Tatler Philippines – January 2026

Summary

Mikee Romero, businessman and polo patron, photographed at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Buenos Aires, anchors Tatler Philippines January 2026 with a 16-page polo portfolio spanning his Argentine estancia visits, his family's horse-breeding operation and the growing profile of polo in Southeast Asia. The 178-page issue also covers the Philippine Tennis Open debut and the Red Velvet art auction.

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Romero's feature ("The Mane Event," p.94) traces his journey from handling logistics for the Philippine polo team at the 2019 SEA Games to owning 30 horses stabled in Argentina and the Philippines. The tennis feature ("A City Ablaze," p.108) covers the first Philippine Tennis Open at the new McKinley Hill Tennis Center, with a prize pool of PHP 5 million. The Scene section (p.20-60) tracks 10 events including an art auction ("Her Moment," p.28), a Japanese dining takeover ("Reimagined Japanese," p.50), a design exhibition ("Design Dialect," p.34) and the Gen.T Innovator feature on Philippine robotics start-up founder Vincent Rocha (p.58). Style (p.74-90) runs 16 pages: a boxing-inspired fashion shoot ("Total Knock-out," p.74), an Omega Speedmaster 60th-anniversary feature ("Kingdom Come," p.88), and the regular picks columns.

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Regular departments include Editor's Note (p.14), The Guest List (p.15), a Calendar (p.60) and Talk of the Town (p.54). The Features section also profiles a Manila heritage food brand ("A Taste of Home," p.146), a family-run horse stable in Batangas ("Of Family and Horses," p.128), and a restorative-justice NGO working in Cebu ("Moving Forward," p.174). The Last Word (p.178) closes with Romero's 10-question polo primer for beginners.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story

p.94 · The Mane Event
Mikee Romero, 52, owns 30 polo ponies—18 stabled at his family's Hacienda Biga in Batangas, 12 in Argentina. A competitive polo pony costs between PHP 2 million and PHP 5 million. He trains 4 hours daily, 6 days a week, with a professional coach from Uruguay. Beginners should budget PHP 50,000 per month for horse boarding, equipment and club fees at the Manila Polo Club.

p.128 · Of Family and Horses
The Romero family's Batangas stable breeds Philippine ponies crossed with Argentine thoroughbreds. The first crossbred foal, named Agila, sold for PHP 1.2 million. The stable produces 6 foals per year and has a 90 percent survival rate. A 2-year-old trained pony costs PHP 500,000 ready to play.

▸ Features

p.108 · A City Ablaze
The Philippine Tennis Open at McKinley Hill Tennis Center ran 8 days with 64 players in the singles draw. Prize pool: PHP 5 million—PHP 1.8 million for the men's winner, PHP 1.2 million for the women's. The center has 12 hard courts and 4 clay courts. Public court rental starts at PHP 350 per hour.

p.146 · A Taste of Home
A profile of Elar's, a 60-year-old Manila eatery known for its batchoy and lechon kawali. Third-generation owner Elmer Reyes shares the original 1965 recipe book. He refuses to franchise and now delivers nationwide via a cold-chain partnership with Grab. The batchoy broth simmers for 14 hours.

▸ Style

p.74 · Total Knock-out
An 8-page fashion shoot at the Elorde Boxing Gym in Parañaque, featuring activewear by Bench, Adidas by Stella McCartney and locally designed boxing gloves from Rooster Fight Gear. Five professional boxers from Elorde's stable model alongside the looks.

p.88 · Kingdom Come
Omega Speedmaster celebrates 60 years. The new Calibre 3861 movement is Master Chronometer-certified for 15,000 gauss anti-magnetism. The Moonwatch Professional is priced at PHP 295,000. The article includes a buying guide: buy the sapphire-crystal version for daily wear, the Hesalite version for historical accuracy.

▸ Regulars

p.178 · The Last Word
Romero's polo primer: 10 rules every beginner needs. Key tips: never stand directly behind a horse, always wear a helmet (ASTM-certified, from PHP 8,000), and learn to ride at a walk for 3 months before touching a mallet.

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Editor's Take

The polo package—16 editorial pages across The Mane Event, Of Family and Horses and The Last Word—is the most thorough coverage of the sport Tatler Philippines has ever published, with actionable cost data for aspiring players. The Tennis Open feature is a close second: the prize-pool breakdown and court-rental prices give it genuine service value. But the issue's first 50 pages drag: the Scene section covers 10 events in 40 pages, and several entries ("Legacy in Form," "Layers in Motion") are 2-page advertorials for furniture brands. The boxing fashion shoot is conceptually strong but the activewear products are only available in sizes S to XL, limiting its inclusivity.

Strengths
• Polo cost breakdown from pony purchase (PHP 2-5M) to monthly club fees (PHP 50,000)
• Philippine Tennis Open prize money published with per-category splits
• Elorde Boxing Gym shoot uses real athletes rather than agency models

Weaknesses
• First 40 pages of The Scene carry 6 advertorial entries disguised as editorials
• Boxing fashion shoot sizes cap at XL, excluding plus-size readers

Verdict: Recommended — Polo players and tennis fans get genuine utility; the rest of the issue is thin until the back half.