Family Day and Oath-taking of the New Set of Officers

Oath-Taking Ceremony and Family Day Celebration

July 29, 2012

There is a bus company here in Nigeria known as ‘THE YOUNG MUST GROW.’ These are all Marco Polo commercial buses. It really amuses us at first. Later as we stayed here longer, this ‘maxim’ only emphasized the obvious – the often-taken-for-granted validity of nature.

Every young must grow. Like the then fledgling Pusong Pinoy Association. With all the hiccups along the way, (and more or less 90 registered members) it has now grown into one of the well-known associations here in Nigeria and at the Homeland and also in many parts of the world. Activities not only for the good of the OFWs and the homeland but also giving back to the host nation had become a tradition for the association. No matter how heavy the burden is, we always carry the Pinoy traits: generous, cheerful, hospitable, kind-hearted, charitable and most of all compassionate – the very core of Pusong Pinoy Kind-Hearted Association in Nigeria.

The July 1^st election of the new set of PPAN officers culminated in the oath-taking ceremony held last July 29, 2012. It was timed to be celebrated during the monthly Family Day event always held every last Sunday of the month.

A certification of recognition was also awarded to an Indonesian lady who had become a ‘real’ Pinoy – Mrs. Ellya Rosa Ilic. Mr. and Mrs. Ilic had since gone back to Montenegro after staying in Nigeria for two decades.

This is the time when OFWS come together to meet and relax with old and newly-acquired friends – the whole community becomes one family. Still luckier are the OFWS with family staying together.  

This young set of officers had been sworn-in by HE Ambassador Nestor Padalhin.

The inductees:

President:                 John Eugene Hernandez 

Vice-President:         Sheen Kathrine Arcala

Secretary:                 Maria Andrea Abella

Treasurer:                 Sherwin Cayabyab

PRO 1:                      James Valenzuela

PRO 2:                      Engelbert Llames

AUDITOR:               Mercy Subibe

It was very refreshing to watch these officers actually and literally serving the community. With smiles and kind words for everyone, it was indeed a Family Day.

 MABUHAY!

...the fully decorated Philippine embassy for the Induction ceremony  of the new set of officers of PPAN

...registration campaign: Andrea with Nonits; Willy and Nonits filling-in the form; Donald, John, Sherwin and Donna; Sheen and Andrea with Clifford and Nelson; Sheda; and OFW family

JBN Lee Baniaga and Henry Pasajol, Espy, Rickson, Estan (porma talaga!), Mercy, Gel and Sherwin of Dantata and Sawoe

...arrival of HE Ambassador Nestor Padalhin and wife Annie; Ambassador-nominee Alex V. Lamadrid exchanging greetings with Willy of NAOC-AGIP; Gel, Clifford and Miguel Gumawid - Property Officer/ATN and Consular Assistant; Mrs. Anita de la Cruz - Administrative Officer of the embassy

...Lolit conferring with Dennis, the MC (not Hammer); JayR, the DJ; officers and other OFWs waiting for the opening ceremony

...meron pa bang mas poporma sa kanila? NO CONTENDERS!

...a real family day - Mr. and Mrs. Rey Bengua and kid  of JBN: Jay R and wife Katz, Joel,  John, Willy, Weng, Jannette, Angie, Rose, Tess, Maebs, Vangie, Rickson, Estan, Emie, Joanna and Dennis, Medel and brother Henry and other OFWS

...that's the team: service muna - and happily doing the job!

...waiting for the ceremony to begin - that's JBN Celing, Botch, Efren and wife Ness; the Churchgate's guys; Amb. Padalhin greeting Sr. Eflaida and the rest of the OFWs

...cross-section of the OFWS  joining the Family Day celebration

...the opening prayer led by MCST Sr. Eflaida with the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

...the new set of officers as sworn-in by HE Ambassador Nestor Padalhin: President - John Eugene Hernandez; VP Sheen Kathrine Arcala; Secretary Maria Andrea Abella; Treasurer Sherwin Cayabyab; PRO James Valenzuela; PRO Engelbert Llames; Auditor Mercy Subibe

 

...the out-going officers: Teofie Infante of the Embassy of Finland: Gina Dadia; Melanie; Sheen; the officers with certificate of appreciation

Lolit PPAN Chairperson giving thanks to the out-going officers; Teofie, handing-over to incoming president John; Sheen

...the newly inducted  PPAN President John Hernandez with the proposed agenda

Indonesian Mrs. Ellya Rosa Ilic of Dantata & Sawoe awarded a certificate of appreciation for the invaluable support she has rendered to the Filipino Community for less than 2 decades

Mr. Mico Ilic and wife Rosa; here withAmbassador Padalhin,  Ambassador-nominee Alex V. Lamadrid, Lolita Victorio and MCST Sr. Eflaida

OFWS witnessing the ceremony

...merienda time

...happy faces? busog na...

...yong full pa ang plate - back 2 na 'yon!!! 'yong wala na , still thinking kung mag ba back 3 pa sila!!!!

...(sabi nga ni Nonits) i yaaaaaannnn!!! ....tulong-tulong sa kaunlaran - magsisimula na aaaaannnnnnggggg BINGO! that's Jay R and Joey, Dencio, si Gel at si Sherwin, si Mercy, Andrea at si John.

...si Engr. Jun Robles; poker games

Intermission: Duet - Ness and Mcdooo

...isa na lang! isa na lang!.....ay ayyyyy - wala rin...

...arrival of Tong-gressman JT Torres 'during the 'campaign'; with his 'bodi gards'Rami, Botch and Estan; conferring how to avoid giving 'tong'; and JT 'at work'

..GEL, the PRO

...the great salesmen: Gel and Ef - ayan courtesy of Gilbert Bernados - give-away ng kompanya nila - totoong malinis, mabango at swabe sa kamay kapag naglalaba si Gel at si Ef kahit daw me hawak pang beer, ayos ang labada!

HAPPY HOUR! - si Gel habang nag e emote; si  Miguel Eduardo Gumawid ay umaawit at si Mark Joseph Gumawid ganuon din - umaawit!

 

...at para sa kanila - eto ang modernong translation ng kanilang portfolio....