For Miguel Miñana, it?s a job that calls for flair, precision and organization. ?The waiters are the first line of defense,? he says
IT?S A FEW DAYS BEFORE US State Secretary Hillary Clinton?s brief Philippine visit. But Miguel Miñana is nowhere near the bustle in Malacañang. He is elsewhere in the city, preparing instead a small corporate event for Pilipinas Shell at Manila Polo Club.

This isn?t typical for the man who has been directing technical and logistical aspects of all big dinners and events for visiting heads of states at the Palace since 2001. The three weeks in the lead-up to a state visit are usually the busiest days for him.

?Bettina said it will be a small dinner so they would take care of it,? he explains, referring to the Clinton function. Bettina is Malacañang Social Secretary Bettina Aboitiz.

Since Aboitiz hired him in 2001 for Britain?s Prince Andrew?s state visit, Miñana has been director for all state dinners and several major Palace events, including the Asean summit and US President George W. Bush?s state visit. He was also in charge in the weddings of the President?s two sons.

The beautiful culmination of a Malacañang affair is largely owed to Miñana?s running the show from behind the curtains.

?My job is to make sure, say, a dinner is very synchronized,? he says. ?That?s how the President wants it. As soon as a plate is taken out, the next one is placed. Sabay-sabay. There?s pomp and pageantry in the service.? Working closely with Aboitiz, ?I take over once the President steps into the hall,? Miñana says.

His task begins at planning and conceptualizing an event?the kind of entertainment, the mood?up to its execution. He trains the waiters, checking on their haircuts, posture, if the uniforms fit well. It sounds simple enough?but not when you?re working with over 500 of them at the same time.

?In any dinner, the waiters are the first line of defense. They?re the first entertainers,? he notes. The Asean Summit in Cebu and PICC in 2007 has been the most challenging, logistics-wise, so far, recalls Miñana. With 27 heads of states and over 500 guests, it was a choreographic nightmare.

?Two hundred and fifty-plus waiters with two plates each were [on the floor] at the same time. The other half were in the kitchen, waiting to serve the next course. Serving time took precisely seven minutes or the food got cold. Then there were 80 sommeliers, 27 butlers and 27 nutritionists since each head of state had his own [idiosyncrasies]. The kitchen traffic had to have zoning!?

Miñana started out as an advertising account executive in the ?80s. During the Aquino administration, he left the country for a year to work in the Philippine embassy in Washington where his granduncle was envoy. He would help his grandaunt put together the embassy dinners. For a time, he was also vice president of the Junior Friends of the CCP, and friends with the likes of Irene Marcos Araneta.

On his return from the US, he went back to advertising, handling liquor accounts that held launches at bars, at a time when advertising and PR were one and the same.

Events company

In 1990, he set up an events company that had Birch Tree and Nike as major clients. It thrived for 10 years until he and his business partner had a falling out. He quit the firm and set up his own, called ThemeWorks.

His first event in 2001 was the 25th anniversary party of his graduating class at La Salle Greenhills, which eventually led him to his first Malacañang gig. A former classmate was an assistant to the chief of staff of the President and referred Miñana to Aboitiz.

?Bettina doesn?t like clockwork operation and technical stuff so that?s what I do. It?s very easy to work with her; the President usually just asks what the food is. There?s no [red tape]. She gives Bettina free hand.?

Miñana has been careful to distinguish himself from ?the dime-a-dozen event orgs or those that are heavy into parties, debuts and other social events? For corporate clients, they know their place.? But for some individual clients, like for weddings, ?They feel like they own you!?

Then there are the few well-chosen private clients. He helmed the low-key and very private 50th birthday party of Jaime Augusto Zobel, which had a ?70s New York-Studio 54 theme.

And then there was the recent high-profile wedding of Sen. Mar Roxas to broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez, where he was head of the technical team and security.

Apart from some minor technical glitches and the occasional errant and nightmare client, Miñana proudly says there hasn?t been any major boo-boo in any event he has handled, least of all at Malacañang.

The Malacañang account must pay well? Contrary to what one may think, it doesn?t Miñana says.

?I always say, there are events that are food for the pocket, and events that are food for the soul. I just love my work and even now, I?m still learning.?