February 2021

ARCHIE P. LACSON…sales and marketing man, dancer and excellent host with powerful golf swings

By Apolinario Villalobos

From 1974 to 1981 the country’s entertainment world was alive with the PENTHOUSE 7  that showcased Latin dances and modern ones during  the time such as the Bump, the LA Walk, the New York Hustle, the Jacksons, Pop-Locking,  the Robot,  and Locking.  ARCHIE P, LACSON was “in it” – hosting  and shuffling on the dance floor with the intricate steps of Latin dances. Despite the hectic schedule for taping and his job at Philippine Airlines in the Marketing and Sales Department, he was able to squeeze in a time for his loved sport - golf.

Archie’s love of golf has helped him generate sales for Philippine Airlines, as he met with elite clients who were also golf enthusiasts, “swaying” their patronage from competitors to the country’s flag carrier.  These clients were decision makers of big companies and many of them were the owners, themselves.  To entice travelers both individual and group who belong to the upper bracket of the target market,  into the fold of Philippine Airlines, the latter hosted the annual  PAL Golf Tournament, and Archie Lacson’s popularity as a showbiz figure helped much in the generation of interest, as he was also the host of the culminating social activity.

As mountaineering is life for trekkers,  the golf is for  Archie who gets enthusiastic at the sight of undulating green golf courses with ponds and pockets of hedges or trees. He diligently wakes up early in the morning in time for his early morning swings at the most conveniently- located golf course from his home…the Alabang Country Club where he unselfishly served also as President.

He holds the record for 4 Aces and could have made the fifth in 2019, had the ball not stop a couple of inches from the hole. His ardent enthusiasm for the sport is shared by the former President of the Philippines, Fidel  V. Ramos whose collection of autographed golf balls includes  one from Archie. Among the rest of the collection are from former Philippine presidents  Gloria Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino.  Meanwhile, his legacy for the love of sport has been passed on to some of his grandchildren with Tonito as the youngest.  A doting grandpa, he sees to it that the best bonding golf time is spent with them regularly without depriving the rest of his whole family with the same quality time.