PLDT, the country’s pioneering telecommunications firm, celebrated 8 decades of service with a Pasasalamat Party last 14 November 2008 in Davao City. It was also the company’s early Christmas treat to their corporate clients in Southern Mindanao.

It’s good that blue-chip corporations such as PLDT make it a point to make a splash in Mindanao. It shows confidence in our region, and builds goodwill and faith. It works both ways: Mindanao’s image is further improved (somehow), and Mindanaoan’s trust in the company is solidified.

I was there to represent the IT organization of which I am Executive Director, the Association of Solution Integrators in Davao (ASID). Many of Davao’s prominent businessmen were also in attendance. The good thing about this event — and this is extremely rare among such corporate bashes — was that, PLDT did not make any marketing presentations or product briefings or anything of the sort. It was just pure socials and enjoyment.

Their cry was: enjoy good friends, good entertainment and good food.

The entertainment was good. Knowing that most of the audience would be the 80s-music types, PLDT flew in the Rage Band! Boy, that was some blast from the past! I’d planned to slip out early that night, but found myself staying almost till the end of the whole show.

Of course, it helped that PLDT was raffling off some rather desirable prizes, like a Phillips 37″ LCD TV! I didn’t win. I rarely do in raffle contests. But I did get to bring home a door prize — an Oster indoor grill. :)

The “good food” part was not terribly accurate, unfortunately. I’m afraid I had a rather bad run-in with the fish that was served. The Marco Polo Hotel served a dazzling buffet for us, yes, but food is primarily meant for the tongue. And mine went itchy after sampling the sashimi canapés. Maybe I’m just too sensitive about fresh fish, but then I wouldn’t exactly call the fish they served fresh.

So I dispensed with the appetizers and proceeded to try some of their pork dumplings. I absolutely love it at Lotus Court (The Marco Polo’s Cantonese cuisine at the 3rd floor), you see. Another bust. It was a good thing that the lechon baka was really good.

On the whole, however, it was an enjoyable experience that left me with good vibes for PLDT.