Sending love overseas

A  movie I watched the other day showed a particularly poignant and touching commercial, underscoring a bittersweet reality for many of our countrymen. The ad began with shots of overseas Filipino workers, and you can just feel how lonely it can be for them to be living so far away from everyone they love. When they are sending gifts and money home and calling their loved ones on their phones, the colors brighten up, and the gloom is washed away. I couldn’t help smiling as I watched that little girl hug her new stuffed panda straight out of the delivery box.

It came as no surprise that the company featured in the commercial is LBC Express, Inc. For generations, this iconic Filipino company has built an intimate relationship with OFWs and their families. Growing from its roots in the 1950s as a brokerage and air cargo agent, LBC has become the largest express courier, cargo, and money remittance company in the Philippines. Today, it has  branches in over 18 countries across the map, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Brunei, and Bahrain. In Asia, it is understandably active in countries with a high number of Filipino expatriates, such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Locally, its network is unparalleled, with 3,000 branches and partner agents across the country.

Notwithstanding their size and reach, it’s good to be reminded that companies like LBC provide such a valuable service to our modern-day OFW heroes, making the time away from their families a little more bearable. In fact, I suspect that this was precisely the reason why LBC undertook a highly visible rebranding campaign last year.

Personally, I feel that its  new round logo expresses far more friendliness than the blocky one it replaced. The rebranding likewise has the distinct feel of a Filipino stalwart that is now well-poised to excel in the global arena. Indeed, far beyond its standard retail operations, LBC now offers world-class cash remittance, customized logistics solutions, cross docking, and reverse logistics services.

Some may wonder why the company has phased out its eminent “Hari ng Padala” slogan; after all, it was an excellent statement that conveyed pride at what the company functionally does. With the new shift, however, it is clear that LBC is now encapsulating the spirit behind what it really does, through one understated yet compelling declaration: it likes to move it.

In a way, therefore, LBC is allowing every Filipino to gain an insight into what frequent money and parcel senders have known all along. At the end of the day, it’s not about packages, remittances, or goods — it’s about moving lives and bridging the gaps between people. More important, it sends reminders of love being strong and alive across the seas.

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The 2014 district conference of Rotary Club of Manila 3810, the oldest district in the whole of Asia, was different from previous conferences. Showcased at this year’s well-attended event were  activities of club presidents that brought changes in the lives of people in communities. The projects are sustainable in the 91 member clubs of the district consisting of Manila, Pasay City, the whole of Cavite and Occidental Mindoro. Each district has a membership of no less than 60 clubs, said outgoing district governor Karen Tamayo.

The “flagship” program is the P5 million Global Drain. This consists of a  potable water system that will provide drinking water to 12,000 residents of Looc,  a barangay in Lubang Island. The donation is a gift for residents who never had potable drinking water, Tamayo said.

The project involves pumping water from a  solar-powered pumping station from a deep well to a reservoir and by gravity, is distributed through a  filtration system to three  barangays.

Tamayo said the project is a collaborative effort among the Rotary District in Australia, the UP College of Engineering, SICAK, a British engineering company, and District 3810, with the local government unit taking over the project once completed.

The district also held relief operations in areas hit by typhoons, including Iloilo and Tacloban.

The district, which turns 100 years old in 2019, and other Rotary districts in the country, have brought six million meals to children and adults in Tacloban, and are now working to bring solar-powered lights and manually operated  sewing machines to provide livelihood for residents. The owner of a garments factory volunteered to give scrap cloths that can be sewn into rugs, area  rugs, and doormats.

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Some 500 Rotarians attended the 2014 district conference chaired by Edgardo Tumangan, past district governor. The Rotary International president sent his representative from Hong Kong, David Harilela, past district governor of RC Golden Mile, Rotary International District 3350, to deliver the opening keynote and closing remarks.

One of the conference’s highlights was the message of Sen. Cynthia Villar, which focused on economic and community development.  Another was the breakout session on disease prevention and treatment, with Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag as main speaker.

A portion on youth service was handled  by speaker Janette Toral, and a success story was told by Rotarian tenor George Tagle of RC Manila.

A press conference was officiated by president-elect Frank Evaristo of Rotary Club of Manila and Elizabeth Tagle, past president of RC Manila 101.

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The afternoon of April 5 is something to look forward to, as the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY) pays  tribute to the genius of National Artist for Music, Maestro and Professor Lucio D. San Pedro. 

San Pedro, a prolific artist with more than 60 years of artistic creation, is noted for his works that are highly evocative of the folk elements. Through his compositions, he strove to reflect the Filipino soul and stayed true to his musical philosophy of “creative nationalism.” He wrote  hymns, masses, choral works, songs for solo voices, chamber music, incidental music, even background music for movies. Conferred National Artist for Music in 1991, his popular compositions include “Sa Mahal Kong Bayan,”  â€œSimbang Gabi,”  and “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan.”

The OFY Quorum and Prep Club will play songs written by San Pedro, such as “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan,”  “Katutubong Awitin,”  and “Leron-leron Sinta.”

OFY is a joint venture between ABS-CBN Corp. and First Philippine Holdings. Ang Misyon established OFY along with its after-school music education program, Sistema for the Filipino Youth, which offers children from deprived communities the opportunity to achieve their full musical potential through music lessons, with the ultimate hope of creating a positive impact on their communities.

Concert ticket costs P500 and P450 for students and museum members.

This  includes admission to the museum’s ongoing exhibit, “Complicated.”

“Complicated” exhibit explores the complex relationship of the Philippines with its colonial past. It features commissioned works by guest artists Leslie de Chavez, Mike Adrao, and Ea Torrado juxtaposed with works by Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Juvenal Sanso, and other artworks from the  Lopez Memorial Museum collection.

The Lopez Memorial Museum is on  the ground floor, Benpres Building, Exchange Road corner Meralco Avenue, Pasig City. Museum days and hours are Mondays to Saturdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., except holidays. For information and ticket reservations, call Tina at 6312417.

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