A feel-good bazaar
MANILA, Philippines - ‘Tis the season to make a difference.
Pasko Pasko Pasko is not your usual bazaar. This extraordinary fair, to be held on Oct. 24, Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City, promises an ultimate experience of a charity within a charity to capture the true spirit of Christmas.
For one, the bazaar gives way to a “love is blind” concept where shoppers actually have an opportunity to buy a gift for someone they have not met — a cancer patient or a family from a Gawad Kalinga (GK) village. Upon purchase of a gift, the shopper brings home a card revealing his/her generous gesture. And such card in turn could be given to their friend as a present.
Even the mere buying of goods from the bazaar’s livelihood vendors is charity in itself. Buy a parol and feed a family!
This whole affair has also given the booths for free to the vendors to expose both their existence and products to the community. It is also the objective of the bazaar to expose the livelihood and the One Town One Product (OTOP) vendors of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Rare finds include Jesse tree, Silang crafts and water hyacinth baskets.
For micro, small and medium entrepreneurs, discover also what the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) can offer. Its mandate is to promote design as a tool for improving the quality and competitiveness of Philippine products by servicing the design needs.
The early birds at the bazaar will get to enjoy freshly baked French pastries of Alexandre. Bazaar visitors will also enjoy the unique holiday feel as created by the country’s floral architect Rachy Cuna. He will also screen the exhibitors’ products while I will collaborate with GK’s GKonomics with the DTI. The Christmas cheer at the event is courtesy of GK Tatalon Choir, which will alternate with Dream FM playing Christmas carols.
The forces behind this bazaar also include Undersecretary Merly Cruz, Director Myrna Sunico, Marievic Bonoan, Fe Bulao, Gerry Ravelas, Vic Vargas, Honey Vergara, Marivic Pineda, Divine Duran, Aycee Ursua, Pinky Poe and Cecile Manheimer.
Pasko Pasko Pasko is the seed planted for the partnership of GK and DTI.
