Filipino master watercolorist Popoy Cusi’s ‘Labuyo’ featured in Embassy Night Year 4

By Marinel Peroy

EVERY year since 2023, THEPHILBIZNEWS and Hotel Okura Manila give away a limited-edition Embassy Night Mug to all the guests of the evening. It began with only 222 mugs featuring the “Flourishing Garden,” a painting by Filipino master watercolor artist, Rafael “Popoy” Cusi.

Last year, the limited-edition mug bore a reproduction of an early and rare masterpiece by renowned Philippine National Artist for Painting, Vicente Silva Manansala — the “Barung-Barong” (meaning: shanty) — which captures the essence of everyday life in these islands.

PROUD AND HONORED: Popoy Cusi’s Lauyo takes center stage at THEPHILIZNEWS Embassy Night Year 4 at the Hotel Okura Manila. This year, the limited edition mug honors Cusi’s Labuyo—a rare and intricate painting of the red junglefowl. In a rare departure from his usual “Cusi” signature, he signed this piece with its full title. Known as a “Master Watercolor Artist,” Cusi has seldom painted subjects like the Labuyo due to its complexity and deep symbolic significance, particularly to the Mangyan tribes, who regard it as sacred. The Labuyo also symbolizes agility, power, and freedom. For Cusi, this painting serves as both an artistic statement and a call for wildlife conservation, as the Labuyo faces the threat of extinction. (Photo from THEPHILBIZNEWS)

This year, the tradition continues with “Labuyo,” Cusi’s striking rendition of the red junglefowl, a bird revered for its agility, power, and freedom — especially by the Mangyan tribes. The artist has agreed to display the painting at the lobby entrance, making the evening even more special.

From left, Philippine Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer Stanley Ng, Director Leo Martinez and Rafael Popoy Cusi pose with Cusi’s Labuyo painting at THEPHLBIZNEWS Embassy Night Year 4 at Hotel Okura Manila. (Photo from THEPHILZNEWS)

A rare choice of subject due to its complex colors, Labuyo holds a deeper significance for Cusi. Departing from his usual signature, he inscribed the title of the piece — a distinction curated in Who’s Who in International Art and Art Collectors Guidebook in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Cusi, an Arts Environmental Award honoree in Rome, chose Labuyo for Embassy Night Year 4 to raise awareness of the bird’s endangered status. Many of his works reflect his deep affinity for nature, shaped by his childhood in Mindoro’s coastal and rainforest landscapes.

Though widely recognized as a master of watercolor, Cusi also works with acrylic, oil, pencil, and charcoal. Over six decades, he has produced and exhibited countless paintings worldwide—yet never in commercial galleries. His works are highly coveted, sold only by collectors who understand their rarity.

For Cusi, the distinction is clear: painters sell, but artists create from the heart. He believes that an artist’s later works are most valuable, shaped by years of mastery and passion.

Tonight, THEPHILBIZNEWS and Hotel Okura Manila are honored to present Labuyo and share this rare artwork through the limited-edition Embassy Night mug — a fitting tribute to art, culture, and the spirit of the evening.

“This is more than just a keepsake — it’s a celebration of world-class Filipino artistry,” says ThePhilBizNews Founder Monsi A. Serrano. “We may not have unlimited resources, but we do have creativity. Through these special Embassy Night mugs, we proudly showcase our artists and their works on the global stage.”