Baranggay Cinema ng mga OFWs sa Abuja

BARANGGAY CINEMA

A new Drive-In Movie is in town! That is …at least for OFWS.

Grand opening night last Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 pm. 

The Philippine Embassy lent its premises for this project of Pusong Pinoy Association. 

Syempre pa, isa itong naging malaking pagkakataon  para ma-update naman ng konti sa mga entertainment galing sa ating bayang sinilangan. Eh, hindi naman kasi nagpapalabas ng mga Pinoy movies sa malalaking sinehan dito. 

Sana ma-tap ng Philippine movie industry ang market ng Abuja if not the whole of Nigeria. Actually,  merong mga nagtitinda ng mga Filipino telenovela  in DVD’s.  But if it will be on the big screen as in Silverbird or Ceddi Plaza, that would be something.

At sa opening night nga ng Baranggay Cinema, no less than the Philippine Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid had graced this occasion. He also saw it as another window for a more unified community.  

A community reminiscent of the actual life at home lalo na sa aming ‘baryo’– merong sine sa ‘plaza,’ at meron ding  ‘talipapa,’ – habang nanunuod ay merong kinukukot – ginataan, atbp.

Regardless of the threatening bad weather, the show eagerly awaited,  went on.  Smoothly.  Heart-wrenching drama. Until…biglang bumagsak ang ulan!

Everybody scampered for shelter with eyes still glued to the screen.  Merong  nakisilong sa gate ng embassy. Merong sumiksik sa me pinto. Merong  umakyat na sa foyer na syang ginamit na pinaka-stage at siksikan sa tabi para di matakpan ang mga nanunuod na napunta naman sa ilalim ng mga puno.  At higit sa lahat, merong mga boy scouts – laging handa – me dalang payong! 

Drama. Rated: PG       Born to Love You

Starring ang bagong heartthrobs ng mga pinoy:  si Coco Martin at si Angeline Quinto

Story: Parents quarreled. Mother migrated to US. Boy grew up with father (who later died) hating the world. Mother came back with new hubby. Boy still hated them. Photographer Boy works in an advertising company met Tourist Guide Girl (Pinoy and Korean parents).  Fell in love.  Boy helped girl look for Korean dad. Boy and Girl met accident. Girl got well. Boy disappeared.  Nobody found him again until girl on a tour guide stint in Tagaytay saw and confronted him – litany of recriminations ensued. No words from boy. Girl about to leave when call came from Boy’s mom revealing that Boy was found but known to be blind because of the accident. Turnaround. Reconciliation and wedding.  The End (with a sigh….)

...at narito ang mga pinoy na nagsikap para magkaroon ng kahit kaunting kasayahan na naidulot sa mga medyo na- ho home sick na mga kababayan.......ang bagong pamunuan ng Pusong Pinoy Association - tulong-tulong, magkabalikat at masayang nagtatrabaho - sina John, Sheen, Andrea, Sherwin, Gel, James at Mercy. Kasama pa sina Efren at Rami. At ang mga embassy staff - Fely, Nadj, Anita, Clifford, Jabar, Michael at Mark. And of course - the Philippine Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid

MABUHAY.

Paghahanda - hirap pala maging operator ng 'sinehan' - but it's nothing to the  experts : si Efren, si John, si James

...meron bang pwedeng makalusot sa mga takilyera? sa ganda ng mga iyan - bayad agad! si Sheen, si Andrea, si Mercy, si Marilyn - bantay si Gel - ayun sa sulok baka kasi meron pang 'makalusot'......

....trailer muna ng mga local stars - nag shooting sa Usman Dam during the Family Day...

...waiting for the film to begin

...iyan ang entrepreneurial spirit ng pinoy...

...nagkakatuwaang naghihintay....

...ang Pambansang Awit at ang Panatang Makabayan - si Gng. Nadj Mangondaya at si Gng. Anita de la Cruz: habang si James, si Gel at si Efren ay naka-pose!!!

...at isang maikling bating-panimula ni Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid

Ilang makabagbag-damdaming eksena sa pelikula....kaya pati ang panahon ay buong - giting na nakiramay na rin at ibinuhos ang 'luha...'

...at walang magawa ang ulan para iwan ng mga nanunuod ang pelikula...

...at kahit na nga inabutan ng ulan - tutok pa rin sa screen

...at ang masayang pagtatapos....

...iyan ang pinoy!!! Laging handa -  ulan lang 'yan...tuloy ang ligaya.

...Sign off na.  Hinamak ang ulan makapanuod lang.

Isang Araw ng Linggo sa Buhay ng mga Manggagawa sa Abuja

 A Prayer

Isang Araw ng Linggo sa Buhay ng mga Manggagawa sa Abuja

…eternal rest grant unto Mrs. Nicanora Umali, O Lord

                And let perpetual light shine upon her.

May her soul rest in peace.          

Amen

The family and friends of Mr. & Mrs. Bernabe ‘Tickboy’ Mercado gathered last Sunday September 9, to offer prayers for the soul of Mrs. Nicanora Umali, the mother of Mrs. Marisa Umali Mercado of the Austrian Embassy.

Our good Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid who took the helm from Ambassador Nestor Padalhin (now in Syria) kindly joined and led the prayers.

Lunch followed shortly with Glady’s big pot of aruzcaldo which was promptly savoured.

Lito formally re-introducing Ambassador Alex Lamadrid

Prayers: The All Soul's Rosary as family and friends prayed together: Family: Ampy, Katz, Renz, Gel, Doods, Jay R, Alessa and Jamie; Friends: Amb. Lamadrid, John, Lito, Willy, Sherwin, Fely, Lea, James, Rex, Angie, Michelle, Sheda

Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid addressing the family and friends

Ambassador Lamadrid in lighter moments: Ampy, Angie, Lito, John, Rex, Willy, Michelle, Katz, Alessa, Gel, Renz

getting ready for lunch...

...syempre after the 'serious business' is the normal round-off...  Alessa and Jamie at the swing

Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid with Ampy Ronquillo of the Italian Embassy and Fely Ramos of the Philippine Embassy

Isang Araw ng Linggo sa Buhay ng mga Manggagawa sa Abuja

Send-Off kay Sr. Mary Grace August 26, 2012

They are like soldiers - kung saan kailangan anduon sila. Actually, they are soldiers - soldiers of Christ. Four years ago (sabi nga namin, hindi namamalayan ang paglipas ng mga taon), Sr. Mary Grace was just a new face. 
And as with the Filipino sisters assigned here, they become our family. Karamay sa lahat ng mga masalimuot na buhay ng mga OFWS.
And now, tinatawag na sya ulit to serve sa bayang Pilipinas. Sabi namin, 'wag muna. But each has his/her duty to fulfill.
 Although it is but natural na ang paghihiwalay ay laging may lungkot. 
AT para sa amin na medyo matagal na rin ang itinagal sa bansang ito, we all know that we will all meet our old friends sa bansang sinilangan.
To our sister, Sr. Mary Grace - till we meet again.
Sr. Mary Grace has since gone back to the Philippines.

Special menu for a special person: Honey-mustard-baked chicken; chop-suey ni Maris at ang apritada ni Lito.

She is FAMILY: Angie, John, Tickboy, JT, Maris,  Sr. MaryGrace, Ampy and seated is Lito; with the girls - Katz, Maebs and Donna; and the girls Sr. MaryGrace had watched  grow - Alessa and Jamie; Rex, Jay R, Maris, Donna and Sherwin; Katz and Maebs

...and with Gel

...a last swing at the swing

Katz, Ampy, Sr. maryGrace, Maebs, Maris and Tickboy, Gel, Jamie, JayR and Alessa; with Vangie and Angie

MSCT Sister Mary Grace

...and with the boys: Gel - the altar boy, TickBoy, Rex, John, Lito, Sherwin - the altar boy, and JT (ang area boy sa airport!)