By Eileen Mencias

Business emails don’t usually end with “Cheers, darling”—especially not in pink and purple fonts.

But over the weekend, someone claiming to be the executive director of ASEAN BAC Philippines did just that in emails sent from a Gmail account, raising eyebrows over the message’s tone and lack of professionalism.

When asked why he was using a Gmail account, the man said he was just a week into the job and that his official email was still being set up.

However, a former officemate said he has since messaged contacts claiming he is now the group’s Deputy Director.

The man, a longtime staffer of the Makati Business Club (MBC), was asked to resign last year after MBC discovered he had used company resources for personal travel.

A billing statement from their travel agency had triggered a deeper audit.

In an interview with Bilyonaryo.com, he claimed he had “retired” from MBC after 20 years. He did not respond to questions about the unauthorized trips. A source said MBC still gave him retirement pay as a goodwill gesture.

Even before officially leaving MBC, he had taken on side work with the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands, which he joined as executive director earlier this year. By April, he was out.

The Chamber released a public notice on April 2 stating he was no longer connected as of March 26, 2025, and warned the public that any transactions he made would not be honored. His removal came just weeks before the Chamber’s 139th founding anniversary and a month ahead of its book launch.

Asked about his ouster, he brushed it off, saying the Chamber was “not a good fit” and that they had “different goals.” He downplayed the public notice, calling it standard.

The Philippines is set to host ASEAN next year, and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council will be busy organizing high-level events—with major sponsorship deals likely on the table.