Nueva Vizcaya ‘parol’ made of discarded carton boxes wins PaSTARan grand prize

The winning parol with designer Analoren Torio

By Vir B. Lumicao

It took Analoren Yadao Torio one month to brainstorm the design that the United Nueva Vizcayanos submitted as entry in the Consulate’s “PaSTARan 2018” lantern-making competition,  and another month for a dozen group members to execute her concept.

In the end, their patience and attention to detail paid off: in the judging held on Dec. 24 just before the annual Misa de Aguinaldo in Chater Garden, the entry was adjudged the grand champion in the contest and awarded the $5,000 cash prize.

Clinching the first-runner up slot was Samahang Ilokano, which won $3,000 in cash prize; while Marinduque Group was second runner-up with $2,000.

 

Ilokanos celebrate their second prize win in the lantern contest

Torio, from Bayombong, said that she spent a month of sleepless nights thinking of a winning design using materials never before used in the lantern competition.

Then it came to her mind to use carton boxes, the ones that domestic workers lay down on, along pavements and pedestrian walkways in Central on their days off. How to turn the ubiquitous material into an exemplary creation was another thing.

Torio decided to peel off a cardboard box to get its corrugated midrib, then cutting this into thin strips using a photo paper cutter. Next, using a spaghetti roller, she rolled each strip into tiny rings that formed an intricate latticework when glued together.

The group used pistachio shells to build a flower garden in front of the manger where Mary and Joseph were watching over the newborn Jesus, which they then used as the parol’s centerpiece . 

Torio said she and a dozen of her group members put the lantern together in one month, working about 8 hours each Sunday to finish the entry. They spent about $300 for the materials, mainly for the glue.

At home, Torio would spend a few more hours tweaking her work, retouching here and there until she achieved the desired result.

Every detail of the lantern, including its fine lacework, was so intricately done that the masterpiece kept most beholders in awe.

The judges obviously saw the skill, effort and creativity that went into the parol that they unanimously adjudged it as the winner.

The first runner-up entry, submitted by the Samahang Ilokano, was made of about 200 soda cans cut into strips, with the ring pull tabs and star-shaped cutouts of strips combined to cover the rays of the Christmas star.

The can bottoms were strung together to form a broken halo around the star, and in the middle was a Nativity scene.

The designer, Mary Jeane Galicto, said it took four Sundays for six members of the group to build the lantern.    

The group, made up of Ilocanas from the Ilocos provinces, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan, said this was the first time they joined the contest.

The second runnerup, an entry of the Marinduque Migrant Workers Association, was made of onion and garlic skins, cut grass stalk, pine cones and ipil-ipil seeds also meticulously glued together to cover a “parol”.

The contest was sponsored by the Consulate and LBC Hong Kong.

Pinoys pack Chater Garden for ‘Misa de Aguinaldo’ amid drizzle

By Vir B. Lumicao

Fr Miranda officiated at the traditional Misa de Aguinaldo in Chater Garden

About 5,000 people, mostly Filipinos, braved a light shower and packed Chater Garden on the evening of Dec 24 for the “Misa de Aguinaldo 2018,” the highlight of the Filipino community’s celebration of Christmas in Hong Kong.

Many of the mass-goers, mostly workers who were unable to fly home this Christmas, recorded the mass or took selfies with their cellphones while holding umbrellas to shield them from the rain.

Visiting  priest, Fr. Jerry Miranda, kept the celebration solemn but also fun, with his humor-laced homily.

A towering Christmas tree in Chater 

Fr Jerry, who also delivered the homily in the 2017 midnight mass, spoke of the spirit of giving that grips overseas Filipinos months before Christmas, when they start hoarding chocolates and other goods to fill balikbayan boxes that they ship to their loved ones back home.

Because of the length of time it takes for the boxes to arrive, some of the goods inside may no longer be good for consumption. Thus, the sender may hear such remarks as, “Hopiang di mabili, may amag sa tabi,” Fr Jerry sang out..

Turning serious, the priest likened the doting OFW to God, who, out of His great love for His people, gave them His son Jesus Christ as their savior.

