Friday, October 26, 2012
Dorado with Tamarind-Coriander Sauce
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
2012 Logo Design Contest Official Entries
The En Grande Kids stood up to the challenge and submitted their creations! Best of luck to all of you.
Entry No. 1:
Entry No. 2:
Description: “The cross as well as the color maroon represent the reason for the Pabasa, who is Christ. The yellow shapes symbolize birds -- peace and friendship -- which are the foundations of the En Grande Club.”
Entry No. 3:
Description: "I chose a simple logo to symbolize purity and cleanliness, which describe the state our souls should be in during Lent. The cross of course symbolizes Christ and what he did to save us from our sins. I chose red, blue, and yellow - our national colors - and used these to give the the cross a stained-glass look for a church-y feel."
Entry No. 4:
“The cross represents the central theme of the Pabasa. The wings stand for our freedom from sin and our rebirth after Lent.”
Entry No. 5:
"I simply put a cross on my logo because it represents our creator, Jesus Christ, and a bible because it gives wisdom and unity to the En Grande Members."
Entry No. 6:
Thanks, participants, for spending time on this endeavor. Remember, anything you do, no matter how small -- if it's for the glory of God, then you'll be truly blessed.
Entry No. 1:
Entry No. 2:
Description: “The cross as well as the color maroon represent the reason for the Pabasa, who is Christ. The yellow shapes symbolize birds -- peace and friendship -- which are the foundations of the En Grande Club.”
Entry No. 3:
Description: "I chose a simple logo to symbolize purity and cleanliness, which describe the state our souls should be in during Lent. The cross of course symbolizes Christ and what he did to save us from our sins. I chose red, blue, and yellow - our national colors - and used these to give the the cross a stained-glass look for a church-y feel."
Entry No. 4:
“The cross represents the central theme of the Pabasa. The wings stand for our freedom from sin and our rebirth after Lent.”
Entry No. 5:
"I simply put a cross on my logo because it represents our creator, Jesus Christ, and a bible because it gives wisdom and unity to the En Grande Members."
Entry No. 6:
Thanks, participants, for spending time on this endeavor. Remember, anything you do, no matter how small -- if it's for the glory of God, then you'll be truly blessed.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Pabasa 2012
On April 5 and 6 of this year, we will again be sponsoring a Pabasa (Chant Reading of the Passion of Christ) along Loreto Street in Sampaloc, Manila. This panata (vow) has been passed down by our parents and assumed by us since the Year 2000, and we hope to serve the Lord for as long as we possibly can, through your help.
During the Pabasa, residents in the vicinity are invited to join us in non-stop prayer and meditation from 3 p.m. of Maundy Thursday to 12 noon of Good Friday, after which a Mass is celebrated and food is shared among the participants and the less-privileged brethren in the barangay.
This year, we would like to involve the 3rd-Generation kids – our own children – most of whom are now tweeners, teens, and young adults, by having them participate in a Logo/T-shirt Design contest for the Club.
Any donation from you towards the contest prize would be greatly appreciated!
The PayPal buttons at the right column accept peso (top) and dollar (bottom) donations in any amount.
NOTE:
Don't have a PayPal account?
Use your credit card or bank account (where available).
You can donate without sharing your financial information. PayPal protects your privacy and security. As owner of this blog, I do not store the donor’s financial info; these are all handled by PayPal – a global leader in online payment solutions with more than 153 million accounts worldwide, available in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world.
When making your donation, make sure you are in an “https” (secure) site. You can also leave a comment on the PayPal Gateway and we’ll share it on our Facebook page.
Many thanks in advance and God bless!
Linette Pascual-Paras
On behalf of En Grande Club
During the Pabasa, residents in the vicinity are invited to join us in non-stop prayer and meditation from 3 p.m. of Maundy Thursday to 12 noon of Good Friday, after which a Mass is celebrated and food is shared among the participants and the less-privileged brethren in the barangay.
This year, we would like to involve the 3rd-Generation kids – our own children – most of whom are now tweeners, teens, and young adults, by having them participate in a Logo/T-shirt Design contest for the Club.
Any donation from you towards the contest prize would be greatly appreciated!
The PayPal buttons at the right column accept peso (top) and dollar (bottom) donations in any amount.
NOTE:
Don't have a PayPal account?
Use your credit card or bank account (where available).
You can donate without sharing your financial information. PayPal protects your privacy and security. As owner of this blog, I do not store the donor’s financial info; these are all handled by PayPal – a global leader in online payment solutions with more than 153 million accounts worldwide, available in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world.
When making your donation, make sure you are in an “https” (secure) site. You can also leave a comment on the PayPal Gateway and we’ll share it on our Facebook page.
Many thanks in advance and God bless!
