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Dreaming Up A Diva: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy

Zee Lifestyle gets an exclusive sneak peek at the new face of Bulgari’s Diva Collection, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy as we follow her storied life as a model, singer and fashionable first lady, and discover why her very presence is enough to turn heads.

Zee Lifestyle gets an exclusive sneak peek at the new face of Bulgari’s Diva Collection, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy as we follow her storied life as a model, singer and fashionable first lady, and discover why her very presence is enough to turn heads.

It’s the hush that falls over the room when she walks in, and the furtive glances thrown her way as she passes by—some admiring, others a little envious. It’s the grand welcome given by her equally beautiful and important group of friends, mostly belonging to elite circles, as she is whisked away out of reach beyond a velvet rope. Perhaps it’s in the flick of her hair, or the soft way she says hello as she cuts across the crowd. Maybe she revels in it or perpetuates it; or maybe she isn’t even aware of the effect she has as she makes her way to whatever it is that merits her presence.

Make no mistake—there are different definitions of being a diva.

More often than not, though, it is the attention she generates around her that most significantly earns the title. In some instances, she is put on a pedestal not necessarily for some quirky behavior or talent, but rather because she needn’t do anything as she already exemplifies inspiring qualities that make her stand out from the rest. Such is the appeal of Turin, Italy-born Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who renowned fine jewelry and fashion brand Bulgari has recently named the face of its new “Diva” Campaign.

Like a cat with nine live, this glamorous lady has lived quite a few already and, at 45 (she doesn’t turn 46 until December this year), she shows no signs of slowing down. A model in her young adult years, Bruni’s big break came when she was 19, when Guess president and creative director Paul Marciano picked her to model with Estelle Lefébure in campaigns for the brand. This was in the 90s, and Bruni was then reportedly among the highest paid fashion models.

She eventually switched careers and bcame a singer/songwriter, going on to record her debut album Quelqu’un M’a Dit (which translates to Someone Told Me) in 2002. In one of those intriguing instances when musicians allow rare glimpses into their personal lives, it has been said that the second track in the album entitled Raphael was written for Bruni’s then-lover, the married philosophy professor Raphaël Enthoven, with who she had a son, Aurélien Enthoven, in 2001. She later told Vanity Fair that the relationship was broken off in 2007 because Enthoven thought there was no commitment involved.

Just months after she parts ways with Enthoven, the 39-year-old Bruni would meet the recently divorced French president Nicolas Sarkozy at a dinner party, hosted by advertising mogul and left-wing political adviser Jacques Séguéla. While he was clearly beguiled with her, she would only later reveal to Vanity Fair that she fell in love at first sight, saying his youth and energy surprised her. She lauded his charisma, noting that it is something that doesn’t translate on television.

Their whirlwind romance ended in marriage on February 2, 2008 at the Élysée Palace in Paris—her first, his third. In a life of rare highlights, Bruni found herself even more in the public eye, but in a different capacity. Aside from having an office and staff fin the Palace, she accompanied the French president on state visits, including one to the United Kingdom in the same year they were married, which was marred by a controversy on the eve of their arrival with the publication of her nude photograph, taken during her modeling days, by Christie’s auction house. The photo would reportedly later sell for $91,000. All the controversies would pale in comparison to their joy, however, when she and Sarkozy welcomed their daughter Giulia in October 2011. The young addition to the couple’s life would be the stepsister not only to her son, but also to Sarkozy’s two boys with his first wife and another son with his second.

While there is undeniable interest in her public persona as the wife of the French president—which naturally comes with a lot of criticism—Bruni threw herself into charity work, which included HIV/AIDS causes, animal rights and others. Like all women public figures, from the late Princess Diana to the current USA First Lady Michelle Obama, there would be much interest in Bruni’s wardrobe and personal style. For that much-talked about visit to the Queen of England, the British apparently praised Bruni for her “perfect curtsy and her demure, Jackie Kennedy outfits,” reported Vanity Fair. The magazine article also quoted Lagerfeld, who often used Bruni as a model, as saying, “She’s imaginative, clever and educated. She knows how to behave.”

