In the refined world of art collecting, few things are more damaging than doubt.

For Popoy Cusi, authenticity is not a technical issue—it is a moral one.

These experiences shaped Cusi’s strongest advice to collectors and investors: authenticity must come directly from the artist—or, if the artist has passed, from their rightful heirs.

“Only the artist knows the work intimately,” the Philippines’ mastercolorist said. “Third-party authenticators may have credentials and experience, but they do not carry the lived memory, the intent, or the story behind each painting. That is why some fakes slip through.”

Cusi speaks from experience. Over the years, he has encountered forged works attributed to him—some polished enough to fool collectors across borders, others carrying certificates issued by so-called experts.

For him, the solution is clear: Heirs inherit not just property, but responsibility.

Cusi said heirs inherit not just artworks, but the artist’s legacy—making them the most legitimate custodians of authenticity.

“This protects collectors from fraud and preserves the integrity of an artist’s body of work. It is about preserving truth in art,” he said.

Despite repeated requests from galleries and auction houses—some offering fees in exchange for Certificates of Authenticity or valuations, Cusi has remained firm.

“Issuing a COA for a fake would set a dangerous precedent,” he said. “I know my work. If it is not mine, I will never authenticate it.”

For diplomats and collectors accustomed to provenance, lineage, and historical record, Cusi’s message lands with clarity: in art, credibility cannot be outsourced. It must be lived.

At 78, the Philippines’ one and only Master Watercolorist, Popoy Cusi, still wakes up each day with a paintbrush in hand and ideas overflowing in his mind. When he recently realized he is just two years away from turning 80, he laughed in disbelief. After all, age has done little to slow him down. He began painting at the age of ten, and nearly seven decades later, he continues to find inspiration in the world around him, a proof that creativity, for him, is a lifelong companion.

Over a post-birthday lunch at one of his favorite restaurants, Popoy was quick to make a distinction about who he is. “I’m not a painter, but an artist,” he said—a statement that at first sounded like semantics. It wasn’t until he explained further that I fully understood his point.

He elaborates by saying, “It is easy to become a painter, and it’s difficult to be an artist. And as an artist, if I paint figuratively, I don’t paint pictures—I paint characters.” Those words capture not only Popoy’s depth as a creator but also his lifelong pursuit of truth and emotion in art.

For Popoy, a painter creates to please others, while an artist creates out of love. It’s a philosophy that has guided his vocation and shaped his identity. “Even if not a single piece of my painting is ever sold, I am still happy and proud,” he shared. “Because I know that when my time comes to leave this world, I will feel fulfilled knowing my home filled with my ‘works of heart,’ paintings born from passion rather than profit will remain.”

In his words, his house would be a gold mine, not of money, but of meaning—and filled with artworks that are not commercially available or sold in galleries.

Widely regarded as the Philippines’ Master Watercolorist, Popoy Cusi takes pride in being a pioneer of his craft. His mastery of the medium, combined with unwavering dedication and unhampered creativity, has earned him admiration both locally and abroad. He has also been recognized twice in the Who’s Who in International Art (Les Grands et Nouveaux Noms du Monde Artistique d’Aujourd’hui) in Switzerland—a testament to his international acclaim.

“While the majority of my works of heart are in watercolor, throughout my life as an artist, I’ve explored all kinds of media—pencil, charcoal, pen, oil, and acrylic,” Popoy muses. “For collectors of my work here and abroad, my acrylic and oil paintings are considered ‘ultra-rare.’ But for me, they are simply works of heart. As I approach my 80th birthday, I continue to pray to God to grant me the same zest and vibrancy of mind, a steady hand, and good health.”

He elaborates further, “It is easy to become a painter, and it’s difficult to be an artist. And as an artist, if I paint figuratively, I don’t paint pictures—I paint characters.” Those words capture not only Popoy’s depth as a creator but also his lifelong pursuit of truth and emotion in art.

After nearly eight decades of celebrating the gift of life and seven decades of God-given talent, Popoy Cusi continues to make waves on canvas and in life. His colors remain as vivid as ever, and his spirit just as bold, an enduring reminder that true artistry knows no age.

Happiest birthday, my dear friend, Master Popoy Cusi.

Following the injury of Filipino soldiers in China’s latest aggression in the West Philippine Sea, the United Kingdom has reiterated its support of Philippine sovereignty and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At the King’s Birthday celebration on Tuesday, Ambassador Laure Beaufils said: “We as the UK continue to stand with the Philippines in support of its sovereignty. And today, as ever we do, emphasizing the critical importance of international law, and in particular UNCLOS as the governing framework for all the activities that people should participate in, and condemning actions that undermine navigational freedoms, challenge international law, and do so.”

The ambassador also drew parallels between the recent Philippine Independence Day celebration and the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, where King Charles III spoke.

