With less than a month to go before Christmas, many of us will inevitably find ourselves joining the bustling mall crowds to finish up our holiday shopping. But with the unfortunate turn of events that has befallen many of our brothers and sisters in Visayas in the wake of super typhoon Yolanda, not to mention the strong earthquake that came before that, it’s difficult to feel the onset of Yuletide cheer. While the exchange of Christmas gifts is something we all look forward to, for those who have been left with nothing, it isn’t enough to only remember them in thoughts and prayers, especially when this season is meant to be one of giving and sharing. Helping those who have had their entire lives swept out from underneath them by helping them get back on their feet in any way we can is the only true way to celebrate Christmas and thankfully, there are many who share this sentiment.
Last Nov. 21, Ayala Malls kicked off the holiday season with a silent auction in Greenbelt 5 — an initiative to raise funds for Bulig Bisaya in their ongoing efforts to bring relief and provisions to the earthquake and typhoon victims. In keeping with their theme this Christmas, which is “The Joy of Giving and Sharing,†Ayala Malls created this unique opportunity to come together as a community by requesting their merchants and partners, such as Adora, Altromondo Gallery, Arnel Papa, Art Circle, Bijou by Ana Rocha, Felix Restaurant, Galleria Quattrocento, Intercontinental Manila, Fairmont Makati, Lucerne, Mirani Group, Nike Philippines, Onitsuka Tiger, Paseo Gallery and Stores Specialists, Inc. to each contribute a special item for the silent auction.
The silent auction was hosted by media personalities and Philippine STAR columnists RJ Ledesma, Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi and Tim Yap, who walked the event’s guests through the silent auction process, along with the one-of-a-kind items on display.
Notable pieces that were auctioned also included artworks by Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Sr., Betsy Westendorp, Enrique Tabuena, Henry Lamy, Sherwin Tan, Alwinder Sarmiento, Marcel Antonio and Nilo Badajos, along with a brass sculpture by Michael Cacnio. There were also limited-edition furniture pieces, such as a Jacksonville Chaise lounge from Marie’s Corner donated by Suyen Corporation, a Cocoon chair by Ann Pamintuan, a mother-of-pearl stool donated by Kaye Tinga and a Basilisa bench by Ito Kish. Guests were serenaded by the Philippine Madrigal Singers and were even treated to a few solo numbers by West End star Joanna Ampil as they perused the items up for auction. As of Nov. 27, a total of P1.26 million was raised.
However, the silent auction was only one of the ways that the event attendees could participate. In the middle of all the items on display was a pledge board where guests could place their thumbprints — each thumb represented a P500 donation to Bulig Bisaya. Among the first to mark their thumbs and pledge were Tony Aquino, president of Ayala Land, Rowena Tomeldan, Ayala Land vice president and head of operations and support services commercial business group, along with their partners for the event, Millet Mananquil, Philippine STAR lifestyle section editor, and Ginbee Go, senior vice president and card banking group head of Bank of the Philippine Islands. Their pledges were soon followed by the likes of Enchong Dee, Tim Yap, Liezel Martinez, Rachel Alejandro and Joanna Ampil.
The auction also launched Pairings of Joy, which brings together good food and wine in participating Ayala Malls restaurants, in partnership with Philippine STAR and Bank of the Philippine Islands. For this initiative, BPI-Ayala Malls Amore Visa cardholders are given the opportunity to earn double rebates for every P1,000 spent in BPI-accredited Ayala Malls restaurants for the entire month of December. Pairings of Joy also introduced the limited-edition wine sets designed by Leeroy New, Cary Santiago, Tim Yap and Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi. Each one infused their own design and personality into each wine set: Leeroy created a set of calligraphic wings printed on a set of plates to represent hope, while Cary’s inverted goblet design showcased his talent as a master couturier. Tim’s festive cage design was covered with golden balls that represented the areas devasted by calamity, and Stephanie’s design was inspired by the memories created by good food and good wine in the company of those who matter most.
For every bottle of wine purchased, P150 goes to Bulig Bisaya. The wine sets that were available for purchase that night were so popular, each one was sold out before the event was over. However, from today onward, they will be available at Greenbelt 5, Glorietta 4, Alabang Town Center and TriNoma, though each wine set is limited to only 200 pieces per designer, so they may run out just as quickly.
As Stephanie said while hosting the silent auction, these activities present us with the unique opportunity to give gifts to our loved ones while being able to give back to the community at the same time. Let us spread love and generosity in all ways possible, so that the true meaning of Christmas may continue even after the festivities are long over.