Beloved beauty brand Estée Lauder continues its mission this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, hosting its charity gala, the Pink Ball. Since the company’s launch in 1992, Estée Lauder has been committed to helping create a breast cancer-free world for all by funding millions of dollars' worth of lifesaving global research, education and medical services. I’m honored to join their campaign again at the gorgeous Shangri-La The Fort. A big cause means a big event, with big names present as well! Everyone was united in wearing the powerful color pink.

And we can’t forget about the big-ticket items and their even bigger bids. The ball featured a live auction of highly coveted products and services, all donated by Estée Lauder’s partners. Some that caught my attention were 10-12mm Semi-Baroque Gold Pearls from Jewelmer, a portrait session with world-class photographer BJ Pascual and vacation packages from Shangri-La, Philippine Airlines and more. I wasn’t as lucky as my friends, Mache Torres and Roberto Alvarez Jr., though they were able to win with their bids. Congratulations to you both!

With everyone’s contributions, we raised P9.65 million, going beyond Estée Lauder’s expectations! This year, their local arm will support the expansion of a free breast cancer screening program for underserved communities in Metro Manila, led by St. Luke’s Medical Center Foundation. What a difference this will make.

Needless to say, we earned the right to celebrate! Estée Lauder invited world-class talent to perform live for us, and we capped the night off feeling “Beautifully United to Help End Breast Cancer” — aligned with this year’s theme. Congratulations to the entire Estée Lauder team, its partners and all the winners. Looking forward to the next event. You can always count on me to get a table. Cheers!