In a New York Times Style Magazine (T Magazine) blog by Alainna Lexie Beddie, published in July this year, the former French first lady was quoted, “Of course, what I would want to wear in a public situation changed because when you actually have the honor of representing a country, you try to achieve a higher level of elegance to make them happy and proud, you know? But my personal style is basically pants, shoes and T-shirts.”

If Bruni’s charmed life has been fodder for the media, her past has been just as colorful. The legal daughter of Italian concert pianist Marisa Borini, and industrialist and classical composer Alberto Bruni Tedeschi, Carla Gilbera Bruni Tedeschi is of French ancestry on her mother’s side. In 2008, the same Vanity Fair article revealed Carla, her sister (actress and film director) Valeria and brother Virgino (who died in 2006, reportedly from complications of AIDS) grew up in a vast estate. Their family fortune came from the CEAT manufacturing company, founded by her grandfather Virginio Bruni Tedeschi.

In a dramatic turn of events in 1996, when Bruni was 28 and her father was gravely ill, he revealed that he wasn’t her biological father. Her real father was Maurizio Remmert, a classical guitarist who also belonged to a wealthy Turin family. Reportedly, Maurizio had an affair with Carla’s mother when he was 19 and she was “twice his age.” It lasted six years and bore them a daughter. Remmert would later move to Sau Paulo, where he is a grocery magnate.

The family had moved to France in the mid-70s, at a time when the Red Brigades were kidnapping wealthy individuals. In Paris, Bruni attended an Italian school, but she couldn’t wait to start her own life, so she tried modeling after her brother’s girlfriend suggested it to her. “Modeling meant I did not have to rely on my parents or a man,” she says in the same Vanity Fairinterview.

When Sarkozy came down from power in May 2012, some people thought Bruni would also be done with him— perhaps an assumption she’d brought upon herself when she was famously quoted for saying that monogamy bored her. Even the list of her reported past paramours, aside from those already mentioned, is worthy of attention; Bruni has supposedly been involved with Eric Clapton (who was said to have written in his memoirs about how hard he had fallen for the then 21-year-old), Mick Jagger (to whom Clapton had reportedly begged not to steal her away; later Bruni would claim she was never his girlfriend officially), actor Vincent Pérez, former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, among others.

“I think most women are like me, contradictory and ambivalent,” Bruni said to The Guardian in a June 2013 article entitled Carla Bruni: Sarkozy and Me. Of course, her being contradictory would also translate to controversies over things like her reported intervention and exertion of influence over Sarkozy with regards to the extradition of a woman leader of the Red Brigades terrorist movement (which existed from 1976-82) to Italy for “humanitarian reasons.” Yes, the same Red Brigades that would have kidnapped Bruni’s family had they chosen to stay in Italy.

Then, there are the things she would say to the media—for instance, she’s had to explain herself for a 2012 quote about feminism in a Vogue article—and even people supposedly alluded to in her songs (one of which was purportedly about François Hollande, the Socialist who defeated Sarkozy in his presidential re-election bid). In her defense, she would tell The Guardian, “I never really write like that. It’s hard to explain, but when I write, I don’t have such a precise idea in my head. I don’t say, okay, I’m going to write a song about X.”

Naturally, one so fascinating will never escape the interest of the media. These days, the former first lady has gone back to making music, while her husband “practices law and makes speeches.” With the succeeding French president quite unpopular and Sarkozy being hinted to return and save the nation, Bruni is busy with her own matters: working on her fourth album Little French Songs. When asked about her freedom to pursue her music once again, Bruni told TIME Magazinein a recent interview, “It wasn’t such a lack of freedom at all, really. But of course, I couldn’t go on tour and I couldn’t do as much as I wanted to do as a musician but, you know, time flies. So five years flew, and here I am and I can go back on tour.”