King Charles III “spoke of the sacrifices made by previous generations for our liberty and reminded us that free nations must come together to oppose tyranny…I was struck by the parallels in language and values. Be it in the Philippines or in the UK, the bravery and sacrifice of our fallen heroes resonates today as much as they did in the past. And we cherish our independence, freedom, and sovereignty today as much as we did then,” she said.

The ambassador took the occasion to introduce the new monarch to Filipinos including his advocacy for the environment.

“The King is steeped in experience and public service—a modern King with a strong vision and a passion for the youth, community, diversity, the environment, multi-religious, multi-cultural communities, and indeed the multicultural and multi-religious consequences,” Ambassador Beaufils said.

“The King’s most well-known passion, of course, is that of environmental sustainability. He was advocating concepts such as the circular economy and natural capital years before they captured the public’s imagination. He remained the global champion for environmental sustainability across the world,” she added.

The ambassador was most applauded when she welcomed the guests to the reception in Tagalog.

“Natutuwa akong tanggapin kayo dito ngayong gabi. Ito ay isang napakahalagang okasyon para sa amin. Natutuwa akong ipagdiwang ang kaarawan ng aming hari kasama ang aming mga Pinoy na kaibigan,” she said.

Ambassador Beaufils also explained why there is a June 18 birthday celebration for the British king when his actual birthday falls on November 14.

“This year we are going back to tradition, a tradition started by George II in 1748, upholding the monarch’s official birthday in June. With a November birthday being too cold for a celebratory parade in London, he tied his celebrations with the annual Trooping the Colour military parade in June. And so it is again, 276 years later. Today we are here to honour our King,” she said.

George II was also a November baby. He was born on November 9, 1683.

In a recent joint interview with UK Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils and BCCP Executive Director/Trustee Chris Nelson, both remain optimistic on the economic opportunities through exploring partnerships that are beneficial to both countries. As noted by Beaufils, current geopolitical tensions affecting global trade further opens the potential for collaboration in diversifying the economy. Meanwhile, Nelson also highlighted the British Chamber’s efforts in partnering with the government and the private sector to leverage the opportunities available to foreign investors.

Nelson reiterated the significance of certain key legislation and government’s initiatives on the ease of doing business, he stated, “If I look at the Philippine-UK trade, it’s at an all-time high–we are up to almost £3 billion. I think that actually shows a very robust level. Now in terms of pitfalls, again I’d be very specific to the Philippines, what we are constantly pushing for along with other business groups and the government itself, is to improve the ease of doing business and to further remove economic barriers.”

The British Chamber has been actively working with the Anti-Red Tape Authority and eyes on signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 25 March 2024 to strengthen its commitment to collaborating with the government in providing a conducive business environment through streamlining business processes to attract strategic investments. Nelson emphasized other key priorities including the passage of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act–with the UK and the Philippines both having a strong agricultural sector, which is crucial in fighting against inflation and promoting fair market practices that protect the local farmers and consumers.

Further echoing President Marcos’ key legislation priorities, the British Chamber also supports the passage of the Cybersecurity Act to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure and resilience, noting the potential to collaborate with the UK as one of the key major actors in cybersecurity excellence. Lastly, Nelson encouraged businesses to explore investment partnerships between the UK through the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) and the recent participation of the Philippines to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in driving the country as an investment destination in the region.

Musing on the keynote speech of British Ambassador to the Philippines, Her Excellency Laure Beaufils who gladly shared the growing bilateral relations of the United Kingdom and the Philippines at impressive 2.9 billion pounds a year and with a lot of exciting development are happening.

The overall business climate in the Philippines is “warm, growing, and friendly” for UK investors, according to the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) Executive Director and Trustee Chris Nelson.

Speaking with THEPHILBIZNEWS, Nelson reiterated that BritCham is committed to promoting the Philippines as an investment destination and continue to collaborate with various government agencies. With collective efforts to entice more British businesses and brands into the country, a myriad of activities were spearheaded by BritCham depicting its true commitment to being the voice of the British business community in the country. 

“We want to increase foreign direct investment (FDI). [In order to do that], we need to keep pushing on certain areas we want for the economy to open up further. We want to see an improvement and ease of doing business. And if that comes through, then we’ll see more investments,” Nelson said.

For instance, the largest UK gaming chairs brand, BraZen Gaming Chairs, event was successfully launched this year. Aside from the niche-targeted esports industry business service, BritCham also discloses that the UK pork exports has grown massively — which proved how the Philippines serves as a key player in Asia, after China, respectively. In partnership with Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), BritCham links the UK exporters and local importers with the same advocacy of food security. This was highlighted during the UK’s Business Mission Trip: The Great Yorkshire Show (July) and Philippines’ World Food Expo 2023 (August). Ultimately, British pork’s competitive edge is seen with high quality safety standards and free-range production that any meat importer or consumer can trust.

