Reviving Ms Red Feather

In the 1950s and 1970s, the Community Chest Foundation (ComChest) was a household word. It was known as the repository of resources from private and government agencies to share and care for the poor in charitable, welfare and social service institutions. A total of Red Feather agencies continue to receive financial support from ComChest.

These recipient or member agencies are mostly into livelihood skills training for women, caring for orphaned and foundling children, women with problems maladaptive in nature, survivors of calamities, and training programs for teachers of the hearing-impaired. They include the Abiertas House of Friendship, Inc., Asilo de San Vicente de Paul, Asociacion de Damas de Filipinos, Inc., CRIBS Foundation, Kapatiran-Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc., Philippines Alliance Against Pornography and Philippine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc.

ComChest is a non-stock, non-profit, voluntary, charitable, welfare and civic organization which serves as a foundation trustee of the public for the proper administration and utilization of funds contributed for its welfare services.

Irene Ellis Murphy, United Nations consultant on social affairs, brought the idea of the ComChest united fund campaign to the Philippines. She headed the first Community Chest study committee with Senate President Gil J. Puyat as vice chair, and later, its president when it was formally organized on Sept. 5, 1949. The charter members included the Chambers of Commerce of the Philippines, Chinese Chamber, and American Chamber, among others.

Since 1959 volunteer leaders of private business and government conducted a single fund campaign annually for member agencies. In 1976, the fund campaign chair, Gov. Gregorio S. Licaros Sr. of the Central Bank and the board of trustees led “Piso Mula sa Puso,” which advocated just one fund campaign instead of conducting it annually. Its proceeds are placed in trust, and only the interest earnings are allocated to member agencies. The campaign yielded P10 million. Only interests are used to give to member agencies.

But fund-raising campaigns continue to raise money to support member agencies’ projects. A Special Ladies Team spearheaded by Rosario R. Villar launched the “Search for Ms Red Feather,” a competition among young professionals who involved themselves in developmental work for the socially marginalized. The search was part of the ComChest’s cause of “Caring and Sharing the ComChest Way.” It asked each candidate to fund raise and whoever raised the highest amount was declared winner.

The winners in the annual search were impressive: Monica Saldana (now Dr. Nona Ricafort), Josephine B. Santos, Zenaida C. Puyo, Carmencita Uyguangco, Ma. Xenia Esteban, Ma. Paz Mandanas Guerrero, Montserrat B. Amado, Chelo Jacobe, Ninfa Pegina, Jocely Sibayan, Yolanda Ortega, and Gelina Guevarra.

The Search for Ms Red Feather waned over the years, with the popularity of international beauty pageants. But it is being revived – with a difference.

To begin with the competition is being held during National Social Responsibility Year 2016 in recognition of the country’s outstanding social development projects.

A difference is that it presents role models of outstanding social development projects that uphold community participation, and highlight the culture and best practices of a province/city/municipality. Then it seeks to develop youth leaders who represent or are involved in the projects and carry on the ComChest motto of Caring and Sharing.

The contest involves local government executives in that they pick and support the candidate of their choice. These sponsors must pay a registration /participation fee of P100,000 for their candidate’s participation.

Their candidate must be female, between 18-25 years of age, single, a Filipino, intelligent, in good health, with outstanding personality, has reached at least second year college, possess leadership skills and be involved in an outstanding social development project in her locality. She will be instrumental in promoting her province, city or municipality and its social development project.

The contest will be open to candidates from the Cordillera Autonomous Region, the National Capital Region, and Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 4a, 4b and 5 of the island of Luzon.

The candidates will be presented at a press conference in Manila on Nov. 20; semi-finals will be on Jan. 20, and coronation night on Jan. 23.

Applications must be accompanied by the contestant’s essay on “How I Can Contribute to Social Development as Ms Red Father with My Social Development Project,” and a description of her place’s most outstanding social development project.

A further attraction to apply for the project is the array of prizes for the winner – cash, a house and lot, gift certificates and an opportunity to travel. Runners up will receive prizes.

ComChest Foundation trustees are headed by Bob C. Mirani, chairman emeritus; Atty. Pablo R. Ronquillo, Orlando P. Pena, Rosario R. Villar, Pishu B. Dialani, Nellie R. Mercado, Jose U. Sevilla, Dr. Cindy Dollente Ang (corporate secretary and executive director), Dr. Metodio Palaypay, Lourdes Ll. Pimentel, Dr. Aleli V. Sevilla, Gemma Cruz Araneta, Rev. Ephraim V. Guerrero, Florida Z. Jose, and Dr. Cesar S. Ocoa.

Email: [email protected]

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Turning 75 was a joyful event, with close friends and relatives greeting me at the crack of dawn and throughout the day. I was planning to celebrate my coming of age quietly, but my son Andoy insisted on hiring and paying for a caterer to prepare a feast. The caterer happens to be his brother-in-law Danny who came up with an excellent menu. My niece Zonito and her husband Jojo of Nature Earth spruced up their home-cum factory for the event. Beth Tagle provided the DI. My husband Saeed was his charming self. At one table were my kumadre Connie and kumpadre Nanding Caluag, and my daughter-in-law Joabi and her sister Chiqui, and my precious grandson Santi. Friends were some of my best – Evelyn del Rosario, Betty Lou Penera, Lyn and husband Reggie Moreno, Ed and Flor Tarriela, Priscila Pacheco, Bert and Lydia Robledo, Roselyn and Fred Delloso, Dr. Anthony Marquez and his GF. My other son Ponpon , his GF Kay, nephew Paolo and his barkada, seemed to enjoy the bash. Surprise guests were Nellie Abeya of Sagada, and her son Luke, a filmmaker from Sydney. I must confess that my close friend Nene Leonor and her husband Jun, had given me three birthday parties with remarkably great handaans. So has my “soul mate,” Aning Sy, with parties on several birthdays that coincided with Silliman’s founding anniversary. To my friends, thanks for celebrating with me my adding one more bonus year to my life.

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Email: [email protected]