Festival of Trees and the art of giving
MANILA, Philippines - The Makati Garden Club and the Philippine Business for Social Progress recently mounted a successful fundraiser for Yolanda victims and survivors with the 17th Festival of Trees called “The Spirit of Giving… Handled with Care.†It was held at the Jaguar/Land Rover showroom at 32nd and 4th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City. The venue was courtesy of Wellington and Maureen Soong.
This should have been our 19th year raising funds for charity, but the fundraising events were put on hold when we lost two of the biggest pillars of the organization: Maria Luisa Perez Rubio and Belen King.
We are orphans, moving on. And what a perfect time to do what we do best — beg so that others may uplift their lives, beg so that others can also move on, and beg when the whole country is doing everything to help our countrymen in the Visayas bounce back.
We thank all table patrons, such as Banco de Oro, Smart, Metro Pacific Corporation and Pilipinas Shell; table sponsors Aslus Corporation (Intellicare), Melba’s Farm and Troy Alcala, Modern Glass, Petron Energy Resources Corp., Philippine Reclamation Authority, PNB, Flor G. Tarriela, Jeffrey Go, Barangay Bel-Air, Mindy and Carlos Perez Rubio, Ruby Roa and Sandra Fernandez, Ging delos Reyes, Ambassador Isabel Caro Wilson, each and everyone who bought tickets, shared tables, gave generously to our Mystery Boxes and everyone who donated cash, artworks, silent auction items, talent and creativity, time and effort. To the wonderful staff of our partner organization, PBSP, thank you for all the support, hard work and sleepless nights behind all the glamour and trimmings that go with launching a project such as this. It is heartening to know that we can all be united when we work for a common cause.
Cito Beltran emceed the event and he was just perfect. Jaime Santiago did the venue decoration; PJ Aranador flew in and out of Iloilo/Boracay/Manila to collect pieces to mount a most wonderful fashion show with professional and homegrown models — children and grandchildren of our Makati Garden Club ladies, and some of the members themselves. Ladies, we cheered for you!
Our special thanks to Andres Soriano III and the Aman Group for the wonderful gift of a three-nights’ stay at lovely Amanpulo, to ULTRA, BOSE, SOFA, Firma, Options Studio for the gift certificates and the wonderful dance presentation, Evie Roque’s Digital Art, Ali Kunach’s Wigs for al Over the World, Frank Hoefsmit’s photography with Patrick Rosas’ makeup, Hat Momma, Tai Ping Carpet, King Louis’ Flowers, Architect Conrad Onglao, Turps and Tuckers who provided white wine for the evening, and the very special treat: two business class tickets to Korea; Bodegas Hidalgo for the red wine; Sonya’s Garden, Enderun, Hola! Firma Jewelmer, Minetani, Edgy Veggy, Tess Alba’s Kameraman for providing instant photos, Lyric Piano for lending us a beautiful baby grand.
What a special time it was to listen to and go down memory lane admiring the superb performance of attorney Nick Nangit on the piano. Nick, you are simply world-class!
A great number of all these donations, we owe to our very own Josephine del Gallego, head of Makati Garden Club’s solicitation committee.
We greatly appreciate the presence of our artist friends Edgar Doctor, Gig de Pio, Carlos Rocha, Azor Pascoquin, Ram Mallari, Ferdinand Cacnio. The beautiful welded brass sculptures, Aladin Antiqueno, Pancho Villanueva, Angelito Baldemor, Ching Caluag, Jenny Leviste and Architect Joven Ignacio, for the honor of having with us National Artist Napoleon Abueva with his brass sculptures on the auction table.
My co-chair, Emilie Cruz and I, Albertine Santi, on behalf of the hardworking ladies of Makati Garden Club and Philippine Business for Social Progress, would like to thank you with all our hearts for your generosity and unwavering support.
If you are into gardening, visiting beautiful homes and gardens, doing charity work, call 817-2738 or e-mail albertine_santi@hotmail.com