Linette Pascual-Paras
On behalf of En Grande Club
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Trek to Adams, Jan 2010
An overnight camping trip to Adams, Ilocos Norte - by Pagcorians from Laoag, led by PSs Raul Paras Jr., B-Boy Haro, and Tito Arenas.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Op'n Tulong Bayan AVP Contest - 2nd Place
Two months after Ondoy, am sharing the video we made which won Second Place in Operation Tulong Bayan's AVP Contest. Thank you to the benevolent photo contributors, and to Ms. Noella Choi for allowing us to 'borrow' her raw but powerful musical stylings!
NOTE: The Aquino-Roxas tandem, through “Operation Tulong Bayan,” has distributed relief packs to more than 34,000 families in 45 areas in Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan since Sept. 27. The Operation Tulong Bayan relief center is in Balay Expo Centro (formerly Seafood Market), EDSA corner General McArthur Street, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, inside the parking lot fronting the fruit section of Farmers Market.
NOTE: The Aquino-Roxas tandem, through “Operation Tulong Bayan,” has distributed relief packs to more than 34,000 families in 45 areas in Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan since Sept. 27. The Operation Tulong Bayan relief center is in Balay Expo Centro (formerly Seafood Market), EDSA corner General McArthur Street, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, inside the parking lot fronting the fruit section of Farmers Market.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Gift-Giving at Adams, Ilocos Norte
A vid of our Christmas Shoebox Gift-Giving Project at Adams, Ilocos Norte last December 13-14, 2008. Thanks a mil to all our generous friends who gave the gift of love to those who needed it most this Christmas. We are indeed blessed to have friends like you!
Friday, November 28, 2008
The CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX PROJECT is now on its FOURTH YEAR (2009)!
(Updated post for 2009's Shoebox Project)
Be a part of this annual gift-giving project by packing a shoebox filled with goodies for just one child this Christmas. Would you believe it can make a big difference in that child’s life?
It’s now well under way!
It all started when a handful of graduate students and their advisers from the Mariano Marcos State University in Laoag decided to tap the help of their generous friends and relatives in order to make the holidays a bit brighter for our less fortunate boys and girls.
December 2006: About 50 shoeboxes donated by PAGCOR employees, Free and Accepted Masons of Laoag, parents and teachers of the MMSU Foundation’s Preschool Department, and other selfless friends were distributed to children aged 4 to 17 in three underprivileged barangays in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
December 2007: The same donors from 2006, together with MMSU-CTE undergraduate students, joined forces to prepare more than 200 shoeboxes for the preschool students of Shamrock Elementary School and the special children of A.P. Santos Elementary Schools in Laoag City!
December 2008: We played Santa to the special students at Ilocos Norte National High School and at one of the most needy public elementary schools in Laoag, where several classes are still being held under a tree. We also visited Adams, Ilocos Norte, a 5th class municipality of less than 300 households. Many of its residents do not even have the luxury of electricity, but their simple way of life is truly inspiring. Elementary kids were each given shoeboxes by our regular donors, the moms received packs for Noche Buena, and everyone stood in line for a distribution of "aguinaldos" by Mayor Eric Bawingan, courtesy of a generous PAGCORian.
December 2009: Once again, we are returning to Adams, Ilocos Norte for our annual Shoebox Project, plus, hopefully, with donations of medicine for the townsfolk. I personally discovered last year that Adams is a long way off from where residents could get their needed medications, so it would greatly benefit their town to have their own supply, no matter how meager. We are appealing to kind donors to share with them whatever they can in this regard.
How to pack a shoebox
1. SHOEBOX
Use a standard-sized empty shoebox or a paper or plastic gift bag (but the shoebox is preferred for consistency). You may wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, say a prayer for the child who will receive your gift.
2. BOY OR GIRL?
Determine whether your shoebox gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Cut out a small piece of paper indicating if the box is for a 'Boy' or a 'Girl', and indicate an age range. Tape this to the top of your box.
3. FILL WITH GIFTS
Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Use the gift ideas suggested on the bottom of this page.
How to submit your shoebox
Simply text 09209478857 for pick-up.
Can I make a monetary donation instead?
Cash gifts are most welcome. We will have an audit of all monetary donations which will either be used to pack more shoeboxes or to purchase snacks for the beneficiaries.
BANK: Banco De Oro
BRANCH: Baguio-Luneta
ACCT. NAME: Angelina P. Paras
Peso S/A No.: 0007-9039-2373
BANK: East-West Bank
BRANCH: Baguio-Session Road
Dollar S/A No.: 0163-7000004-6
Bank's SWIFT Code: EWBCPHMM
All donations will be acknowledged on http://pinoysharing.blogspot.com (Please email deposit details to linet_paras@yahoo.com)
You can also donate any amount the easy way via PayPal! It's secure, as it will link you to a safe "https" site. Just click on the 'Donate' button below.
