­­­Monica Urquijo, Sandra Soriano, and Jam Acuzar work in different fields, but share many interests. Though they have spent a substantial amount of time abroad, these young cosmopolitan women have always felt deeply connected to their Filipino roots. Being cousins, Urquijo and Soriano have known each other for years. When Urquijo moved to London, Soriano found herself grateful for the company. “Because she lives close by, I would run into her quite often,” she says of her younger relative. “When you’ve been living abroad on your own for quite some time, it’s really nice to have family in the area.” Urquijo is equallypleased to be able to spend time with her cousin. “We eat quite a lot,” she admits. “Sandra and I like to meet up at restaurants to try new things. She cooks really well, too—I’m still waiting for her to feed me.” Soriano met Acuzar through common friends in the art industry. “Despite not having really studied art, I’ve always been quite fond of it,” says Soriano. “My interest in it led me to meet Jam, who I am now so close to. I find her knowledge of art so wonderful; it’s nice to have friends who help educate you on things you don’t know much about.”

Acuzar, in turn, says she admires Soriano for her curiosity and love for adventure. Of Urquijo, she says, “What instantly drew me to her is her incredible spirit and creative prowess.” Urquijo cites a shared love of art as the reason she bonded so quickly with Acuzar. “It’s really nice to be able to forge strong relationships with these girls because they’re both a bit older than I am,” she adds.

Monica Urquijo

She spent her early years here in the Philippines. Some of her fondest memories are of the time she spent in Bohol, where her mother Bea Zobel Jnr had been working some years ago. “I was often there during the weekends,” Urquijo says. “It was great because I got to explore the islands and travel around the Philippines. It was a fantastic way to really immerse myself into the Filipino culture.” This was also how she learnt to speak Filipino. It is admirable to see how proud this young lady is of her culture. When she represented the Philippines at Le Bal des Debutantes, she wore a gown by Filipina designer Monique Lhuillier. 

Growing up, she was highly interested in exploring her burgeoning creativity. “I always tried to have a lot of small projects for myself,” she says. “Even back then, it was so important to me that I keep myself busy and entertained.” She encourages those who are interested in exploring different ventures to have a similar mindset. “If you’re interested in something, try to learn more about it,” she says. “I get so frustrated when people say they love something, and then don’t do anything about it. If you fail the first time, it’s okay to get up and try again.” 

Urquijo is currently having the time of her life in London. She just graduated from Goldsmiths University of London with a degree in Media and Communications, and has found an exciting job as a writer and photographer at Love Magazine. “I’m always all over the place,” she says happily. “This kind of job requires me to attend concerts, festivals, and exhibitions, all of which I absolutely love. I haven’t had much time to myself since I started working—I work late hours—but all of this is more than I could ever ask for.” She is set to spearhead a project of her own for the publication, which she plans to dive straight into upon her return. 

Sandra Soriano

Soriano has been living in London for the past six years, but is set t o spend more time here in the Philippines due to her involvement with her father ’s business. She left the Philippines when she w as 13, attended boarding school and university in the United States, and got her master’s degree in Food Policy in London some time after. Before moving to food-related initiatives, she did some work in advertising and film financing. 

Growing up, Soriano was a sickly child. This enabled her to become more conscious of the effect of what she was eating on her well-being. “That was what sparked my interest,” she says. “The projects I choose to take on basically tackle how the environment and public health intersect with what we eat.” She now works as a food consultant, taking part in initiatives such as an edible schoolyard project and an urban farming project. These days, she works with her father on projects for his dairy farm in Laguna. “Eventually, I want to do more work with the coconut and its properties,” she says. “I’m trying to help my father develop and launch a local brand of coconut-based beauty products.”

Aside from her work in agriculture, Soriano is gathering opportunities to explore her creative side. “I never really saw myself as a creative person before,” she says. “I’ve done all kinds of things, but I’m still experimenting. It wasn’t until much later that I got to know what I really wanted to do, so I think it’s okay to keep trying until you find what gets you excited and inspired.” 

Jam Acuzar

The daughter of New San Jose Builders Inc (NSJBI) chairman Jose L. Acuzar was born and raised in the Philippines. Acuzar later moved away to finish her final school years in England and attended the AmericanUniversity of Paris, where she took up Art History and Economics. While abroad, Acuzar worked in different fields in the creative industry. She interned at auction houses, worked under art dealers, and even did some stints in the fashion industry. “I was very curious about fashion, and how it is a democratised art form,” she recalls. “I always found that particular industry more accessible and less intimidating than art. This led to my interest in helping widen the local art audiencea nd making it more engaging and inclusive rather than exclusive to the elite.” 

While Acuzar was finishing her studies in Paris, her father started the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar venture as a passion project. Her father would often seek her opinion on art-historical matters, and they would bounce ideas off of each other. She later moved back home when her father asked that she work with him to learn the ropes of the family business. “Coming from the creative industry, a real estate corporation was a scary venture for me,” says Acuzar. “There were so many new things I had to learn. Fortunately, my father and the NSJBI team are excellent mentors. That, added with the experience I had in the creative field, gave me a unique approach to the business.” 

Acuzar found her niche when she, with the help of her family and friends in the art industry, decided to turn Casa Quiapo (formerly the Enriquez Mansion) into an art space. The house itself had been the first fine arts school established in the country, called Escuela de Bellas Artes. Later, it became UP’s first School of Fine Arts campus, boasting notable alumni such as Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, and Jose Rizal. “This house has a very rich and paradoxical history,” says Acuzar. “When the UP Fine Arts campus moved to a new building, the neighbourhood of Quiapo was abandoned by its wealthy inhabitants; the spaces in the mansion were transformed into a bowling alley, brothel, and abortion clinic. When we took over, it was being inhabited by informal settlers.” They were able to restore it to its former glory, and had it re-inaugurated as Escuela de Bellas Artes, home to Acuzar’s art foundation, Bellas Artes Projects. “What we’re doing now is working with some of the best artists from the local and international art scene in collaboration with the Las Casas Filipinas artisans to produce art projects that engage the community,” she adds. “We are proud to have been able to give the house back to art.” 

Photography: Ava Pessina | Clothes and accessories: LCP and Lanai | Location: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar | Set design: Tipping Point Collective | Floral arrangement: Lanai | Make-up: Ria Aquino, Jorence Delimos, and Angel Manghilot | Hair: Jan Edrosolan and Mong Amado

Read more about the friendship of these three glamorous ladies in the latest edition of Philippine Tatler, available in all leading newsstands and bookstores. Download a copy on your digital device via Magzter, Zinio, and PressReader.