auf Wiedersehen, Scott February 9, 2010
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Thought Bubbles.Tags: pinoy, life, love, family, friends, pilipinas, development, bohol
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To our mate Scott Graham,
For the short time you’ve lived on earth, you have touched countless people’s lives, who otherwise would have thought that things could not get any better. You have done so much, especially for Boholanos – so much that they regard you as one of them.
I wish there were more beautiful souls like you on Earth.
Dili ka namo makalimtan. Dagha’g salamat, bai.
100 Underprivileged Kids to Participate in Kids Creating Change Festival January 27, 2010
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles, UP Sigma Beta World.Tags: arts, change, children, dance, development, friends, joy, life, love, music, party, pilipinas, poverty
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On 3 February 2010, over 100 underprivileged Filipino children will participate in the ‘Kids Creating Change’ Festival at La Mesa Ecopark, Quezon City. This creative-arts based event will inspire and empower Filipino children to actively address the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Addressing Social Problems through Art and Creativity
One of the highlights of the day will be ‘Nylon Zoo’, a massive inflatable salmon which holds 30-40 children and will be a venue for dress-up animal parades and story time. The day also involves a performance by the Hope Worldwide Puppet Theatre Troupe and a theatre performance by former street children from Bahay Tuluyan Philippines.
The MDGs of literacy, sustainable development, children’s health and livelihood projects will be featured as part of the event’s activities. The children attending will gain skills, inspiration and confidence to lead change in their communities.
Event organizer Lea Czikowski said: “The empowerment of children means that they can act as the drivers for development in their community.
“I strongly believe that the creative arts are intrinsic to development and that together we can achieve wonderful things.”
A Fresh Change for Smokey Mountain and Payatas Kids
The children attending the event come from Smokey Mountain, Payatas and other disadvantaged communities. These are especially vulnerable communities that require support in achieving sustainable development.
The inspiration for the event came from a visit to Smokey Mountain II by a group of AYAD volunteers, including Ms. Czikowski. While there the volunteers ran a hands-on environmental-arts based session with the children of Smokey Mountain’s Day Care Centre, and visited their homes on the waste site of Smokey Mountain.
Ms Czikowski said: “Although the experience was heartening in many ways, it was also very difficult to witness children being exposed to dangerous toxins being emitted from the waste site. As a result, our group was determined to assist the children in any way we could.”
Global Partnerships to Benefit Filipino Kids
Kids Creating Change has been organized by Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development, and local organizations including HOPE, Kids Ahoy Creative Playshop, Save the Children and the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade Inc. Acclaimed Canadian-Australian artist Evelyn Roth, brainchild of the Nylon Zoo installation will also be visiting the Philippines for the first time as part of KCC.
KCC is being funded by AusAID, the Australian Government’s overseas aid program, and by Austraining, a specialist project management and international development organization managing bilateral and multilateral projects throughout the Asia Pacific.
Making a lasting impact
Jerome Vinarao, President and Artistic Director of the Center for Arts Foundation in Manila said: “I believe this project will make a lasting impact on the lives of the children who will benefit from this.
“It must always be our goal to help these children discover their creative talents and assist them in reinventing themselves. Once this is achieved, a better generation and a creative society will emerge. I want to see that happen.”
Kids Creating Change Festival opens at 10am on February 3, and will close with participants signing a personal pledge at 4pm to take action towards the MDGs in their own communities.
About Kids Creating Change 2010
Kids Creating Change (KCC) 2010 is a one-day event involving group activities, workshops, costume parades, installations, film, drama and dance presentations. The aim of KCC is to create an interactive experience that harnesses the creative arts to inspire and empower underprivileged Filipino youth to work towards the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
KCC is a collaboration of local and international artists, Filipino non-government organizations and international volunteers.
A bit of a flashback on 2009 January 15, 2010
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy.Tags: 2009, children, christmas, hope, love, party, pilipinas, poverty
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December 11, 2009.
About 14 days from Christmas and people were starting to rush through malls and stores for holiday purchases. It was a pretty normal Friday for some, including me. But for some in a little compound in Gagalangin, Tondo (eventually for me, too) it would be a day to remember.