Gift Ideas
TOYS
small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed toys, small musical instruments, jackstones, jump ropes, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, Pokemon cards, toy bracelets, stickers, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS
toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag to keep the smell away from foodstuff, if any), comb, washcloth, etc.
OTHER
hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
A PERSONAL NOTE
In a separate envelope, you may ask your son or daughter to enclose a note for the child.
PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE:
Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; expired or banned candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans
Thank you and God bless you for selflessly sharing your blessings with the less fortunate.
"Charity begins at home, but should not end there.”
Be a part of this annual gift-giving project by packing a shoebox filled with goodies for just one child this Christmas. Would you believe it can make a big difference in that child’s life?
It’s now well under way!
It all started when a handful of graduate students and their advisers from the Mariano Marcos State University in Laoag decided to tap the help of their generous friends and relatives in order to make the holidays a bit brighter for our less fortunate boys and girls.
December 2006: About 50 shoeboxes donated by PAGCOR employees, Free and Accepted Masons of Laoag, parents and teachers of the MMSU Foundation’s Preschool Department, and other selfless friends were distributed to children aged 4 to 17 in three underprivileged barangays in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
December 2007: The same donors from 2006, together with MMSU-CTE undergraduate students, joined forces to prepare more than 200 shoeboxes for the preschool students of Shamrock Elementary School and the special children of A.P. Santos Elementary Schools in Laoag City!
December 2008: We played Santa to the special students at Ilocos Norte National High School and at one of the most needy public elementary schools in Laoag, where several classes are still being held under a tree. We also visited Adams, Ilocos Norte, a 5th class municipality of less than 300 households. Many of its residents do not even have the luxury of electricity, but their simple way of life is truly inspiring. Elementary kids were each given shoeboxes by our regular donors, the moms received packs for Noche Buena, and everyone stood in line for a distribution of "aguinaldos" by Mayor Eric Bawingan, courtesy of a generous PAGCORian.
December 2009: Once again, we are returning to Adams, Ilocos Norte for our annual Shoebox Project, plus, hopefully, with donations of medicine for the townsfolk. I personally discovered last year that Adams is a long way off from where residents could get their needed medications, so it would greatly benefit their town to have their own supply, no matter how meager. We are appealing to kind donors to share with them whatever they can in this regard.
How to pack a shoebox
1. SHOEBOX
Use a standard-sized empty shoebox or a paper or plastic gift bag (but the shoebox is preferred for consistency). You may wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, say a prayer for the child who will receive your gift.
2. BOY OR GIRL?
Determine whether your shoebox gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Cut out a small piece of paper indicating if the box is for a 'Boy' or a 'Girl', and indicate an age range. Tape this to the top of your box.
3. FILL WITH GIFTS
Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Use the gift ideas suggested on the bottom of this page.
How to submit your shoebox
Simply text 09209478857 for pick-up.
Can I make a monetary donation instead?
Cash gifts are most welcome. We will have an audit of all monetary donations which will either be used to pack more shoeboxes or to purchase snacks for the beneficiaries.
BANK: Banco De Oro
BRANCH: Baguio-Luneta
ACCT. NAME: Angelina P. Paras
Peso S/A No.: 0007-9039-2373
BANK: East-West Bank
BRANCH: Baguio-Session Road
Dollar S/A No.: 0163-7000004-6
Bank's SWIFT Code: EWBCPHMM
All donations will be acknowledged on http://pinoysharing.blogspot.com (Please email deposit details to linet_paras@yahoo.com)
You can also donate any amount the easy way via PayPal! It's secure, as it will link you to a safe "https" site. Just click on the 'Donate' button below.
Gift Ideas
TOYS
small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed toys, small musical instruments, jackstones, jump ropes, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, Pokemon cards, toy bracelets, stickers, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS
toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag to keep the smell away from foodstuff, if any), comb, washcloth, etc.
OTHER
hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
A PERSONAL NOTE
In a separate envelope, you may ask your son or daughter to enclose a note for the child.
PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE:
Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; expired or banned candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans
Thank you and God bless you for selflessly sharing your blessings with the less fortunate.
"Charity begins at home, but should not end there.”
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Friday, December 21, 2007
PAGCOR Employees' Christmas Gift-giving Activity
December 21, 2007. Raul and I returned to San Bernabe Elementary School (SBES) – this time with a lot of generous friends from PAGCOR who admirably set aside portions of their daily earnings for this worthy mission.
We had a convoy of about six (6) vehicles which drove through several kms of rough road (free kabuki makeup for the passers-by), but this was way better than mud. We were held up a bit in leaving Laoag City for Sarrat because they closed off the road in front of the city plaza for a celebration.