Courting more attention, one of the tracks, Mon Raymond, is rumored to be dedicated to her husband. She calls him “pirate” and an “atomic bomb,” in which the former describes a different side of his stately persona, while the latter “means someone looking hot, sexy… and an explosive type of person,” she says. Bruni also told The Guardian, “They’re not used to being muses— men. They’re used to being the artist. The minute you put them in the muse position, they go ‘what?’”

On her end, if there’s anything Bruni is used to, it’s being a muse.

This makes her perfect for Bulgari’s new Diva campaign, where she stars in the brand’s haute joaillerie ad campaign shot in Rome by noted photographer Terry Richardson. Of Bulgari, The Telegraph quotes the now 45-year-old diva as saying, “Bulgari is, for me, the symbol of passion, and of this vivid and colorful Roman gaiety.”

Of course, there’s a parallelism between Bruni, who was born in Italy but raised in France, and Bulgari, the Italian luxury goods company that has been owned by the French firm LVMH since 2011—making this a perfect partnership of sorts. More than that, however, the brand has found its diva personified—one who has remained who she is, even after all her experiences in the fashion, entertainment and even political circles. “My personal style’s never really changed,” she tells T Magazine blog. She’s the kind of woman who warns against overdressing for formal occasions and ending up looking like “a Christmas tree,” and who lauds the simplicity and elegance of the black evening dress, the economy of a tuxedo and a nice pair of earrings, and noting there’s nothing wrong with dressing casual at times. The very woman who has been photographed wearing the most luscious, jaw-dropping jewelry from the prestigious brand, but is never outshone by them.

Perhaps we’ve seen people who think they are divas—we run into them at parties and social gatherings, we see them trying hard to make and keep such an impression. The real difference between them and someone like Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is that this lady simply is—in the best sense of the word.

Q&A with Carla Bruni Sarkozy

What is your personal relationship with jewels?

An item of jewelry is not like any other object. It is more intimate than anything else. Physically intimate of course, because it adorns the body, right next to the skin, often close to where the heart is beating, like a drop of perfume, at the hollow of a wrist, behind the ear, at the base of the neck. But it is yet more intimate for having a meaning, a significance that goes beyond it. Jewelry belongs to the world of feelings, it touches matters of the soul. It declares a passion, betokens love, carries a memory, symbolizes a belief, seals an engagement, awards an honor, protects from misfortune… From the simplest of rings to the most sophisticated necklace, an item of jewelry always has a personal story to tell. This is an idea that pleases me. I love it when things have a story.

What does Bulgari represent to you?

Bulgari is for me the symbol of passion and of this vivid and colorful Roman gaiety. Colorful… like the stones of the 70s bracelet that my aunt wore when I was a child. I loved that bracelet. I loved its joy, its fantasy. I dreamed of one day possessing such a wonder of my own! I was told that like me it came from Italy to Paris. Perhaps that was part of why I loved it too. I later discovered that the treasure I so coveted came from Bulgari… Is it chance or this bracelet that brought us together?

Which Bulgari “facet” intrigues you most?

What a lot of stories have been told by Bulgari since it began! How can one not marvel simply at the sound of this name that fascinates and bewitches? This name that more than any other evokes Rome, its Dolce Vita and the golden age of the Cinecittà. Three murmured syllables and we are already dreaming! We dream of the tumultuous and legendary love affair between Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, we imagine ourselves a heroine of Visconti, we see Anita Ekberg running barefoot through the narrow streets to escape the paparazzi, we see ourselves in turn as Monica, Silvana, Sophia, we run laughing down the steps of the Piazza di Spagna…

And which one of jewellery- making in particular?

The passion of the master jeweler who teaches his art to his apprentice from generation to generation. The same of Sotirio Bulgari, the Greek silversmith who arrived in Rome at the end of the 19th century and passed his skills on to his sons. It is the meticulous work of the jeweler, the polisher, the setter…

As a model I have had the opportunity to work with the leading Haute Couture and Haute Joaillerie houses and to wear their creations. I have come to know the different crafts and gained an infinite appreciation for the master craftsmen, for their apprentices, for the seamstresses referred to in haute-couture as “petites mains”. With love of their craft, with a yen for perfection and with humility, they all contribute to the creation of unique and exceptional pieces. With my Foundation, we have also developed a program aimed at showcasing these magnificent crafts and encouraging school leavers into these professions. For some of these crafts are disappearing. And without craftspeople, the story ends, the magic is extinguished.

