Filipino Off Road Auto Club -Dubai (FORAC) is once again knocking at your kind hearts this time to help THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON KIKO in Philippines.

We are here in Dubai, sitting in our tinted air-conditioned cars, resting in our air-conditioned rooms, thinking what we gonna eat next or thinking what we gonna buy next in the shopping malls. And in the other side of the world, FilipInos are crying, no food to eat, no house to stay, no clothes to wear. They just ran for their lives,
bringing whatever they can with them. Most of the time its FIRE. But this time its TYPHOON KIKO.

FORAC is organizing DONATION MARATHON on August 14, Friday at West Zone Supermarket, Karama (Opposite of Karama Post Office) from 4pm-8pm. You can bring whatever things you can give to make life easier for them in this trying times. USED CLOTHING, BLANKETS, CANNED FOODS, NOODLES, TOWELS, MEDICINES etc.

FORAC will shipped them to Philippines with the help of our sponsors and distribute it to ZAMBALES as soon as possible.

For more information please contact:
050 259 95 79 / 055 371 20 20 / 055 280 53 18

PLEASE SPREAD THIS EMAIL TO ALL YOU FRIENDS.
THE MORE DONATIONS WE CAN COLLECT,
THE MORE FILIPINOS WE CAN HELP

The Philippine Independence Day (PID) Executive Committee is preparing for the 111^th Philippine Independence Day Celebration to be held on June 12 at the Al Nasr Leisureland.

Arrangements are under way by the committee’s head Dante Delizo, with the cooperation of more than 40 Filipino Community organisations in Dubai and Northern Emirates.

The event will coincide with the 3^rd Migrant Workers Day, which will be conducted in the morning after the flag-raising ceremony at the Philippine Consulate General in Al Ghusais.

According to PID spokesman Dante Agnote, who is also head of the Pinoy Expats Auto Club in Emirates (PEACE), a motorcade will follow after the flag-raising ceremony.

Around 100 vehicles and motorbikes are expected to participate.

The activities at the Al Nasr Leisureland will include parlor games for all ages, beauty pageant for children aged 4 to 7 years old, a sing-a-like contest, a battle of the bands, and a mini-car show, among others.

Agnote said that 10 fully modified cars designed by PEACE members will be displayed. He also added that a mini-bazaar will be held the whole day.

The major highlight will be a performance in the evening by popular TV artists from the Philippines.

Photo Taken From 110th Independence Day Celebration (2008)

Dubai-based Filipino community magazine Illustrado has honored six significant Filipinas from different walks of life in a dazzling ceremony attended by some 250 guests, at The Montgomerie Golf Club on Saturday, the 4th April 2009.

PHOTOCAPTION:  From left to right – Juliet Solas, Sangeeta Kapoor, Isabel Sabado-Warren, Engr. Mary Jane Alvero Al Mahdi, Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Lilian Vargas, Clarita de Quiroz Craig and Lalaine Chu-Benitez.

Now on its second consecutive year, the Illustrado Women of Substance event is meant to celebrate female empowerment and to be a source of inspiration to the local Filipino community. “This is our way of saying thank you and acknowledging the contributions of our female compatriots to society, and at the same time a vehicle with which to uplift the morale and profile of our community out here,” remarked Lalaine Chu-Benitez, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Illustrado Magazine. “By highlighting the achievements and efforts of our kababayans [compatriots], we wish to drive the message that all of us can make a mark someday if we only put our mind to it.” Chu-Benitez was quick to add, “This endeavor is not a popularity contest. We actually take pride in showcasing the achievements of real people – real role models, to show that we can be significant despite our ordinary existence today.”

Among Illustrado’s honorees is Engr. Mary Jane Alvero Al Mahdi – a Filipina chemist who rose to the position of CEO in a reputed multi-disciplinary testing laboratory in the UAE and the first Filipina awardee in the prestigious Emirates Business Women’s Awards in 2008. Lilian Vargas, one of the most respected senior managers at the internationally renowned Dubai Duty Free started as a shop assistant 24 years ago and has since made her way up the corporate ladder overseeing some 1,600 employees and recruiting staff from different all over the globe. She is currently in-charge of Customer Service and Shop Floor Management in busy Dubai International Airport which receives millions of passengers on a monthly basis.