When we arrived at the SBES, the kids have just wrapped up their Christmas party. Like hands manning a conveyor belt, the PAGCORIANs unloaded the gifts and the snacks with precision. Nobody had to tell them what to do as they are veterans of outreach programs such as this. No one was idle, either – even their children, whom they brought along, helped group the schoolchildren for the games.
I would have wanted to record the kids' cheering and squeals of delight for posterity, but I was manning the sound system (and at the same time I wanted to simply watch them enjoy the games), so I just left the documentation to the others in the party.
After the distribution of prizes, we gave away their snacks of pancit, waffle dogs and hotdogs-on-sticks, and tetrapak juice. There were more than enough for the 69 kids and 50 adults we have prepared for. Their School Principal, Mrs. Dolores Domingo, who also happened to be the wife of our Vice-Mayor in Laoag, invited us into her office for some snacks as well.
The adults and the kids then formed a line to receive their packed goodies plus an additional cash gift from "Santa" Rey, Mrs. Jacobe, and I (we only handed them out, of course – these were pooled donations from all the PAGCORians who participated in the activity).
After a few rushed Canon-izations (it was getting dark and the schoolchildren had to walk home), it was time for us to say our goodbyes and "we'll-be-back's". There were a few snags, however – one of the cars in the convoy wouldn't start and a van broke down a fourth of the way into the trip – but we looked after each other and everyone got home safe and sound.
Thank you to all those who participated and contributed in their own little way for this worthwhile cause.
"In Faith and Hope the world will disagree, but all mankind's concern is Charity." - Alexander Pope, in Essay On Man
MMSU-CTE and GS 2007 Shoebox Project
December 14, 2007. This is the 2nd year of the Shoebox Project and this time around, our beneficiaries were Shamrock Elementary School and A.P. Santos Elementary School, both in Laoag City.
As my adviser Prof. Acuna was able to mobilize the Undergrad students this year, we came up with more than 200 shoeboxes in all – more than enough to distribute to the preschoolers and special students of these two schools.
My "banana pops" lesson plan had also become sort of a yearly tradition, because the kids obviously enjoy decorating the do-it-yourself sweet treats and devouring them afterwards.
I have posted a few photos of the event here, plus a video of the kids opening their gifts. Enjoy!
Special thanks to: MMSU-CTE ECE and SpEd Undergrad Students' Donors*MMSU-GS ECE Students' Donors*Parents of the MMSU Preschoolers*Juvy Nunez*Tibo Enrique*Jun Baguinon*Marc Opinaldo*Romy Gerodias*Tito Arenas*Bong and Mayeth Constantino*Adam Yee*Raymond Manauis*Asyong*Jong*Ross*Claire*Jenna*Roy Cedo*Penny Cabrera*B-Boy Haro*Jess Boloron*Colleen Benavidez*Em Boquiren*Jinnah*
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
No Birthday Celebration This Year, But...
In lieu of the usual birthday bash, I decided to use my allocated party money for a worthwhile cause instead. Marlon B., one of my classmates at Grad School, teaches at a small elementary school in Sarrat and jumped at the chance of turning my loud thought into a reality while we were having lunch one Saturday.
"Second week of November would be great," he said.
"Would be great for what?" I asked.
"For your gift-giving."
My spoonful of pinakbet froze in mid air. The thought of foregoing the usual videoke-and-beer party just whizzed through my mind, and here he was, clearing a date for it.
And so it was that I went to a nondescript building to gather all the school stuff that I could bring, including a globe, a chess set, and balls for the small kids. I also invited some of my other classmates to join me.
The event was moved 10 days after my birthday and Raul, my husband, was gracious enough to be my driver and kargador. We loaded everything into the van and followed the lead of Elaine and her husband. (I can drive without help from Manila to Laoag, but I need to have a navigator. And that goes for any other destination. Give me ten forks in the road and I'll miss 9 times out of 10.)
We arrived to see a wonderful oasis of a school in the middle of rice fields. It only had two main buildings and about 70 students in all, from the first through the sixth grade. The "campus" was constantly cooled by a fresh gust of wind, and I was immediately taken by the place.
The teachers were used to teaching in multigrade classes (e.g., 2nd graders combined with 3rd graders) but I told them they were still quite fortunate because the students seemed to be well-behaved.
The children prepared a short program for us, after which we played a few parlor games hosted by my friend Marlyn B. She also prepared snacks and drinks from the children (an unexpected and much-appreciated "love gift").
It was past 5 and time to leave that picture-pretty school. We rode our vehicles to once more drive through the dirt roads. Along the way, we passed several schoolchildren hurriedly walking home. They happily waved goodbye as we rode off into the sunset.
I may not have enjoyed singing and drinking with friends, but the hangover from gift-giving feels much better.
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