Fortunately, he said, this true spirit of Christmas is being relived by overseas Filipinos wherever they are, despite attempts by some businesses to commercialize the joyous occasion.

Before the “Misa de Aguinaldo” started at around 10pm, the winning entries in the “PaSTARan” 2018 native lantern-making contest were chosen after being paraded around  Chater Garden. 

The “Misa” and “PaSTARan” were both sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General and LBC Hong Kong. 

Consul Roderico Atienza led the officers and staff of the Consulate who graced the evening’s program, as Consul General Tony Morales was out of town.

Mission holds final ‘Give Care’ fair for the year

By Cynthia Tellez

Sunday, Dec 8, was unusually busy for the Mission For Migrant Workers, one of the oldest and trusted service providers for migrants in Hong Kong.

Its biggest event for the day was the final Give Care to Our Caregivers (GCC) fair for the year which was held on the grounds of St. John’s Cathedral.

Mission’s general manager Cynthia Abdon-Tellez said more than 1,000 migrant workers were provided service during the fair.

The highlight of the GCC was the Happy Homes Christmas Wish Tree, where migrant workers were asked to write their wishes for the year 2019, hang it on the Christmas tree, and pick a prize.

The stage backdrop summarizes the sentiment behind the Give Care to Caregivers project of the Mission for Migrant Workers. 

‘Soon,’ Tellez said, ‘the tree was adorned with wishes ranging from lighthearted requests to fervent prayers.’

The service booths were again a hit with participants, in particular, that of the chiropractors, which was full of waiting participants from the time it opened, until the very end.

Various booths offer various services, such as blood pressure and blood sugar readings, and Chinese medicine relief for the occasional ache and pain.

In the afternoon, a workshop for one of the Mission’s partners, HER Fund, and training on the Mission’s Know Your Rights pamphlet, were simultaneously held.

The twin event was well-attended, and Tellez said the knowledge the participants gathered will serve them well in helping others.

The final activity was the recognition ceremony for the participants of the Mission’s training sessions this year, and the awarding of the Seal of Approval under the Happy Homes project.



St John’s Dean Matthias Der welcomed everyone to the gathering with a heartwarming message about how love is shared through work.

The participants looked radiant as they received their certificates of participation. Three of them shared their insights on the training they receiving, saying it gave them more confidence in performing their responsibilities, and strengthened their resolve to uphold the rights of their fellow migrant workers.



The Happy Homes awarding was a celebration of harmony in the household. Eight households were gathered to show how this works through performances and testimonies.

A former Mission intern, Charisse, performed slam poetry on the life of her “yaya”, infusing her every line with anguish, understanding, and hope.



‘Last Sunday was a success. We thank all our partners who selflessly shared their resources to make this happen,” said Tellez.

“We also thank the migrant workers who joined us despite the drizzle, particularly those who helped us set up and manage the booths, those who provided massage and blood pressure checks, served food and helped in the clean-up afterwards.



Rest assured we will hold more GCCs in the years to come.

A very merry Christmas to all!”

---
This is the monthly column from the Mission for Migrant Workers, an institution that has been serving the needs of migrant workers in Hong Kong for over 31 years. The Mission, headed by its general manager, Cynthia Tellez, assists migrant workers who are in distress, and  focuses its efforts on crisis intervention and prevention through migrant empowerment. Mission has its offices at St John’s Cathedral on Garden Road, Central, and may be reached through tel. 2522 8264.

Bakit kailangang bumoto ang OFW

Sa Mayo 13, 2019 ang susunod na eleksiyon para sa 12 senador ng bansa na papalit sa ganoon ding bilang ng mga senador na matatapos na ang paglilingkod sa Hulyo.

Itinatadhana ng Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas ng 1987 ang pagbabago sa paghahalal ng mga senador mula sa 8 tuwing ikalawang taon, tungo sa 12 tuwing ikatlong taon.

Ang tinatawag na “midterm election” ay itinuturing na panukat sa pananaw ng madlang mamamayan sa mga nagawa ng administrasyon ng nakaupong Pangulo ng Pilipinas.

