Robina Gokongwei Pe Shows Off Her ‘Snake-Twin’ For CNY

Millennial parents who grew up in the 90s know that we’ve had our share of urban legends. There’s the story of Kisses that we swapped and cared for so they would multiply, and the “Happy Horse” variant of a popular beer brand that was supposedly stronger–and thus happier. These tales never failed to fuel our chismisan and inuman sessions throughout the years.

And of course, how can anyone forget the urban legend of the Robinsons Galleria snake and how Alice Dixson was almost his victim? Well, Ms. Robina Gokongwei Pe herself has just come out to public with her slithering twin!

In a Facebook post, Robina is seen holding her “twin” snake in one arm and “his girlfriend” in the other. In the caption, she wrote: “Look who finally decided to come out of hiding. My shining, shimmering, golden twin (with his pretty in pink girlfriend)! Here’s to a slitheringly good Year of the Snake!”

Chinese New Year at Robinsons Galleria

Robina’s post comes just in time for the Lunar New Year Celebrations on January 29. To welcome the Year of the Wooden Snake, Robinsons Galleria has set up eye-catching installations at the Atrium, along with exciting activities and surprises for mall-goers to enjoy until January 31.

CNY festivities include:

• 2025 Horoscope Forecast at the Atrium.
• Lunar Lucky Fair, where you can score exclusive items.
• Exciting activity at Robinson’s Department Store, including:
  • Snap a selfie in the Mystery Fitting Room and share on social media for a chance to win gift certificates.
  • Pose & Get Lucky at the free photo booth.
  • Scream for your luck and try your hand at the Snake Machine game.

The Urban Legend

The original urban legend of the Robinsons Galleria snake reached its peak in the 1990s. The tale goes that the Gokongwei family built their flagship mall, the Robinsons Galleria, as a hunting ground for the snake-like offspring–allegedly the twin of Robina, the eldest of the Gokongwei children.

Furthermore, the snake creature was supposedly the source of the family’s good fortune. To maintain their wealth, it had to be regularly fed “victims” via floors that opened up in the dressing rooms. According to the urban legend, Alice Dixson supposedly fell victim to one such trap and only managed to save herself by holding on.

Robina previously addressed the urban legend of her twin at a speech she gave in 2008 at the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics. At the time, she said, “You were not born yet when the story of my kakambal na ahas who was half-woman, half-snake came out when we opened our second Robinsons Department Store branch in Cebu in 1985. My kakambal was supposed to be the source of our wealth as she laid golden eggs.”

To learn more about the urban legend and Alice Dixon’s side of the story, click here.

Whatever the origin of this urban legend may be, it’s safe to say that we have grown out of our fear of Robinsons Galleria fitting rooms. But what we do want to know is–are Ms. Robina’s twin and his girlfriend available for purchase at the mall? They’d make a cute and fitting accessory just in time for Chinese New Year.

Read here for Chinese New Year outfit inspirations from celeb moms.