Lex Tupas marks birthday with intimate Italian feast

A cold, breezy Iloilo evening set the mood for an intimate gathering where warm Italian comfort food, easy conversation, and a close circle of friends took center stage.

Society doyenne Dr. Putli Fuerte hosted the post-birthday dinner for former Iloilo City Councilor Nielex “Lex” Tupas at Italianni’s in SM City Iloilo, choosing a setting that kept the celebration polished without losing its relaxed, convivial spirit.

Tupas, now first vice president and head of corporate affairs and community relations at BDO Network Bank, spent the evening with family and friends rather than amid the scale and formality often associated with society occasions.

At his side were his wife, Dr. Candice Tupas, and their daughter, Alexie, giving the gathering a distinctly personal note beneath its social sheen.

Fuerte was joined in hosting duties by her daughter, Dr. Sarah Justine Fuerte, whose presence added to the family-centered warmth of the dinner.

The table itself did much of the entertaining, beginning with Italianni’s familiar house-baked Tuscan and focaccia breads served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

From there came the generous Italian-American comfort dishes suited to a table meant for sharing, including truffle cream spaghetti, classic pasta selections, and stone-baked pizzas passed around between conversation and laughter.

The setting was fitting for a celebration built more on companionship than spectacle, with the restaurant’s casual Italian-American character providing an easy backdrop for a guest list drawn from Tupas’ family, longtime friends, and Iloilo social circle.

Among those joining the celebrant were Amelia Joy dela Cruz and Ria Cordero, who mingled with the hosts and other guests during the evening.

The dinner carried an added sense of novelty because Italianni’s only arrived in Iloilo earlier this year, opening at SM City Iloilo as The Bistro Group expanded its dining brands into Panay.

For Tupas, however, the occasion was less about the new venue than the familiar faces gathered around the table.

The evening’s most playful moment came when the Italianni’s crew gathered around the celebrant to sing “Happy Birthday” as a cake from Putli and Sarah Justine Fuerte was brought out for the traditional candle-blowing.

It was a fittingly unfussy centerpiece for a dinner that had resisted excess from the start.

Tupas, whose career has moved from three terms on the Iloilo City Council to senior leadership in banking, appeared perfectly at ease in the more personal role of husband, father, friend, and birthday celebrant.

With plates cleared and the birthday song finished, what lingered was not the formality of a hosted occasion, but the ease of friendship around a shared table — proof that the most stylish celebrations often succeed by knowing exactly when to keep things intimate.