By Hannah L. Kapauan
Photo from St. Paul University Manila FB page
November 14, 2025. Ecolumina Events hosted the second day of their Paulympics convention. Held at Cafe Chez Nous, the seminar consisted of a Bartending Skills Workshop, with Mr. Mark de Jesus as the guest speaker and cocktail specialist.
The event started with the opening prayer, led by Dana Izabella Villeta, the singing of the National Anthem, and the opening remarks also given by Ms. Villeta.
At the start of the seminar, the event’s sponsors were announced. One of the sponsors, Dionysus, presented their products. Showcasing their sauces, syrups, and fruit mixes, Dionysus described their product goals, outlook for the future of their brand, and details about their products, raw materials, and authenticity.
The seminar, titled Sip Happens: Bartending Skills Workshop, was hosted by Mr. Mark de Jesus, a cocktail specialist who has years of experience in his profession.
Mr. de Jesus introduced the audience to the tools used in bartending, such as the types of shakers, jiggers, and bar spoons. A few participants were called to the front to participate in the actual demonstration of using these tools.
Afterwards, the audience was invited to sample types of base liquors, such as rum, tequila, whisky, and different types of gin. Mr. de Jesus and his fellow bartender guests also presented different cocktails for the audience to taste.
Towards the end of the seminar, the facilitator held a competition among six contestants. They competed in creating the best cocktail within five minutes. The competitors examined each ingredient from a wide array of choices and created their own unique twist for each cocktail.
At the end of the event, the hosts announced the winners of the Paulympics competition— for mystery box won by the team “Unbox duo”, the cookbook cover competition won by Gil Tionloc, the creative filipino dessert segment won by the team “Braderley”, the food photography segment won by the team, “Dr. kwek kwek”, They were presented with certificates of participation and awards. Mr. de Jesus was also given a certificate of recognition as guest speaker for the event.
As the festivities closed, the audience recited a prayer of gratitude led by Almeira Yzahbel Loreto. The event was prolonged for approximately two hours and ended at exactly 2:00 pm.
