28/07/2026
Celebrity Club Celebrates 49 Years: Together We Go for the Gold
Celebrity Club marked its 49th Anniversary Grand Celebration with an evening of gratitude, inspiration, and camaraderie as members, guests, and employees gathered at the Icon Grand Ballroom under this year's theme, "Together We Go for the Gold."
The celebration commenced with an invocation beautifully rendered in song by Mr. Lionel Guico, setting a reflective and uplifting tone for the evening.
The program officially opened with inspiring Welcome Remarks from Chairman Emeritus Sid Consunji, followed by the President's Report delivered by Club President Atty. Dot Gancayco, who highlighted the Club's accomplishments over the past years and shared an exciting vision as Celebrity Club prepares for its Golden Anniversary in 2027.
A special moment during the evening was the presentation of a Presidential Citation to Ms. Rebecca Bautista in recognition of her exemplary honesty and integrity for turning over a lost Rolex watch to the Club President. The watch is now back with its grateful owner, also a Club member. The award reflected the values of trust, character, and service that the Club continues to instill especially among its employees. It has been a tradition for the Club President since the year 2021 to award Club employees for their honesty and integrity and this is a very first for a Club Member to be given such honor.
One of the evening's most anticipated highlights was the keynote address of Solicitor General Darlene "Lelen" Berberabe, who was impressively introduced by Former Solicitor General Joel Cadiz. In a heartfelt and inspiring speech, SolGen Berberabe shared how faith, discipline, perseverance, and unconditional family support helped shape her daughter, Jamie Lim, into a two-time South East
Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist and a U.P. SUMMA CUM LAUDE graduate at the same time. SolGen Lelen’s message resonated deeply with everyone in attendance, reminding members that true success is built not only on achievement but also on strong values and resilience. SolGen Lelen’s presence was even made more special when she kindly obliged everyone with a photo inspite of the fact that she was running late for another event.
The celebration also recognized the successes of the Club's sports community through the recognition of talents who were honed in Celebrity Club and who recently won in international and local Sports competitions. In the same manner, the winners of the 49th Anniversary Sports Tournaments were also given due acknowledgement.
Equally meaningful was the recognition of the Club's Committees, honoring the dedicated volunteers whose time, leadership, and commitment continue to strengthen the Celebrity Club community.
The evening was made even more memorable with vibrant performances by Celebrity Club employees, whose dance and musical numbers delighted the audience. Rule's Band provided live entertainment throughout the night, while WCOPA Awardee and Aliw Award-winning host Raymond Gorospe, Chairman of the Swimming Committee, serenaded guests with a captivating Martin Nievera medley. Keeping the program lively and engaging was host Allan Dale, whose humor and charisma energized the celebration from beginning to end. Dance instructors also kept the dance floor alive, inviting our Club dance enthusiasts to celebrate well into the evening.
Guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner prepared by Doña Amanda Restaurant, with owner Engr. Eric Illescas joining the celebration in support of the Club.
The success of the evening was made possible by the collective efforts of the Board of Directors, SMC-MANCOM, Committee Members, employees, performers, concessionaires - Acoustic Playroom, Art Haven, Ayra Salon, Spotlight Development Center, Escape Pod Spa, Drs. Drip, Espace Pilates, Cafe Perene, Pick A Pearl, Potato corner, Fruitas, QDA Virtual Golf, Re-hub, Spark Hub, Studio Dance by Lina, Sky dance Avenue Manila, Yoga is For Everyone, Infinite Wu Shu, CAL Swim School, Bert Lozada Swim School, J&J Taekwondo, Kids Tennis Academy, Doña Amanda, Hap Chan, Project Pie and everyone who contributed to this memorable celebration. Thank you to GM Leo Cabrera, AGM Anna Mauricio and ES Reverie Espino who led the organizing and planning of the event.
As Celebrity Club looks ahead to its milestone 50th Anniversary, the evening served as a meaningful reminder that the Club's greatest strength has always been its people. As Club President Dot Gancayco reminded everyone in her speech : “Let us remember that every milestone bears the fingerprints of the people in this room. Our story has never been written by one person — it has always been written by all of us. Every victory was made possible by countless acts of service—by members who believed, by leaders who guided, and by employees who gave their time, talent, and heart, day after day, year after year.”
Together, We Go for the Gold.