But thanks to companies such as Bulgari, for whom beauty and excellence rhyme, these ancient skills are preserved, traditions are kept alive. You only have to see the delicacy of a Bulgari jewel to realize that the crafts here are a fully-fledged art form. Each piece of haute Joaillerie is a total masterpiece of purity and finesse. And what originality, what creativity!

How did you feel about representing the image of Bulgari High jewellery?
It makes me very proud and very happy to have been chosen to represent the image of Bulgari for Haute Joaillerie. In a way, this fine jewelry house is already familiar to me. I feel connected with its romantic history and with its Italian soul which breathes life and joy and I sincerely hope to honor it.

  • by Annie S. Alejo
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Ladies Who Support Ladies

Women’s Circle is an organization composed of Cebuano ladies who are successful entrepreneurs and top executives.  They recently held a fellowship event at the Sheraton Mactan Resort, with special guests from the Women’s Business Council Philippines. Chairperson, Rosemarie Rafael and Council Secretary Cynthia Mamon both flew in from Manila to discuss alliances between the Cebu and Manila groups.

Loot bag from Jo Malone, Sheraton, R&M Chocomanga, gift card from Maayo Clinic, sarong from Ferimar.

The half day event was organized by Perl Jacalan, Gina Atienza and Eva Gullas. Sheraton Resort through its GM Dottie Wugler Cronin supported the event as it is aligned with the hotel’s women initiatives.  The successful event was made more fun with generous give-aways, notably Jo Malone perfumes, Sheraton bags, R&M Chocomanga and sarongs from Ferimar.

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Eight Years of Redefining Hospitality Service

by Allain Dumon Fonte

The person behind the very successful chain of Bayfront Hotel  Cebu is the youngest son of entrepreneur couple, Edgar and Gregoria Cokaliong.  I first met Charlton as a young and dashing gentleman busily working in their textile business.  I am impressed with how he excellently juggled taking care of orders, organizing shipments, arranging deliveries, accounting, and even managing the staff of their textile company.  Charlton is an alumnus of Cebu Eastern College where he finished his primary and secondary education.  He then went to the University of San Carlos and studied accountancy.  He successfully passed the accounting licensure examinations, and worked as a certified public accountant while helping in the family’s textile business; who would have thought that he would venture into hospitality.  

Charlton Cokaliong (Managing Director of Bayfron Hotel Cebu). Picture taken at the Bayfront Hotel Lobby.

In 2014, he first opened Bayfront Hotel Cebu at the North Reclamation Area.  I even wondered why of all the places that he can start a hotel, he had to choose the North Reclamation Area.  I find the location appalling for a hotel.  What view will the guests see?  I would not want to stay in a room where the views are cranes, machines, and container vans from the sea port.  Yet, Charlton foresaw the future of hospitality service.  He knew that with the recent developments of Cebu City, people will prefer to stay in hotels that are near to the city, and have access to almost everything they need.  The hotel is right across SM City Cebu, 10 minutes from the sea ports, 30 minutes from the airport, and 15 minutes to almost all the tourist destinations in the city and in the hills of Cebu.  Then, he made the hotel packages and event packages reasonably priced; yet, with a 5-star quality of service.  I even questioned, are you not losing for the prices that you have set?  However, since the hotel opened and up to the present, Bayfront Hotel Cebu has always been fully booked and is becoming the primary choice of venue for events and celebrations.  Charlton explained that he foresaw that with the rising economy and the rising population of the metropolitan, people will always prefer to celebrate special occasions; yet, considering the inflation every year, people will also choose to become more practical by spending less  without compromising quality.  And this is what Bayfront Hotel Cebu delivers, an experience of excellent hospitality service at a price that no other can match.

