George Ty is a Filipino-Chinese finance tycoon. He founded Metropolitan Bank and Trust, currently the largest bank in terms of Assets and Capital in the Philippines. He also has stakes in the Bank of the Philippine Islands and Philippine Savings Bank, a Metrobank subsidiary.
Banker-turned-hotelier George Ty
There is no better flag waver for all things to do with Cebu than President Gloria Magapagal-Arroyo. And there she was again in glowing form last Thursday at the official opening of the newest addition to Cebu City’s skyline the white washed Marco Polo Plaza that will add much needed upscale hospitality muscle to the Queen City of the South that is seeing resurgence in tourism activity.
Actually “newest addition” is not entirely correct. This is the erstwhile famous Cebu Plaza Hotel that, for reasons that go into the realm of litigation, has been shut for business for over a decade. But even in its reduced circumstances the stately edifice towering over Nivel Hills continued to be a distinct landmark.
But now spruced up and ablaze in lights by night, the Grande Dame is back to her dazzling best, albeit with a foreign makeover—thanks to Metrobank Bank chairman (and now hotelier) George Ty and the bank’s property arm, Federal Land, where dapper scion Alfred Ty is president.
Together they have formed Asia Pacific Top Management (APTM)—with Reynaldo Villar as its president—which will be the hotel management company of Federal Land. And as junior taipan Alfred proudly announced at the inauguration, this is the first of what he hopes will be several hotels the group will build and operate in the years ahead.
One of the prize catches of APTM is bringing on board as a director and consultant Art Lopez, the renowned hotelier who has made an impressive mark on the international hotel circuit having been the first Filipino ever to both open and manage five-star hotels abroad. Currently Lopez is also involved in setting up hotel projects in China, Palau and the New Zealand principality of Cook’s Island.
Incidentally, the Marco Polo Plaza—with seasoned Swiss hotel manager Hans Hauri as its opening general manager—is the Hong Kong-based Marco Polo Group’s second hotel in the Philippines. It also manages the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao.
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Also present at the opening rites was that most effective drumbeater for the manifold tourist attractions that the Philippines has to offer—Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.
Such is the zeal with which Durano promotes the country at home and abroad that listening to him in full flow one is justifiably convinced that God made the world in six days, and then devoted the seventh day entirely to the Philippines.
Though a proud native son of Cebu, Durano nevertheless takes an unfailingly broad view of tourism in this country. But no one would have begrudged the wide smile he displayed at the opening of the Marco Polo Plaza as 329 new rooms were added to the tourism quotient of his beloved hometown.
The President’s trusted travel companions from her official family who always appear to be with her when she ventures out of town are Malacañang Chief of Staff (and former House “Spice Boy”) Mike Defensor and Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila.
Both were with her in Cebu for the opening of the Marco Polo Plaza, with Defensor—in chic colorful barong polo—appearing remarkably laid-back considering the stresses and stains he must be under in his new and even spicier role at the Palace.
Looking equally cool and suave was DTI Secretary Favila, who has come a long way since those halcyon days in Hong Kong when he was the popular PNB boss over there and used to enjoy patronizing the famed curry houses of the then Crown Colony.
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