AS expected, top politkos, businessmen and showbiz well-wishers will grace the February 15 wedding of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero and his long-time celebrity girlfriend Heart Evangelista at the exclusive Balesin Island in Quezon province.
Listed as Best Man for the strictly formal, afternoon affair is no less than President Benigno Aquino III himself—a personal friend of Escudero’s.
A fellow senator of Chiz, Grace Poe-Llamanzares, will be among the veil sponsors. Although not members of Aquino’s Liberal Party (LP), Escudero and Poe are part of the broad administration coalition in Congress.
The VIP-laden list of principal sponsors are San Miguel Corp. Vice Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ramon Ang; Ayala Corp. President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala; JG Summit Holdings President and COO LanceGokongwei; SM Investment Corporation First Executive Vice President Hans Sy, Megaworld Corp. chair Andrew Tan, Marcos Trade Minister Roberto V. Ongpin (who owns the Balesin Island resort), San Jose Builders chair Jose L. Acuzar,Isabela Governor Faustino Dy Jr., Mayor Adlebert Antonino, and Rep. Gilberto M. Duavit .
Escudero and Evangelista’s elite media connection will also be evident with the presence of network giant bosses FelipeGozon and Eugenio Gabriel “Gabby” Lopez III at their wedding.
Gozon and Lopez are the chairmen of GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Corporation, respectively.
Heading the 14 groomsmen is an LP stalwart in Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, who represents the 3rd district of Negros Occidental.
The other groomsmen are Danilo Concepcion, Vicente Cuevas, Albert Kurniawan, Alejandro G. Lim, Yubentius Albert Francis C. Liwanag, Demosthenes D. Magno, Leo Tereso A. Magno, Arnold S. Mendoza, Arthur H. Osmena, Joseph John A. Quiraste, Rolando P. Tan, Antonio A. Ver, Carlo Paolo S. Villanueva.
Also listed as principal sponsor are Lolita Dy, Dr. Alves Teo, Lilybeth Rasonable, Gretchen Cojuangco (wife of San Miguel Corp;. chair Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr.), Betty Ong, Corazon Leocadio, Marivin Abayat, Marnie Manicad, Lourdes Jacqueline Dabao, Bibeth Siguion Reyna, Margarita Osmena (sister-in-law of Senator Serge Osmena III), Atty. Judy Roman Antonio, Carmela Tiangco and Jesus Poe.
Meanwhile, three of Heart’s closest friends in the showbiz industry–Jennylyn Mercado, Carla Angeline R. Abellana, and Alessandra de Rossi—will also attend the wedding as grooms women.
The other grooms women are Sarah Jane Anselmo, Irene Pacana Liwanag, Conchitina Bianca Malvar, Virginia Bachini, Maria Doloniuus Perrine, Lourdes Virginia Poe, Marie Bernadette Quirante, Princess Sunga Pastoril, Nikole C. Alicer and Katrina Amanda C. Villanueva.
Escudero, 45, and Evangelista, 29, formally entered their relationship on July 31, 2012.