Bayfront Hotel Cebu in Capitol Site.

Because of the continuous demand for their hotel rooms and venues, Charlton opened another Bayfront Hotel Cebu in September 2021.  This time the location is at the heart of the uptown of Cebu in the Capitol Site.  Again, Charlton banked on the great location of the second Bayfront hotel.  I once again questioned him on this; considering the competition in the area because of the many up and coming business hotels that offer the same rates and packages.  Charlton smiled and confidently said that apart from the great location, he also banks on the quality of service that his staff can deliver.  “If you take care of your staff very well, your staff will take good care of your customers”.  I have seen first hand how Charlton handles and manages his staff at their textile store, so I know how he also handles and takes good care of his staff in the hotel.  And I realized that this is his biggest selling point, the hotel’s incomparable service and friendliness.  Even though the hotel opened in the middle of pandemic restrictions, the new hotel is getting countless reservations; most especially that the Capitol Site Bayfront Hotel offers an amazing view of the city skyline at its roofdeck bar and pool area.  The gym , pool , and bar amenities at the hotel’s roof deck with its view are a must to be experienced.

Standard De Luxe Room at the Bayfront Hotel Cebu.

Early of 2022, Charlton also opened the hotel’s in-house dining feature.  For seven years, Bayfront Hotel Cebu was catered by a third party food concessionaire.  But, again, Charlton foresees that the Filipino market will be more critical to food and taste.  I asked, why is this?  Charlton explained that with travel becoming more affordable and accessible, people will get to experience different kinds of food and dine in different restaurants.  Hence, people will now learn to benchmark, not only from local restaurants, but also from their dining experiences around the Philippines and overseas.  Therefore, Bayfront Hotel Cebu needs to step up its game in dining.  With the opening of Caja Kitchen, Bayfront Hotel offers more selections of Asian and Filipino comfort food fusion with international cuisines.  With Caja Kitchen, Charlton turned a Filipino menu into an international dining experience. I asked him how he came up with all these.  Charlton  explained that dedication to make his guests happy and satisfied is the key motivation why he does not stop thinking about innovating and reinventing everyone’s hospitality and dining experience. 

Caja Restaurant: Bayfront Hotel Cebu’s in-house dining facility.

In September of this year, the Bayfront Hotel Cebu in North Reclamation Area is officially celebrating its 8th year of wonderful and excellent hospitality service; while the Bayfront Hotel Cebu in Capitol turns 1!  Great and exciting anniversary promotions and packages await its patrons and guests!  Please visit the social media pages of Bayfront Hotel Cebu to know the amazing anniversary deals!

With my last question, what does he have in mind now.  Charlton just smiled and said, “Well, who knows?  Another Bayfront Hotel Cebu shall rise soon!”.  After this interesting conversation, I can say that Charlton is truly a man who can foresee the future; may it be in business, in the market, with the trends, and with new experiences.  

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Congratulations to Our New DOT Secretary! The Story of Cebu’s Power Couple

Congratulations to Our New DOT Secretary!

The Story of Cebu’s New Power Couple

Whether it’s spearheading progressive efforts in Liloan or spending weekends with their kids, Christina and Duke Frasco do things as a team. On their ninth year as a wedded couple, they share a side of themselves we haven’t seen before.
Republished  from Zee’s Digital Issue dated January 2018
by Gia Mayola photography Dan Douglas Ong sittings editor Shari Quimbo hair and makeup Arnauld stylist Vanessa East

ON CHRISTINA Sleeveless top, jeans and pumps, model’s own. ON DUKE Pierre del Hierro sweater, from RUSTAN’S AYALA CENTER CEBU. Joggers and sneakers, model’s own.

Despite it being a day for family, Christina and Duke Frasco gamely accepted our Sunday-scheduled photo shoot. Not that they had any choice, considering that most days found their schedules fully packed.

