Brods and Sis, The Christmas Season always bring back sweet memories of our childhood. I was born and grew up in the heart of the City of Manila, in Blumentritt, Sta. Cruz, near the far turn of San Lazaro racetracks, malapit sa riles ng tren. The celebration of the birth of Christ started then with the traditional simbang gabi. For the 9 mornings of the season, we were awakened by a marching band going around the streets of the city reminding people to get ready for the early morning mass. We walked, very rare for a family to own a car during the 50’s, the several blocks to San Roque Church which was always full of devotees. Masses during those times were said in latin and I did not understand anything the priest said. I ended up mimicking what everybody were doing, pagluhod…luhod…pagtumayo…tayo…pagkanta…kanta. I do not remember saying “peace” to everyone around me then. 🙂 After each mass, we bought food from the “pondahans” that lined the streets and always ate the still warm “bibingka’t puto bumbong” at home which were washed down by hot cups of “tsokolate Ahh” (salabat was too strong for my young taste).
Christmas Eve was met with frenzied anticipation of the gifts one will receive. But before the gifts, we had to hear the traditional Midnight Mass and partake the sumptous Noche Buena that our loving Lola and mother had been preparing the whole day. Menudong tagalog, hamon and keso de bola with hot pan de sals or pan amerikanos were our usual fare. Hamon de tsina was boiled the whole day and was made plantsa to a golden brown. I always thought that it was a minor miracle how my mother transformed a seemingly dried out piece of meat into a very delicious and attractively palatable fare. Tsokolate were hand made with lola’s ever reliable batedor. After the mass and dinner (more like a midnight snack), my father and mother played santa by distributing simple gifts to all of us. Gifts then were baril-barilan or kotse-kotsehan for me and manyika or pang bahaybahayans for my sisters. All locally made and nothing fancy electronics (yes, mababaw lang kaligayahan namin, no video games, no iPods, no cellphones…) One time, when my father got a big bonus, he gave me my very first imported battery operated walking, talking, waving and lighting black robot. I thought I just died and went to heaven.
During Christmas Days, we tour the whole city to visit the different ninongs and ninangs of our siblings. We dressed-up in our Sunday’s best and made mano to everyone older than you. By the end of the long day, we retreat back to our home to take stock of the Christmas loot and monies we were blessed. Christmas Days ended with a prayer of thanks said by the whole family around the dinner table (filled by leftovers of the Noche Buena, of course, but this time with rice).
When we were young Christmas was a season of receiving. As we get older, we learn that Christmas is all about giving. It is thru this spirit of sharing that our beloved Alpha Phi Omega draw its strength and true meaning of existence. A true APO does not wait for Christmas Season to share his blessings. A true APO live to be of service to his brothers, sisters, fraternal organization and more importantly to our less-fortunate countrymen.
On behalf of the people whose lives you had helped and changed thru your unselfish services, I would like to thank all the brothers and sisters who had dedicated their time and resources by upholding our fraternity’s guiding principles of being a leader, being a friend and being a servant.
You are all making a difference in the world we live in. Our efforts and works of service are all worthwhile, quantifiable and more importantly sustainable. Just to list a few:
* At least 100 million pesos worth of services were spent by the whole organization during the last year to give much needed medical and dental help to thousands of our needy kababayans.
* Children are smiling again after their successful corrective cleft-palate surgeries provided by some of our brethren.
* Hundreds of lives were saved thru the blood donated in our various blood letting drives in cooperation with the Philippine National Red Cross.
* Thousands of families were helped get back to their feet when their homes where damaged by the different typhoons and calamaties that wrecked havoc to their communities thru monetary contributions from members from around the world.
* Hundreds of pre-schoolers are learning to read and write early in their life to give them a competitive edge in the various learning centers that you established and supported.
* 10,000 trees were planted during the last nationwide TREES 4 PEACE campaign as your answer to reverse the effects of climate change. 1 million more trees were committed to be planted in the next year to come.
* 500,000 signatures were gathered in support of the YES 4 PEACE initiative, which is a good start to attain the goal of 10 million.
* Hundreds of families have decent roofs above their heads because of your support of Gawad Kalinga and Habitat for Humanity.
* Several barangays were adopted for the four modules of services of health, education, livelihood and scouting in our Kalinga Ng APO-Adopt-A-Barangay program.
All these are being done by our various Alumni Associations and collegiate Chapters on their own initiative. Mula sa puso ang serbisyo ng isang APO. The National Council was there to help and give general guidance. We remain committed to extend any help needed to attain success and good results in these programs.
I can only be optimistic and look forward to the more good things 2011 will bring. We have to stay focused and stay the course on what we do best, that is to be of service. Let us forget our personal and political differences and be united to support the ideals of our fraternal organization. Ideals that had weathered the tests of times. Ideals that had kept our brotherhood strong!
Mabuhay ang kapatirang Alpha Phi Omega!
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat!
Brod Mel Adriano
National President
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