As the industry’s welcome for the New Year, SEIPI 99th General Membership Meeting will start with a Eucharistic celebration and customary fellowship with the following activities:

3:00 - 5:00PM          SEIPI TOUR OF FORT SANTIAGO (optional)
A leisurely afternoon walks around one of the oldest stone fortresses in the Philippines in the northern part of the Walled City of Manila – the Fort Santiago. In pre-Spanish times, this was the site of kingdom of Rajah Suleiman, the last of the Muslim King in Manila (1558-1575). It was once the premier defence fortress of the Spanish Government located at the mouth of Pasig River. It was also the place where the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was confined during his trial before his execution at Bagumbayan (Luneta/Rizal Park).  Today, Fort Santiago serves as a museum which houses well-preserved legacies of the Spanish Government in the Philippines. Much of the development of present-day Manila occurred outside the gates of Intramuros, leaving the surviving walls minimally touched by modernization. The guided tour will done by Carlos Celdran, a performing artist who is the most sought after travel guide of Manila. 

5:00 - 6:00PM          SEIPI NEW YEAR’S MASS TO BE OFFICIATED BY FR. SUAREZ
As you are aware of, the year 2009 had been a challenging year for our industry and the country.  Thus, to start the New Year, SEIPI will be offering a mass for a better business performance, an improved Philippine and global economy, and a peaceful country less affected by political violence and natural calamities. The SEIPI New Year’s Mass will held at the ruins of Rajah Suleiman Theatre inside the Fort.

Fr. Fernando Suarez, the officiating priest, is acknowledged as the Humble Healer who regularly conducts healing masses, retreats and missions, with large numbers of people in attendance both here in the Philippines and abroad. Fr. Suarez’s current project is the development of the Montemaria Shrine - a majestic statue of Mary Mother of the Poor (101 meters in height, or 33 stories), as tall as the Statue of Liberty, also quite similar to Rio de Janeiro’s “Christ the Redeemer”.  The project is also destined to become an international Global Healing Center and intended for tourism-related pilgrim destination.

6:00PM                 SEIPI COCKTAILS/GET-TOGETHER FELLOWSHIP        
The traditional quarterly get-together and fellowship of the industry leaders. The industry’s performance in 2009 and the business outlook for 2010 as seen by the SEIPI Board of Directors will be presented. The Awarding Ceremony  for SEIPI’s “Partner of the Industry” Awards Night will also be made during the cocktails. Simple cocktails such as dalandan juice, barako coffee, pomelo juice, wines, pandesal with quesong puti, polvoron, pastillas, puto, and other local delicacies/food will be served. We will also invite government and business leaders to join our motion in imploring for a better 2010.   It will be held at Plaza Armas, a garden beside the Rajah Suleiman Theatre and Rizal Shrine.

Attire is Barong Tagalog and Filipiana Dress.