Creature Comforts

JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA Manila’s top man
Roberto L. Panlilio has traveled extensively, and
only follows a simple rule of thumb: be comfortable

I basically overlook all the businesses JP Morgan is interested in, from commercial to investment banking activities,” explains Roberto L. Panlilio. The managing director and senior country officer of JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA Manila used to live out of a suitcase roughly four days a week. These days, his feet are firmly settled on Manila soil. “I actually retired from the firm a year ago.
I rejoined because there’s an emergence of investment confidence with the improvement in our currency,” he says, clearly excited. Recalling his days when he was assigned overseas and did a fair amount of traveling, he quips, “That was quite a life.” Here, he sounds off on his business travel tips and favorites.
What airline would you recommend for business travel?
There are brands where you can expect a certain level of service and you won’t be disappointed. I prefer the Asian airlines, specifically Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines. Philippine Airlines is still the
most convenient to get to the US west coast.

Is there an airport service you like?
Cathay Pacific’s lounge in Hong Kong is nice. I like the noodle bar—the whole experience of the chefs cooking it there (laughs). Singapore Airlines’ lounge in Changi Airport is also good.

In hotels, are there any special amenities for the business traveler that you like?
I think most hotels’ business centers are quite efficient and complete. I have no complaints. I also like comfortable beds (laughs). The best ones are very firm but with an upper layer of down. I believe the Four
Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton have them.

What packing tips can you give when traveling for business?
It’s a lot easier for men. Try not to pack barongs (traditional Filipino formal garment for men) because they
wrinkle easily. I like to be comfortable. I normally pack white polo shirts, different colored ties, a jacket, put it all in a carryon, and I’m set. Since airlines restrict the amount of liquids one can bring, I just get my toiletries from the hotels I stay in!

Well, you’re certainly different from other businessmen who immediately whip out their briefcase or laptops and start working once the plane’s airborne.
Sometimes I’ll bring my iPod for music, and I bring my two mobile phones. But I don’t even bring a laptop.

Can you recommend any restaurants for business lunches or dinners?
In Singapore, there are these small, sometimes familyowned restaurants that are extremely good. They are not big chains nor are they hole-in-the-wall diners. They’re first class and very, very exclusive.

What gadgets do you always travel with?
A laptop, a basic mobile phone, and a Blackberry. Just carrying a Blackberry, it seems you’re completely wired—it’s become indispensable. I really like the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones—it removes background noise, and with some music you can relax.

What was a memorable business trip?
Once I was at an IMF World Bank meeting in Prague, when it was still not that popular. Tom Cruise hadn’t made Mission Impossible yet (laughs). It was a nice, quiet place, a beautiful city. Fall was just starting, so it was around September or October.

I, along with several colleagues spent a couple of days there. We had dinner in the family-owned hotel of our van’s driver, about two hours away from Prague. The hotel is over 100 years old, and Jose Rizal lived in that very hotel when he practiced medicine. There is a bust of Rizal in the hotel and it still sits there. In this quaint village, it was an opportunity to meet foreigners who revered our hero. They seemed to know more about Rizal than we did!