People would think that having just passed the 10-year mark would mean resting on our laurels. However, 2023 was a year of growth and transformation at HGS. We welcomed new members to our team, and seized new exciting opportunities. Along the way, we never fail to appreciate the fantastic folks we work and collaborate with on the daily. Which is why it’s always a pleasure to host HGS’s annual Year-End Party.
We wanted to make this Year End Party (or YEP as we like to call it) extra special as it is the first Year End Party of HGS and HGS. Having HGS along for the ride to organise the YEP definitely gave us fresh and exciting ideas. It was exciting to work together and figure out how to best show our gratitude for the efforts and commitment of our teams. After all, they’re the ones who make each year excellent. So, we aimed to create a memorable night for every single one of them.
An Evening of Elegant Eccentricities at the Year End Party
We had quite the year of events from the Heart Race Fun Run to the return of HGS’s Sports Fest. Naturally, we’d want to round up the past twelve months of great events with something special.
This year was an homage to the cinematic stylings of director Wes Anderson, and his movie Moonrise Kingdom. The film talks about growing up like it’s an adventure, exciting yet unknown. But the important thing is that you pause to appreciate where you are, and the people around you. Hence, we titled the YEP for this year, Moonrise. It felt apt to hone in on this film after the wonderful ride of a year that we’ve had at HGS.
We held the event at the Marriott Grand Ballroom for Manila, and the Marco Polo Plaza for Cebu. Stepping into the venues rivalled the feel of a movie premiere. We had a red carpet that welcomed our guests in grandeur and splendour. A film crew alongside an interviewer who gushed at our teams’ outfits as they walked through the entrance. But the glitz and glamour of Hollywood lacked the heartwarming feeling of surrounding yourself with folks who make ordinary work days extraordinary.
As the curtains rose, we opened with the welcoming words from the President and CEO of HGS APAC, Pushkar Misra. “The event is called Moonrise, but it is you all who are making the evening so scintillating,” he says to the audience, “We want to dedicate this to all of you who have worked so hard in making this year super special.” Truly, the hard work in holding these events year after year is fueled by the passion of creating wonderful memories with our teams.
The Charming Icons of HGS
We wanted to celebrate the well-known creativity and ingenuity of our HGS teams from Cebu to Manila. Everyone showed off their flair and imagination with their costumes, which ranged from the scout uniforms from the Moonrise Kingdom to the berets inspired by The French Dispatch.
Our teams competed to be the Charming Icons of the Evening, where we voted for the best costume of the night. The competition was aesthetically fierce with everyone putting in a lot of effort and originality into their outfits. We saw a fabulous all-pink outfit take one of the wins in Cebu, and a mesmerising gown that transforms into a camping tent for Manila!
Raise the Curtains for the Dazzling Performers!
From monthly huddles to large-scale, company-wide performances, the HGS community always manages to steal the show. No stage is too small for our teams, so we made sure to find one with enough room for pizazz. Thematically titled The Rising Spectacle, we challenged our HGS teams to wow us with a jaw-dropping number.
The spirited performances took months to prepare for, and the costumes were even built from scratch! We couldn’t forget Cebu’s winner, Rise of the Whimsies, who gave us a show-stopping performance. Meanwhile, Manila’s choreography and props are some of the best we’ve seen yet! Our competition judges had qualifications that ranged from event personalities to professional dancers, but even they had a difficult time choosing who to crown!
We also had stunning guest performers such as Femme MNL, The Wonggoys, and Lola Amour!
The Curious Case of Excellence
A true highlight of the evening, however, was the presentation of different awards to our HGS teams. We’ve mentioned time and time again that the YEP is all about our HGS teams. Every event planned is a way to showcase our appreciation for their dedication in shaping HGS into what it is today.
Which is why we’re ecstatic to present the Best Huddle award to Twenty-Five Seven who consistently knocks it out of the park with their electrifying huddles. We also wanted to award the hosts who keep the energy afloat in every huddle they host. Our Best Huddle Host award went to Erica Gatmaitan and Julie Hernando, particularly for their dazzling command of the virtual room during our Pride huddles!
Lastly, it’s a humbling feeling to see the huge crowd that gathered in each of our YEPs. But, what humbled us most was hearing and seeing the 58 Service Awardees who were honoured during our Moonrise in Manila. It is indescribable to witness these folks step up on stage together, and signify HGS as a community that continues to grow, and continues to excel. Through their dedication and efforts, we cannot wait to see what the new year brings.
A Story of Passion, Excellence, and Camaraderie
With that, we’ll be signing off for the year. It’s been an exhilarating journey of turning points and milestones. We’re incredibly proud of the community we’ve built, they make every event that we throw worth the organisation and planning. We sincerely hope all of you had a fabulous time at your respective Year End Parties. Before the year ends, take your pictures and record your memories. It’s hard to relive a year as wonderful as this one through remembering alone.
As we move to 2024, we continue to uphold our tried and true traditions of community and fun. While company growth is amazing, we should never forget to let loose and have a great time with the folks who have made all of this growth possible. To quote the opening speech from HGS’s VP of Operations Paul Butalid, “Life has two truths: we never stop growing and we are never too old to have fun.”
You can check out our Facebook page for our Cebu and Manila year end party photos! That’s all for now, HGS. See you for the next one!
