Ringing Authentic

It was going to be a wonderful, memorable morning. Their faces and wide eyes said it all - they were going to have fun, games and surprises. So, on a clear Saturday morning, they boarded the long, colorful airconditioned tourist bus, all 398 children.Their common denominator: ages 5 and 10, and children of victims of the August fire in Sitio Lawis, Alaska-Mambaling.

Minutes later, they arrived at the Banilad Corporate Center of the Aboitiz and Company offices. Though chattering as normal kids do, they obeyed the 15 community organizers and members of FORGE (Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors, Inc.) who accompanied them, to fall in line and proceed to the activity area.

Under the welcome arch, they were greeted by Aboitiz employees, both management and staff, all wearing shirts in cheerful Christmasy red. First stop was the Story Telling Station. There, Aboitiz employees Jovy Tan of B2E and Nancy Lim, AVP - Human Resources, alternated in sharing Christmas stories to the appreciative and attentive lot. At session's end, each of the 398 children received a gift bag containing school supplies.

Next stop: The Arts Station. There, the young ones prepared Christmas cards for their parents. Assisted by the 20 student participants at the First Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit, the children chose from among the templates and stuck pre-cut pictures. Naturally, the cards came out creative and one-of-a-kind. After this 30-minute session, the third station beckoned. But first, a gift bag for each, containing vitamin packs courtesy of United Laboratories and 2GO.

Third stop was at the Photo Ops with Santa Station. There, the children posed with Santa Claus, played by four employees from Metaphil and from the Banilad Aboitiz complement. Once again, each child received a gift, this time a Samaritan box straight from the U.S., facilitated by the Aboitiz Group Foundation, Inc., and additional toys. A shoe box filled with children's stuff like toys, candies, cookies, and everything else nice, the Samaritan box is personally filled by American children. Each box comes out individualized, unique and creative.

Games like paper relay and jackstone awaited at the fourth station. For the latter, jackstones were scattered all over the grounds. Each jackstone found merited a gift of toiletries. Still, each child toted away a loot bag full of candies and chocolates.

The fifth, though last, was not the least. All that running around, jumping, chattering, shouting, shrieking and yelling made a child hungry and needing reinforcement. And so, the Snacks Station, where the young ones got their fill of cotton candy, ice cream and Dunkin doughnuts. And before the return home in the same airconditioned tourist bus, there was lunch....and food, glorious food! Plus a grocery pack containing rice, canned goods, toiletries and others! And tomes of memories for guests and hosts alike.

To Aboitiz Equity Ventures' (AEV) EVP and COO Montxu Aboitiz a little boy said, "Gwapa lagi na siya." Amused, Montxu relayed to his wife the comment about their little girl.

"Pards, asa ang CR?," asked another little boy. Pleasantly amused, Pards said to others around, "You heard that? He called me Pards." Pards turned out to be Jon Ramon Aboitiz, President and CEO of a business conglomerate spelling over a hundred companies.

For the outreach program's prime movers, the activity felt good to the heart. AEV senior corporate analyst John Alvarado found it challenging as well. Not surprising for this UP Cebu alumnus from his high school diploma to a master's degree. Fondly he remembers their initial year in 2005. The outreach program being employee-initiated, he and his fellow employees passed the hat around for contributions to fund the project. Because management welcomed their initiative, John and his group brought in P 260,000. Beneficiaries were the 256 children of fire victims in Barangay Tinago.

This year, contributions totaled P 420,000 from bingo games and caroling. From the outpouring of generosity, volunteerism, energy and commitment, one thing was crystal-clear: In the Aboitiz group, "passion to serve" has an authentic ring.