Casa y Jardin bazaar at Rockwell Powerplant Mall

MANILA, Philippines - The Catholic Women’s Club (CWC) initiated what would eventually become an annual event, the CWC Christmas bazaar. Today, the bazaar is more popularly known as “Casa y Jardin.”   This year is the first year CWC will be holding the bazaar at Rockwell Powerplant Mall in Makati City.

Casa Y Jardin, dubbed as the “mother of all bazaars,” will be held on Sept. 7 to 8 with Milo Bondoc as chairperson and Terry Tambunting, Michelle Antonio and Tess Castro as co-chairpersons.

Milo Bondoc says  there will be 103 concessioners at Casa y Jardin. They will sell a wide range of products such as food, Christmas decor, clothes, fashion accessories, toys, household needs, wellness products and many others.  Also on sale is a limited-edition “Mother and Child” plate by featured artist for the year, H. R. Ocampo.

Another fundraising event to be spearheaded by the CWC is their annual ball at the Manila Polo Club billed as “Carnivale de Alegria.”

“This year, we’d like to expand our scholarship program so we can help more needy students,” both Maritess Pineda and Milo Bondoc said.  The CWC has 10 scholars in each of their school beneficiaries like Don Bosco and PUP. Over at Punlaan in San Juan, CWC  has scholars taking up secretarial or vocational courses and being trained as service crews and household help.

Among the other beneficiaries of CWC, which was established 91 years ago, are the Home for the Aged, Elsie Gaches Village Institution, Bahay ni Maria, Ayala Alabang Hospice Care Foundation, Inc., Ang Arko ng Pilipinas, Bahay at Yaman ni San Martin de Porres, Emmaus House of Apostolate, Mother Butler Mission, Catholic Bible Society Foundation, Inc., Healing Servants Foundation, Wingless Angels of Lucena Hospice, Sinag Hospital Volunteers Foundation, Inc., among others.

The other officers are Chloe Romulo-Periquet, Alice R. Briones and Rosemarie B. Lazaro, first vice presidents; Asun R. Zubiri and Lili T. Adina, second vice presidents; Milo R. Bondoc, Terry S. Tambunting, Michelle Antonio and Tess Castro, third vice presidents; Regina R. Paterno, secretary; Lin B. Liboro, asst. secretary; Shirley B. Uy, treasurer; Baby A. Gloria and Tessie E. Rodrigo, asst. treasurers; Sol D. Tan-Gatue, ex-officio past president.