The dynamic couple is hard to pin down for a reason. Christina is the mayor of Liloan, a first-class municipality in Cebu. On the other hand, Duke was appointed Cebu Port Authority Commissioner by President Rodrigo Duterte just last year, willingly giving up his position as Liloan’s vice-mayor alongside his wife. While they have a lot on their plate because of work, having three young children is an added responsibility.

PUBLIC SERVANTS

Driven by her administration’s goals for sustainable and inclusive development, Christina has introduced various innovations to public leadership, focusing on stakeholder participation in community governance and equitable access to government service.

She established the Liloan Community Action for Reforestation and Environmental Sustainability (LILOAN CARES), which brings community stakeholders together to periodically engage in environment programs. She also put up a Green Points System, which grants incentives to businesses that implement environment-friendly measures. Additionally, she has introduced an engaging approach to recycling in schools, and prohibits the use of plastics on certain days of the week. She has also founded Operation Second Chance providing rehabilitation and livelihood to drug surrenderees, and the Liloan Leading Empowered Action Against Drugs Summit (LILOAN LEADS), among many others.

On his end, Duke is a dynamic and engaging leader who thrives under pressure and focuses on realizing long-term goals and sustainable development. His governance has garnered him multiple awards—The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines Award 2014 for Public Administration, from the Junior Chamber International (JCI), Inc. and the Gerry Roxas Foundation.

With his first two terms as mayor, Liloan elevated from a third-class municipality to a first-class one. He boldly spearheaded a comprehensive overhaul of the municipal tax code, and the modernization of local business processes.

ON CHRISTINA Josie Natori knit sleeveless top and lounge pants, from RUSTAN’S AYALA CENTER CEBU. ON DUKE T-shirt, model’s own. Ricardo Preto trousers, from RUSTAN’S AYALA CENTER CEBU.

THE LOVE OF LILOAN

Goal-driven and full of ideals, the couple has helped develop Liloan into what it is today. The municipality is one of the most progressive in Cebu, even establishing the Liloan Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Federation during Christina’s term, the first in the country spearheaded by a local government unit. Liloan prides itself in having the first LGU-established gender-neutral public restroom in the country.

“Our dream is to become a city,” Christina divulges. She envisions Liloan as an ideal place to live, study, work and invest. “In preparation for that, we are focusing on improving public infrastructure, opening up and improving road networks, and ensuring strict compliance with our Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Land Use Plans to ensure that development is regulated, deliberate and sustainable.”

This year, Liloan is launching tour packages that will feature its cottage industries and various tourist sites. Health services are being professionalized, scholarship programs expanded, and more investments channeled into its law enforcement and disaster response programs.

“We are also enhancing our community governance programs focused on protecting the environment, providing economic opportunities through livelihood, and reaching out to all sectors and stakeholders by incentivizing participation and compliance with our laws and regulations,” Christina adds.

Duke shares that every now and then, he offers input to his wife. “I advice Christina on various matters, especially regarding the projects started during my term, such as our scholarship program and purok system,” he says. “Being the party chairman of our local political party, I am also in continued contact with our local leaders.”

ON CHRISTINA Cropped top and jeans, model’s own.

THE PORT AUTHORITY

Beyond Liloan, Duke is enjoying his new position. “Since the thrust of the Cebu Port Authority spans the entire Province of Cebu, I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to improving the transport of people and goods throughout Cebu, through the continued improvement of existing ports and establishment of new ports.”

New ports, such as the plans of moving the Cebu International Port north, off the coasts of Consolacion and Liloan to decongest the city. 

“A port is always a welcome development considering it will further boost the economy of Liloan and Consolacion, and the entire Northern Cebu,” Duke says. “It provides livelihood opportunities for our people, which are relevant factors for cityhood. Moreover, the more ports, international or domestic, that we develop here, the better it will be for the people of Cebu.”