A few weeks earlier, we contemplated how we ought to celebrate the season. Last year, we had a quiet dinner that capped an action-packed family day at Enchanted Kingdom. This time though, we wanted it to be different and more meaningful. It was going to be less about us, and more about them. That’s how the idea of spending a day with the kids of Smokey Mountain II came about.
Children in difficult circumstances
The children beneficiaries of UCCP-Tondo is just a fraction of children who live in very difficult circumstances. These are children whose rights, development, health and well-being are severely compromised. They are forced to grow up way too fast in a world that poses a constant threat to them.
The Smokey Mountain II kids and their families literally live off garbage in order to survive every single day. The primary goal is to stay alive. They are exposed to highly toxic waste materials and industrial runoffs for living in one of Manila’s nastiest dumpsites. Imagine breathing into your trash bin, even worse – that’s how it is for these children day in and day out. Since families here earn less than $5 a day, basic education to them, like other basic needs, is but a dream and a luxury.
There is a dire need to address this gaping hole of inequity where precious young lives are at the losing end. Organisations such as the United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Tondo exist to respond to this social atrocity. Seeing the poverty first-hand made us realize that we should be responsible for helping make their lives better, as we were the ones who were given much. Celebrating the Christmas Season and sharing blessings with these children were the least we could do.
ICM (and JA-BEEE) in Tondo
We drove to Tondo, the less than perfect heart of Manila, that Friday armed with nothing but hopeful and happy hearts (and of course, goodies for the children). As soon as we arrived at the UCCP-Tondo compound, everyone immediately got to work on decors, activity corners and props for the games. Prizes and loot bags were filed and kept at one side, and little chairs were arranged.
A couple of minutes later, 40 delightful youngsters, 8-9 years old, came in their little uniforms. Their eyes were wide with wonder and curiosity at what was going to happen. The teachers helped us settle the kids down as the program began.
We organised games, face-painting (by AYAD Petra and VIDA Louella), book reading (by AYADs Phoebe and Emma), and mask-making (with AYADs Alistair, Tawny and Kate). There was even a special Santa Claus pinata by AYAD Skye. Everyone was in a festive mood and were dancing and humming to music played through an improvised sound system.
The most exciting part of the day was when the Jollibee crew arrived with more games, lunch, and of course – Jollibee himself! None of the kids has ever seen Jollibee nor been to a Jollibee chain, so as soon as they caught sight of the friendly big bee, they swarmed and mobbed the mascot with hugs, kisses and huge smiles! It felt absolutely heart-warming to see them so happy that we couldn’t stop ourselves from taking photos of them in their blissful Jolly-trance.
Reality bites
The party wasn’t without its sad moments. At lunch, we were surprised that a lot of the children didn’t finish their meals. We were told that they were saving them to take home to their families as pasalubong.
The goodbye part was pretty intense too. We all felt that twitch of pain as we saw them off with their new bags, toys and school supplies as they filed in neat lines towards their school bus headed home. Although it was definitely a day we all would never forget, we knew that this didn’t mean poverty would stop rearing its ugly head on these undeserving souls.
But for as long as people are passionate about children like them are around, hope always looms.
Happy Holidays! December 21, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in Thought Bubbles.Tags: birthday, christmas, family, fireworks, food, friends, gifts, holiday, jesus, joy, life, love, party, santa claus, wine
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Merry Christmas everyone!
24 reasons to keep livin’ it November 29, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in Thought Bubbles.Tags: 24, age, birthday, party, soul
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The sweetest escape involves the sun, beach, a cool drink and a good book.
This is kind of an effect a turn-of-the-birth year. Nonetheless, it’s good to be able to introspect; it means you’re not dense, cold and indifferent.
Here goes my 24 thoughts, in no particular order. Cheesy, I know. Bear with it, you’re in my page anyway 
- Food. I live to eat, not the other way around.
- Neil Gaiman.
- Financial independence slowly but surely rearing its fantastic head!
- Law school. Not lying here!
- Best friends.
