From left to right: Kim Atienza, Iza Calzado, Patrick Garcia, Noel Ferrer, and Rico Hizon | PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED
We talk about our assessment of the past year, our victories and the lessons we’ve learned,” said Noel Ferrer as a way to explain why he and the 34 artists whose careers he manages would gather over dinner each year in December and celebrate.
“We share and manifest our hopes for the new year, as well,” Noel told Inquirer Entertainment, which was given access to the private gathering this year at the home of TV host Kim Atienza in Malate, Manila. “In the past, I would attend parties of my talents’ families until the pandemic happened. Then, we had a Zoom party to celebrate our victories despite COVID-19, hoping that after the pandemic is over, we could do a face-to-face gathering, which happened last year.”
Noel said it has since become a tradition to celebrate Thanksgiving at Atienza’s place, “and the Christmas/New Year gathering at Rico Hizon’s place in Forbes. Despite everyone’s busy schedule, we really set dates for these gatherings,” continued Noel, who is also a show biz columnist, talk show host and, currently, the spokesperson of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival.
“Things just got so crazy busy this year that we shall have our belated holiday gathering at Rico’s in time for the Chinese New Year. We shall also celebrate Rico who just won as best factual presenter at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. Usually if it happens in his place, the Pinoy Chan-ta Claus, Jose Mari Chan, joins us,” added Noel, who also celebrated his birthday that day.
This year, though, Team Noel welcomed new members to its family, namely actor Patrick Garcia, thespian Phi Palmos, and singer-actor Mike Shimamoto. “They just slipped in the group with much ease and fun,” said Noel, who also manages celebrities Ryan Agoncillo, Iza Calzado, Joanna Ampil, Joross Gamboa, Atom Araullo, Arman Ferrer and Joaquin Valdes, among others.
Incidentally, Noel produced a children’s storybook this year titled “Ang Pinakamahabang Pasko: The Philippine Christmas From A to Z,” written by Cyan Abad-Jugo, illustrated by Laarni de Leon, and published by Andrea Pasion Flores under Milflores Books. Movement
“I wanted to start the Christmas Every Day movement. I teamed up and will continue to collaborate with the best artists and dear friends like them, who can take us along as we explore a tested secret to deep joy and fulfillment,” said Noel of the project that was launched Dec. 12 at the Arete in Ateneo de Manila University.
Their game plan? “We want all of us to experience Christmas every day,” he declared. “We’re not here to goad everyone to simply shop and drop, blowing away all our hard-earned savings. Instead , we want everyone to reckon with life’s teeming surprising and unexpected gifts. These are gifts that we can freely receive and give, gifts that we can make and hand over to others, gifts that we can fiercely wish for while living to create their well-earned space in the nest of our hearts.”
“Ang Pinakamahabang Pasko” is about a kid looking for the meaning of Christmas through its various manifestations. He goes through the ABCs of Christmas in the Philippines and makes a promise with his family that Christmas should be observed every day.
For Noel, the book is a reminder that “Christmas should be celebrated, observed and lived out every day; and Christmas, like the book, is always a promise that things can get better.” INQ