The addition of more ports will complement the project he has been working on the past year, the ferry boat system. He laments the terrible traffic that Cebuanos experience each day, comparing the travel time it takes from Liloan to Cebu City ten years ago and now. The ferry boat system includes developing ports in strategic locations in the Province of Cebu, connecting ferries or boats that can accommodate 80 to 200 people per boat. That includes room for motorcycles and possibly vehicles.

Duke expects this to be a game changer for the Cebuano. “Hopefully, it will relieve us of the stress and frustration we experience each day going through Cebu traffic,” he says. “I can just imagine our fellow Cebuanos feeling relaxed on a boat, feeling the sun and sea breeze on their faces, as opposed to the honking of horns and uneasiness of sitting in a PUJ or in your vehicles, not knowing whether they will arrive on time at their destination.”

Aside from his work with the Cebu Port Authority, Duke is also involved with his family’s business Titay’s as the Chief Financial Officer, and as a member of the Board of Directors. 

ON DUKE Pierre del Hierro sweater from RUSTAN’S AYALA CENTER CEBU. Jeans and fedora, model’s own.

A GREAT PAIR

It’s evident that the two make a great pair. They met back in June 2007 at Gwendolyn Garcia’s—Christina’s mother—inauguration as the re-elected Governor of Cebu. Duke was among the officials invited to attend, having just been elected into his first term as the Mayor of Liloan. Christina had just recently passed the bar exams and became a lawyer.

“I suppose you could say that we met at a time when both of us were at a turning point in our lives,” Christina recalls. “It is a blessing that our paths crossed at a time that it did. I was taken by Duke’s charisma. To me, he exuded kindness and humility. Of course, bonus sad gyud na guapo kaayo siya (it’s a bonus that he’s so handsome)!”

“I thought she was beautiful, elegant and well-spoken,” Duke adds. “When we were introduced, I was speechless!”

They’re naturals in front of the camera, effortlessly settling into the poses the photographer asks them to do. At one point, they’re locked in an intimate embrace and looking into each others’ eyes. Duke sweeps in for a kiss that makes everyone in the studio coo.

“I couldn’t help it,” Duke defends himself with a laugh, holding Christina closer as she giggles.

“He can’t resist me,” she tells us with raised eyebrows.

FAMILY TIES

The couple comes from political families, and it’s interesting to note that neither of the two had initial plans of running 

for office. Duke was in the audit and finance industry in the US, working for global consulting firm Protiviti right after finishing his double degree in Business Administration (Finance and Business Law) and Accounting at the Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

“I had no plans at all,” Duke admits. “My father, who had been Mayor then Vice-Mayor, died unexpectedly. The barangay captains of Liloan contacted me because the wanted to have me run for the position. It took me a couple of years before I finally decided to come home and run for Mayor in 2006.”

On Christina’s end, she had spent nearly ten years focused on building her career as a lawyer. After graduating from Ateneo Law, she practiced litigation, international arbitration and corporate law with one of the top-tier law firms in the Philippines, Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & Delos Angeles, being the head of its Cebu office.

“I knew that I wanted to make something of myself out of my own achievements, outside of and away from politics,” Christina shares. “I must say though that being exposed to public service at a young age led me to an inclination to help others. I always felt a sense of duty to my country, because that’s what I saw in my family as I was growing up.”

Despite initially having no plans to follow in their family’s political path, they both express a deep appreciation and admiration for their respective families’ contributions to Cebu. “He was Mayor of Liloan for close to a decade, but served Liloan all his life,” Duke says about his father, the late Panphil B. Frasco or Dodong Daku. “He was a man of the people, and Liloanons still speak of his kindness and humility to this day. I also greatly admire my uncle Gerardo ‘Dodong Gamay’ Frasco, for his pragmatism and wisdom, which has guided our family to carrying on the Titay’s legacy spanning 111 years.”

“For me, they have set the bar to which I would like to contribute to Cebu as a Cebuano,” Christina says of her own family. “For his statesmanship and brilliant legal mind, my grandfather, former Governor and Deputy Speaker Pablo P. Garcia. For her passion towards community development and social justice, my grandmother, the late Judge and Cebu CFI Community Cooperative founder Esperanza F. Garcia. For her great love for Cebu and legendary work ethic, my mom, former Governor Gwen F. Garcia.”