Samakatwid, kung mananalo sa darating na halalan ang mga kandidatong suportado o sumusuporta kay Pangulong Duterte ay lalabas na ang pagkakapanalo nila ay boto ng pagsang-ayon ng madla sa mga nagawa ng lider ng bansa.

Kung matatalo sa Mayo ang mga maka-Duterteng kakandidato para sa Senado ay hudyat iyon na ayaw na ng masa sa lider na iniluklok nila sa puwesto noong Mayo 2016.



Mahalaga ang eleksiyong darating dahil ang ihahalal ng madla ang mga taong gagawa ng mga batas na may tuwirang kaugnayan sa pambansang kabuhayan at magiging batayan ng mga patakarang makakaapekto sa mga mamamayan.

Gayunman, parang hindi pa lubos na nauunawaan ng mga OFW ang halaga ng eleksiyon, kung pagbabatayan natin ang bilang ng mga bumoto rito sa Hong Kong noong nakaraang eleksiyon.



Ayon sa estadistikang binanggit ni Election Commisioner for Overseas Voting Rowena Guanzon sa Konsulado sa pakikipagpulong sa mga lider ng OFW noong Disyembre 9, nasa 50% lamang ng 87,000 registered voters sa Hong Kong ang bumoto.

Nagtaka si Guanzon kung bakit ganoon lang ang porsiyento ng bumoto at hangad niyang mahimok ang 60% ng mga overseas voters dito na bumoto. Sinabi niyang kilangang imulat ang mga OFW rito na mahalaga ang darating na eleksiyon para sa kanila at sa mga mahal nila sa buhay.



Ayon sa isang pag-aaral na isinagawa Center for Migrant Advocacy noong 2016, lumakas ang partisipasyon ng mga botante sa presidential and national elections ng taong iyon, lalung-lalo na sa Hong Kong at Singapore.

 Sinabi ng CMA na ito ay taliwas sa mga nakaraang eleksion, nang bumagsak ang Overseas Absentee Voting  sa 25.99% noong 2010, o 153,323 ang bumoto sa 589,830 rehistradong botante, mula 64.89% noong 2004, o 233,137 sa 359,296 nagrehistro.



Sa midterm election noong 2007, ang kabuuang porsiyento ng mga bumoto ay 16.21 o 81,732 ng kabuuang 504,124.

Ayon sa nabanggit na pag-aaral, 589,830 lamang ng botanteng Pilipino sa labas ng bansa ang naghalal ng mga opisyal, o mahigit lang sa kalahati ng isang milyong pinupuntirya noon ng Comelec.

Dito sa Hong Kong, noong halalan ng 2016, ang naitalang bilang ng mga bumotong Pilipino na dito nakatira o nagtatrabaho ay mahigit 50% ng 87,000 nakarehistro rito. Ito ay kinatampukan ang pagkakapanalo ni Duterte nang may malaking agwat sa mga kalaban.

Batay sa pagsusuri ng CMA, lumitaw ang mga sumusunod na katanungan ukol sa halaga nating mga nasa ibang bansa sa mga eleksiyon sa Pilipinas:
1) Nabigyan ba ang mga OFW ng sapat na oras at puwang sa halalan?
2) May sapat bang representasyon ang mga OFW sa pamahalaan?
3) Napapakinggan ba ang ating mga tinig pagkatapos ng halalan?

Matapos nating maiparinig sa lahat ang ating tinig sa pamamagitan ng pagpili sa mga nakaluklok na mga opisyal, makikita sa darating na midterm election sa Mayo kung paano bibigyan ng marka ng mga OFW ang nagawa ng ating mga ibinoto.

Dahil diyan natin masusukat kung napabuti nila ang kabuhayan at kalagayan nating mga nag-aambag ng malaki sa ekonomiya.

Mabibigyan tayo ng halaga ng mga iniluluklok natin sa puwesto kung batid nilang alam natin ang mga isyu at hindi natin binabale-wala ang paghalal sa mga mambabatas.