Aside from enjoying a delightful nosh or heavy sumptuous meal, there’s more to discover with the UK’s posh culture. BritCham’s calendar is filled with exciting activities that are in line for next year, from trade missions to the spotlight of UK-Philippine excellence through the Great British Festival. 

“We’re discussing dates with the embassy. The plan is to have the Great British Festival — it might be towards the end of 2024, rather than the beginning.” Nelson also shared a little bit of flavor to the ‘tea’ that the upcoming GBF may also coincide with UK-Philippines Friendship Day. 

Stay tuned for copious updates regarding the Great British Festival’s alluring return in 2024, and expect another spectacular cultural extravaganza that promises to be not only delightful but spicier than the Spice Girls themselves. Get ready to embark on a journey of UK-Phl ties in fusion celebration, where the richness of British culture meets and exchanges with the warmth of Filipino hospitality.

Ambassadors from around the world reiterated their support for media freedom in the Philippines, noting that it is the foundation of democracy.

At the Second Embassy Night of the THEPHILBIZNEWS Embassy Night in Hotel Okura Manila recently, Ambassador Jana Sediva of the Czech Republic said, “Media freedom is super important, and…I can say that you can rely on all embassies from European Union, that we will definitely do everything to support media, freedom of media, in this country.”

In her speech, Ambassador Sediva, whose term in the Philippines is ending soon, congratulated THEPHILBIZNEWS head Monsi Serrano for upholding truth and fighting disinformation.

“I would like to…express my special thanks to my dear friend, Monsi Serrano, and all his colleagues from THEPHILBIZNEWS because what they do for this country and also for us or diplomatic communities is super important…I would like to express my thanks to him, and [the] commitment of the Czech embassy to be on his side always,” Ambassador Sediva said.

On the other hand, Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel of Germany echoed Ambassador Sediva’s sentiment and told her story as a new envoy in the country.

“I would like to thank Monsi Serrano for organizing tonight’s event and for his friendship…Very soon after my arrival in the Philippines, almost four years ago, Monsi attended a concert at my residence and right on the spot, we set up my very first interview in this country,” she said.

“Only a few weeks later, Monsi almost made me eat balut. But only almost, I haven’t eaten ever, and I think I won’t ever. But Monsi is much more than a personal friend. He is a professional and reliable journalist and media personality,” Ambassador Reiffenstuel shared.

Germany’s chief diplomat commended journalists in the Philippines for providing objective and reliable information in a professional manner, as they are the Filipino people’s primary source of information.

“This highly important role and function as a journalist is constantly being challenged. Fake news and disinformation are gaining ground worldwide, especially but not only in social media. And what we currently see the Russian narrative on its aggressive invasion on Ukraine is just one example for this. Together, we have to counter such developments,” Ambassador Reiffenstuel said.

Belgian Ambassador Michel Parys shared the embassy’s commitment to protect the journalists and defend freedom of the press in the country.

“Belgium remains committed to different human rights, including women’s rights, children rights, LGBTs rights, during the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines. Belgium gives recommendation to protect the life of journalists to press freedom and to protect the life of human rights defenders and I was very glad that the Philippines accepted this recommendation,” Ambassador Parys said.

For her part, British Ambassador Laures Beaufils stressed the “fundamental importance of media in this country, as in every other country.”

“[Media] is a pillar of democracy and we celebrate that and we will continue to forever champion media freedom here in the Philippines. It is one of our priorities. And you can you have my commitment that this will remain the case,” Ambassador Beaufils said.

In the same event at Hotel Okura Manila, THEPHILBIZNEWS’s Monsi Alfonso Serrano emphasized the role of independent media outfits in promoting cross-border bonds in business, culture, education, and friendship around the world.

“Our media company may not be well-known, but we are proud to have a big vision and mission. We believe in the 4Ps—Purpose, Public Service, People above Profit,” Serrano said.

THEPHILBIZNEWS is finishing its documentary video on the war in Ukraine, and Serrano thanked the embassies of the Czech Republic and Poland for supporting him and his team on the project.

Watch the trailer:

Serrano also thanked the foreign embassies for their statements condemning the murder of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid.

“On media welfare, the embassies have been very supportive of us, valuing the freedom of the press. Case in point, [in] the murder of Percy Lapid, the embassies of Canada, France, US, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and even Ambassador Koshikawa [Kazuhiko of Japan] issued their statement condemning this brutal and cowardly act to scare journalists in the Philippines,” Serrano said.

THEPHILBIZNEWS head highlighted the company’s mission: “To be every Filipino’s preferred source of factual information wherever they are in the world remains. We commit to further promoting investments and people-to-people understanding,” he said.

May 4, was World Press Freedom Day.