Cheers, Dad!

Dad spent most of his professional career in San Miguel Corporation.

Growing up, we always had San Miguel products in our fridge. It was always teeming with Coke, Royal Tru Orange, Magnolia Ice Cream, Magnolia Chicken, among others.

Some weekends, Dad would bring us along with him to Polo Brewery where Biboy and I would camp out at the kitchen in the 1521 Center to drink all the Choco Vim we wanted.

Summertimes, I'd be tagging along with him when he travelled around the Philippines for "Balikbanda." This is where I got to meet Pinoy music icons like Sampaguita, Florante, and that's how Bert "Tawa" Marcelo became my honorary ninong.

When there's a birthday in the family, we'd drive to the Magnolia plant in Aurora and he'd order the iconic Magnolia Ice Cream cake with flowers and fruits as topping. One time, I rode the conveyor belt that delivers the products from the freezer to the customer. Of course, I got scolded for that.

Then, as an adult, he convinced me to try working in SMC. He told me to send my CV to his friend, Ric, and in a matter of weeks, I was part of the Corporate Affairs Office - the same office where he worked for decades.

Funnily, some of the staff under me where Dad's staff, too. And they'd joke how they feel like they've gone full circle because they have 2 generations of Morales men supervising them.

And because of those many San Miguel stories, let me raise this virtual San Miguel Beer to greet Dad a Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Dad! And to Kuya Marv, Biboy, Jul, Carl, Ray, and Bob, too!