Dusit X Emilia Sitjar Jewellery Charity Gala Gives Limelight to Arts, Fashion, and Culture for a Cause
A first of its kind, the Dusit Charity Gala is a night to remember for Davao and the Mindanao region. The two-day event commenced with an opening ceremony and the Dusit Masterclass on November 11th, followed by the Gala Night on November 12th at the Dusit Thani Grand Ballroom.
During the opening ceremony, Cluster DOSM Lannie Merilo expresses, “Today, we are blessed to be in the presence of four excellent people in their fields of expertise. The Dusit Charity Gala Masterclass is meant to inspire all individuals who have given ample interest in the jewellery and fashion industries.”
Emil Sitjar, in his talk, began with the pre-colonial history and its association to Filipinos’ fascination for jewellery. From the pre-Hispanic gold jewellery discovered in Mindanao to putting a religious context into them, the long love affair of Filipinos with jewellery has evolved. Delving into costume, fine, and hybrid jewellery types, the managing director of Emilia Sitjar emphasizes that jewellery is a good investment and remains to be an internationally accepted storage of value. He ends it with a gentle reminder that information, education and consultation is always available for those who wish to invest in this industry.
A fashion Designer with sincere passion for collaborating with local communities, Emi Englis discusses textiles as inspiration for identity innovation and enterprise in his session.
Patty Betita and Renee Salud collaborates on the last two sessions of the Dusit Masterclass with a sit-down interview. Patty, who was Binibining Pilipinas International 1991, has since built a career in conducting workshops for modeling and personality development. Through an interactive session, Patty has given samples and shared her pageant experiences from the audience’s questions. Key tips she imparted for a successful professional image were relevant especially for the student participants in the venue. These were: confidence in demeanor, competent skills, and consideration for others.
Renee Salud, in his interview, shared his humble beginnings -- shifting to fashion design as a career despite his expertise in architecture. A journey full of challenging encounters, he emphasizes that an “empire” is built of people who trusted him and how giving back is always important. “My style remains
to be classic, one that encompasses any trend,” and for Salud, this is why he has been in the industry this long. Home to many proteges and beauty queens, he and his fashion house take pride to hone the future designers of this generation.
From a fruitful Masterclass, the attention moves on to the Dusit Charity Gala night. With guests coming together for a night of fashion and goodwill, the overwhelming attendance made the night complete.
Dusit Hotels and Resorts General Manager Christoph Kuch, in his welcome speech, says, “It has been our vision to take Davao to the next level as it has a lot to offer. In our three years here, Dusit has been witness to milestones and celebrations. Tonight, we are making our own. I am proud to say that along with Emilia Sitjar Jewellery and DFDC, the Dusit Charity Gala will be a gamechanger, not just in the fashion industry but in helping communities.”
Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, who represented Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, delivered an inspiring message. “We are grateful that Dusit is doing this for SOS,” with emphasis on the post-pandemic effects of
With performances from the famous University of Mindanao Chorale, Dabawenya singer Maan Chua, and the Davao Maharlika Strings, the gala gave the spotlight to Mindanawon talents. Themed as Elements, the runway collections of the Davao Fashion and Design Council provided a visual spectacle to everyone’s delight.
Representing their chosen elements, Aztec Barba (Fire), Egay Ayag (Earth), Benjie Panizales (Water), and Emi Englis (Earth) were the first four to showcase their pieces.
The four-course Thai dinner prepared by Dusit Hotels & Resorts in Davao Executive Chef Piya Suthasiri and his culinary team were delivered with a waiter’s parade by the food & beverage team.
“Tonight, we're serving you a four-course contemporary Thai menu, taking inspiration from my experiences around the world,” said Chef Piya.
This was followed by the second batch of collections from Edgar Buyan (Fire), Bamba Limon (Earth), Windel Mira (Water), and Dodjie Batu (Earth). The collective curtain call was lauded by guests, who witnessed almost 80 pieces walk the runway.
On a separate runway show, with a line-up of muses from Davao’s influential set of women, Emilia Sitjar Jewellery’s A Springtime of Gratitude collection brought the sparkle into the gala night. Emil Sitjar made a heartwarming gesture to invite his mother, the matriarch of the brand - Emilia Sitjar – and shared the stage with her on the curtain call.
Together with Muzicskool’s trio, Gleetery, the children of SOS Children’s Village Philippines – Davao, performed a beautiful rendition of the song Imagine, as a gesture of thanks and appreciation to everyone who has shared the cause for children’s welfare.
A ceremonial turnover of the donation for the foundation happened afterward, with Village Director Leonilo Rivero, together with GM Christoph Kuch and Cluster DOSM Lannie Merilo.
The night ended with a shower of treats as raffle prizes were given away to the gala guests. Overnight stays in the different Dusit properties in the Philippines, gowns and barong gift certificates from DFDC, and a jewellery set from Emilia Sitjar Jewellery were on the list.
The event was hosted by Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2015 and Miss Intercontinental 1st runner-up Christi McGarry.
with the direction of Jackie Aquino’s JCA productions, and event styling by Annie Paz Lim Events.
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