- Sun
- Moon
- Stars
- Other celestial bodies
- Underwater creatures
- Land animals
- Bodies of water
- Mom, Dad, Ken, Ninai, Hanna
- Dreams
- Syle.com
- Books
- Knowledge
- Faith
- Hope
- Charity
- Mankind
- Thrill of the chase and the unknown
- The silver lining
- LOVE.
Only someone devoid of a soul would cringe at the thought of number 24. LOL!
*blank* November 5, 2009
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Losing someone in the family feels a lot like an empty vacuum – hollow, void and numb.
I will forever by my lola’s best girl.
Bikolandia in Manila October 27, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy.Tags: bicol, fair trade, fashion, local, pinoy
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Fabulous hand-made abaca bag from Bicol at the Trade Fair
When I saw the newpaper ad showing details on the OK Bikol Trade Fair at SM Megatrade Hall over the weekend, I jumped on the opportunity and went. It was my first fair trade experience (being an ignorant fool, I thought that buying from Cash and Carry was considered helping LOCAL industry). It did, in some ways, but it isn’t as sustainable and responsible as buying from local trade fairs.
Okay, so what the heck is this talk about fair trade? I’ll make it as simple as possible: fair trade is a social movement that involves, well, trade. You ‘trade’ not just ordinary, household or grocery products that are mass produced by big manufacturers (owned mostly by conglomerates, who may have a lot to do with our environment and political problems… booo). Fair trade involves marketing and buying various products that are locally, organically and responsibly made by local farmers, fisherfolk and rural townsfolk.
Intricate beading and other accessories were abundant - and affordable.
Example: Hazel buys organic moringa biscuits (aka malunggay crackers – they’re yummy I swear, no veggie taste at all) produced by a group of local women from Naga, marketed by a group called Organik Bicol Advocateurs Network. The sale sustains jobs (go back to Economics 11 if you can’t make the logical nexus), jobs to income, income to better quality of lives. Better lives mean happy and smart folk, and happy and smart folk makes a great nation! Bonus is Maria Makiling and Gaia won’t be crying their hearts out in pain as products are organically grown and environment-friendly, and don’t compromise quality.
Isn’t it more fun to buy something guilt-free?
Hell week almost over! October 22, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in Avventura, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
One of my favorite summer shots in Cebu - along this street is where the super duper old church is, and at the end of the street, the entrance to the old style-cemetery. Great for Halloween!
Just when I thought this would never end… I actually see light at the end of the tunnel!
I can’t stop thinking about how much fun this sembreak is going to be – plans in check:
- Attend reunion/halloween party with Jocks, hosted by Tasha
- Ghost-hunting tour at Corregidor Island with best buddy, Marian
- Laze around the house after work, watching Gossip Girl DVDs (to finally know what my batchmate meant by Blair-mania)
- SWIM!
- Meet Forensic members and plan for next sem’s activities and practices.
Okay, the last one I really can’t take off my system. I love my fellow Forensics too much!
OMG I HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE! 
Cloud of thought September 19, 2009
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It’s like that story Kiev told me about the faded star – the one star that you’ve always, always dreamed of, and do absolutely anything and everything for…
…until you’re actually holding that star on the palm of your hand, but you feel nothing.
She says it’s a sad story. NO EFFIN WAY! It’s actually one of the happiest stories out there Reality hit just at the right time! Live with it, grow with it, and move on with it. Find another freakin’ star (or planet, or universe) 
It all makes absolutely perfect sense!
Missing Manila April 19, 2009
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Metro Manila at night, as seen from my hotel room in Antipolo
This entry is all about the THINGS (emphasis supplied since this does not include my family and closest friends) I miss about Manila:
…
You read that right. I miss NOTHING. I’d probably be called a sado-masochist if I really missed the following:
1. The heavy commute to any point in the city that’s only less than 10 kms away.
2. The pollution.
3. Expensive food
4. Stress, stress, stress
5. Pretentious pomp of many people I’m acquainted with
I’d rethink placing number 4 there though, since I thrive on stress, like many Manilenyos I don’t think “unstressful” environments makes winners and success stories, di ba!
But really, if Manila gets rid of all the above-mentioned dirt, it would be a very nice place to live in.
Hay nako, mabuti pa ang Cebu