UAE Filipino Press Club President and newspaper Gulf Today Senior Reporter Mariecar Jara-Puyod was also honored during the event. The feisty award-winning journalist is a passionate advocate of female empowerment.

Recognizing the modern woman’s varied roles in life – Illustrado’s honorees also included Isabelita Sabado-Warren a dynamic entrepreneur, the creator of the locally-grown Filipino brand of condiments and snacks – Nanay Tuneng. Warren, who is a proud hands-on homemaker, is also an active community volunteer and philanthropist who launched a feeding program in her hometown of Magdalena, Laguna last year. Another passionate community volunteer is nurse Juliet Solas, of Al Wasl Maternity Hospital, the only Filipina so far to have received a Dubai Government Excellence Award. Sister Juliet, as she is fondly called in the community, is an active leader of the Filipino Community Organization which provides support to hospitalized and jailed Filipinos who do not have relatives in the country. Her group also as organizes church projects – particularly mass weddings for Filipino couples.

Capping the line-up is multi-talented Clarita de Quiroz Craig, a classically trained pianist, singer and music writer in the UK, who is also a famous international model. De Quiroz Craig, is a Filipino-Scottish kayumanggi beauty, a role model proud of her Filipino heritage and traditional values.

A guest at the event, British national Trevor Stott-Briggs, who has been married to a Filipina for over 20 years, commented, “The great thing about Filipinas is that they like to be women. They complement the men in their lives. They become successful and get the things that they want in their own unique feminine way.”

The successful event held in talk show format, also featured an Art of Living session with facilitator Sangeeta Kapoor, and was capped by the Dubai premiere of the music video “My Funny Brown Pinay” featuring US based Filipina jazz artist Charmaine Clamor. Clamor’s popular hit song celebrates having pride in one’s natural beauty. Illustrado’s Women of Substance Event was supported by sponsors – Tribeca Real Estate (www.tribeca.com) and Philippine Property Connection (www.philippinepropertyconnection.com), Enderun Colleges (www.enderuncolleges.com) and Pretty Fit shoes.

About Illustrado

Illustrado is a unique lifestyle-community magazine published in Dubai devoted to uplift the morale and the image of Filipinos in the Gulf. The slogan ‘Taas Noo, Filipino’ and the vision of ‘Helping the Filipino flourish – global vision, native soul’ define the substance, style and corporate ethos that has helped Illustrado gain respect and recognition in the region as a wholesome, positive, highly engaging and richly visual medium that has accorded due respect and recognition to the Filipino community.

Illustrado’s distinctive approach combines premium production values with a very down-to-earth philosophy; it is not only a magazine, but is a social enterprise that speaks and aspires to enrich a very diverse range of readers, veering off the usual media fare of gossip, scandals, sensationalism and materialism. It is a publication that has the look and feel of premium glossies, but is patronized by Pinoys who still appreciate the distinct homey flavor of ‘tuyo’, regardless of whether they are domestic helpers or business owners outside the Philippines. Because of Illustrado’s earnest approach, the magazine has touched the lives of so many progressive-thinking Pinoys, who found resonance and empowerment in the contents of its pages.

Illustrado has an eclectic non-traditional team of contributing writers, photographers and artists spread across the Philippines, the UAE, including Southeast Asia and the US – all of whom share the same passion towards the Filipino cause.

Illustrado Magazines are available all over United Arab Emirates.

It was a great effort for the FPCUAE (Filipino Press Club UAE) to conduct this kind of competitions and I would like to congratulate them specially to Maricar (FPC President), Nikki, Elle, Butch, Quay, Jay, Ares and to all who supported this events.  I’ve got a copy of  the top three Essay’s and I would like to share it here.

The topic of this competition is related to what we are facing now the financial crisis.

Topic: How is the global crisis affecting your family?

Critera for judging:
Essay-Writing
A. Relevance – 50%
B. Communication Impact – 30%
C. Writing Style (Grammar, Spelling, Sentence Construction, etc.) – 20%

Painting
A. Relevance – 50%
B. Visual Impact -3-%
C. Originality – 20%

Global Crisis: How is Life Now?

By: Iyra Jurisprudencia
The New Filipino Private School-Sharjah

I believe in the saying “behind the dark clouds, there is always a silver lining.” But does that still apply to us now? Where is the silver lining in this global crisist? Life is becoming more and more difficult and stressful by the minute. