Bringing joy to kids at Tahan-Tahanan

MANILA, Philippines - Jose Mari Chan serenaded recently the children of Tahan-Tahanan, a halfway home for kids with cancer at the basement of East Avenue Medical Center on East Avenue in Quezon City.

When the singer-songwriter sang the immortal song Christmas In Our Hearts, he had a duet with Sam Concio, one of the emcees that day, as Sam’s mother, All My Life, Got 2 Believe, The Sisters and Hindi Nahahati ang Langit screenwriter Mia Aquino-Concio (Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s first cousin) expressed happiness at Sam and Jose Mari singing together. It was Mia’s birthday that day, and it was she who provided for the photo booth as lasting memoirs for the kids and their families.

The program began with an opening prayer by public school teacher Milaflor Mahinan, followed by welcome remarks from Tahan-Tahanan’s medical director Dr. Marvie Abesamis (who also gave the closing remarks). The kids and the parents performed to the delight of the guests and volunteers, including Jonathan Cruz of Print Trick, Libi Villamiel of Kamuning Bakery, Mark Angelo Alcomendas, Karl Aguilar, Maggie Garcia Abilgos, Maila Cheng Domingo, violinist Emil Jo Neu Lisco, and artist Dennis Tresvalles.

The Philippine STAR columnist Wilson Lee Flores, owner of Kamuning Bakery, gave a message of hope to the patients.

Singing celebrity chef Marvin Aritrangco, or simply Chef Marvz, brought some leche puto and budin to the delight of the kids.

The day’s activities were hosted by Rotary Club of Midtown Diliman president Stauro Punongbayan (son of the late PHIVOLCS director Dr. Raymundo Punongbayan), Polytechnic University of the Philippines student Francis Camacho Jr. and Sam Concio, who provided the games’ prizes and gifts for the kids.