Rotary Club of Makati, Philippines

Every year our Rotary Anns contribute to giving that truism teeth or legs to stand on, with the Last Angel gift-giving project that has become another cherished club tradition since it was initiated by Ann Brin Panlilio in RY 1999-2000. This year, the Anns, led by Last Angel chairperson Tessie Amparo, bought presents (each costing P100-P150) and brought them personally to 984 children in 7 communities, 6 schools and 4 institutions on 8 different days before Christmas, braving traffic that snarled in many places to make real the promise of Christmas for the kids.

The gift-giving started in the morning of Friday the 10th, with Pres. Jun & Ann Pina, Frank Chavez & Ann Jean, Bud Melvin & Ann Au, Baby Rtn. Shah Tamano, Lil Dominguez, and Ann Tessie handing out gifts to 55 Bantay Bata wards under the care of the Makati Social Welfare Department. Bud suited up as Santa, and Ann Au gave away P100 bills to the kids, while Bantay Bata chair Frank beamed. In the afternoon, Pres. Jun, First Ann Pina, and Ann Tessie were joined by Anns Angela Quila and Lu Limjoco at Bahay Maria in Bel-Air Village, Makati for the distribution of gifts to 15 children, compliments of donor Fiona Borromeo-Casillan, daughter of PP Freddie & Ann Jojo Borromeo.

PP Freddie & Ann Jojo motored to Calatagan on the 11th to give gifts to 60 children from Balitoc Elem. School and Bucal Elem. School who are enrolled in the supplemental feeding program that PP Freddie chairs. The gifts were sponsored by the Borromeo couple themselves. They also gave away planners and ballpens to the teachers, compliments of Dick Upton, and 30 bikes to as many kids, courtesy of the Bikes to School Program chaired by Hiro Oba. Unsold slippers donated by Taba Samson to the White Elephant table at the Christmas Bazaar were also given to the children, thanks to Ann Caling Young, White Elephant chair.

The 13th saw Dir. Ferdie Ordoveza motoring to Bay, Laguna to bring gifts to 60 kids from Brgys. Puypuy and Sto.Domingo who are enrolled in the Club’s feeding program. The gift-giving was done with the help of RC Bay, a Brother Club.

The gift-givers, staying close to home on Wednesday the 15th, hit two venues: the Sta. Clara Montefalco Parish community in Pasay in the morning, with Pres. Jun & Ann Pina and Ann Tessie doing the honors for 60 children enrolled in the club’s TB Eradication program; the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul on UN Avenue, Manila in the afternoon, with Pres. Jun & Ann Pina joined this time by Bud & Ann Au in the distribution of gifts to 70 wards.Once again, Bud ho-ho-ho’ed his way to the recipients’ hearts with his Santa persona, while Ann Au gave them P100 each.

On the 16th, sixty feeding program enrolees in Nasugbu, Batangas gathered at the Balaytigue Elem. School to receive Last Angel gifts from PDG Tony Quila; the teachers also received gifts, compliments of PDG Tony. On the other hand, RCM staffers Eden Noche and Ron Dotaro went the opposite direction, to Pateros, Rizal, to deliver gifts to 75 kids enrolled in the feeding program there.

Last Angel chair Tessie Amparo went solo in the morning of the 17th, driving to the MCJ Mission Church in Malabon to bring gifts to 180 children from Potrero, as did Gawad Kalinga chair Fred Menzel.in the afternoon, as he brought gifts to 100 kids in the Club’s adopted GK community in Villa Paraiso, Sun Valley, Parañaque City.

On the 18th Eden partnered with RCM staff photographer Peter Manlangit to deliver gifts to 180 Silid Aralan scholars who had congregated at the Kasiglahan Elem. School in Montalban, Rizal. The students are recipients of financial assistance from Bossa Nova Queen Sitti Navarro, who had performed at our Halloween Party, pro bono. She had waived her fee in exchange for one request (made to PP Charlie Rufino, who invited her): that the Club enlist her scholars as beneficiaries of the Last Angel project.

On the 22nd, the gifts for 71 kids enrolled in our TB Eradication program were picked up from the RCM office for distribution to the recipients, who hail from 4 project sites: St. Peter’s Parish, Estansuela Elem. School, Ovidio Elem. School, and Porta Vaga Elem. School, all in Cavite City.

The number of beneficiaries is expected to zoom to over 130 when the Last Angel Committee is done giving belated gifts to an additional 150 children—50 at the Phil. General Hospital, 100 in Brgy. Guadalupe Viejo, in the vicinity of the RCM clubhouse.