NEW LEADERSHIP

As two young personalities in government, they hope to be able to empower people through education. For ten years now since Duke’s first term and continuing though Christina’s current term, they have a scholarship program that has benefitted over 6,000 students.

They believe that an educated population is an empowered population, capable of becoming financially independent and discerning in their choices. “For us, this is key to breaking out of the bonds of poverty and patronage,” Christina affirms.

The Frascos hope to introduce innovations to governance, like reducing redundancies and bureaucracy through the use of technology, and being more connected and transparent through the use of social media. They also support the call for Federalism, believing that it will give local governments more leeway and funding in improving local infrastructure and creating more locally-relevant projects for the people.

Considering that standpoint, it’s no surprise how vocal the couple has been in their support for the controversial President Rodrigo Duterte. “President Duterte has political will, and he is a law and order President,” they say. “We believe that his extensive executive experience sets him apart as a leader because he knows the value of enforcing the law in order to have a stable society. At the same time, he recognizes the necessity of governing in a manner that is compassionate and responsive to the needs of the people.”

In the face of many conflicting views toward the President’s brand of leadership, both Duke and Christina acknowledge that opposition is necessary for a working democracy, but hope that Filipinos can come together and support his national agenda of building a stable and peaceful society. “We owe it to our country to set aside what divides us, and to unite behind our common goal of attaining a better life for our countrymen and for our children.”

Aside from their daily responsibilities, the couple also fosters their own advocacies. With education being high on Duke’s list of priorities, Christina also extends efforts for the empowerment of women and children. “The promotion of inclusive development as well—giving equitable opportunities to vulnerable sectors such as the LGBT and the youth,” she adds.

EVERYDAY LIFE

Being in the government means a lot of responsibility for the couple, and a typical day for them is being up 6:00 in the morning to have breakfast with their children before school, then going to their respective offices for work.

For Duke, work is either at the Cebu Port Authority to attend board meetings, or at their Frasco Group Office to attend to business matters. He also attends to pressing concerns in Liloan if need be, which shows how he is still dedicated to it even if he is no longer its Vice-Mayor.

Christina is either at the Municipal Hall to sign papers, attend meetings and meet constituents at the office, or scheduling visits to Liloan’s barangays and puroks.

To keep from getting too stressed or burnt out, Duke says, “I go to the gym and I run. I also like to Netflix and chill.”

Christina, on the other hand, makes time to paint and experiment with new dishes for Duke and their kids. She mentions that, if their schedules permit, they try to devote their weekends to their kids—watching movies, eating out, and traveling. “When Duke and I get home, we also make a conscious decision not to talk about work,” she finishes.

A COUPLE AT WORK

While some people might find the idea of a married couple working together as a possible hindrance to getting things done, the Frascos think otherwise. To them, it is an advantage because their vision and values are aligned. “We are able to enjoy our victories together, and we’re able to lift each other up in tough times, knowing that we will have each other’s back,” they share.

Duke and Christina are celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary this year, and it’s no question that the romance is still very much alive between them. They share that their marriage is anchored on their love for each other, their love for their family, and their shared goals for the future.

At the same time, they emphasize that retaining a sense of individuality is also important, along with having a healthy respect for each other’s differences. Compromise is key, and they constantly make sure to keep their values and goals in check, adjusting each other’s expectations as necessary and working out their differences.

Considering all that Duke and Christina have accomplished at a young age, we had to ask if they had plans of running for higher office. “We have great plans for the future, not just for ourselves, but also for our family and for Liloan,” they said. “As Cebuanos, we would like to continue to contribute to the development of Cebu. However, we also realize that ultimately, it is for the people to decide whether they would want us to continue to serve. As for the rest, it is in God’s hands. So we are focused on doing as much as we can in the here and now, with the opportunities that we have been given, for which we feel very blessed.”

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