an affirmation of CEB as the Philippines’ leading carrier and largest airline servicing Northern and Central Luzon, as recognition of the CRK as premier gateway made most manifest there.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said so himself: “This would steer the transport sector, specifically the aviation industry, toward full recovery. The increased connectivity from Clark will also help develop the station as a premiere hub for aviation and international logistics in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Averred CEB president and CCO Xander Lao: “It allows us to boost our third operating hub in the Philippines that will help generate economic opportunities to support the country’s growth agenda.”

Data from the International Air Transport Association show that every job in the air transport industry supports 29 other jobs in tourism, supply chain and other related sectors. This means that with CEB hiring at least 140 pilots, cabin crew, and on-ground staff for its CRK hub, over 4,000 jobs for the locals can be produced.

The Philippine Airlines has not lagged either in boosting CRK this year, flying to Caticlan and Busuanga (Coron, Palawan) in April.

Sunlight Air opens flight to Coron in April too.

This March, Eva Air is poised to start its CRK-Taipei run, allowing connections to the rest of Asia, North America, and Europe.

Noel Manankil, CEO of the Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) that operates CRK, sees this increase in flights “not just positive signs of recovery by the travel industry but also of the attraction of the use of the new CRK terminal to travelers.”

Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic not only spoiled the grand celebration for the opening of the spanking new terminal but, more so, grounded the CRK to a veritable standstill, but for the Middle Eastern carriers that enabled the country to bring home OFWs who would have been stuck in their places of work during the pandemic.

With the relaxation of travel restrictions, particularly in 2022, CRK commenced its own take off to the skies anew. 

CRK recorded a 282.2% growth, with a 521.7% increase in domestic passengers and a 255.57% increase in international passengers over the same period in 2021.
There was a total of 16% growth vis-a-vis pre-pandemic figures.

A significant surge in passenger traffic was recorded, averaging to 4,000 per day by January 2023.

Presently, CRK hosts 71 international and 27 domestic flights weekly.
International carriers include Qatar Airways for Doha; Emirates for UAE; Jeju Air and Jin Air for Jeju, Busan, and Incheon; Philippine Airlines for Seoul; Gangwon for Yangyang Airport; Scoot and Jetstar for Singapore.

The local carriers are Cebu Pacific bound to Cebu; AirAsia and Royal Air both for Caticlan; and AirSwift for El Nido.

Noted Manankil: “With the resumption of pre-pandemic Cebu Pacific flights and the introduction of new routes, travelers may now seamlessly connect international and domestic destinations from this world-class terminal.”

Open, wide, blue skies beckon at Clark anew.

 

Eat is it!

Chef Vince Garcia Culinary Group

 

TASTE HAS no limits. Not so much in the context of unli-rice in some fast-food joint or in all-you-can-eat buffets for the consumer, as in a chef’s culinary choices.

This, proven – in the wake of the pandemic at that! – by the Chef Vince Garcia Culinary Group.   

Whipping up haute cuisine for a virtual who’s who in the world of cinema and the arts, politics, and business long established young Chef Vince as the “Chef to celebrities” – the C in upper case befitting the upper caste clients. 

His Rainforest Kichene in the City of San Fernando, founded in 2013, is a quotidian affirmation of his culinary excellence. He could have rested on…er, in the scheme of things cheffy, kept flavoring with his laurels with what he had already achieved and remained as profitably famous.

But no, Chef Vince has just more to share. Much more.

European-themed resto En Croute Café with its signature coffee and healthy plates was put up in Clark in partnership with surgeon and derma couple Dr. Eder and Dr. Aenelle Dizon in Dec. 2018.

The onset of restrictions owing to the Covid-19 pandemic constrained the closure of public spaces, eateries not excluded. Still, Chef Vince found time to engage in CSR with food he himself cooked and delivered to frontliners where it was possible.

It was the pandemic too – when health protocols were eased up – that partly gave the chef the impetus to set sight on new food ventures.

To provide jobs for the retrenched workers and fulfil his dream of a Samgyupsal place of his own as he and his wife Sheena are “fanatic eaters” of the Korean culinary delight, Chef Vince opened Chef Baboy Unlimited Premium Korean BBQ in the City of San Fernando in February 2022.

Seven months later, Chef Baboy Unlimited Premium Korean BBQ opened its first branch in Clark Freeport. A clear case of one delight deserving another…

And another, Chef Baboy Unlimited Premium Korean BBQ branch at the Infinity CBD near Angeles City Hall soon opening…

And yet another, Chef Baboy Unlimited Premium Korean BBQ branch along Lazatin Blvd. in the City of San Fernando now undergoing construction.

At the freeport, fast rising is VG Bakery + Bistro Clark.

Revenge gustation, anyone?

November 2022 made history for Chef Vince with the groundbreaking for the corporate office building of his eponymous culinary group in Barangay San Isidro, Bacolor, Pampanga.

“A momentous event for everyone, especially those who have witnessed, who grew with us, and who were with us through thick and thin. Finally, this is it. The dream we all have waited for. CVGCG will have now its own home,” enthused the chef.

Expected to rise in the first quarter of 2023, the building will house, aside from the corporate office, two subsidiaries.

Bravosteel Professional Kitchen and Equipment Solutions, a one-stop-shop that offers high standard stainless-steel fabrication and top-of-the-line kitchen equipment and machine. Its aim is to exquisitely design and build high functional kitchens for restaurants, cafe, hotels, hospitals, events place, commissary and real estate such as condominiums, private and luxury houses and resorts, with the 5-star after-sale service, its collateral read.

ZE Food Trading covering a full range of wholesale and retail of food supply and equipment, from imported quality food items like meat, poultry, dry goods, beverage mix, and more to high standard industrial kitchen/business tools.

Good as 2022 is, even greater promises 2023 for Chef Vince. Aye, eats a life!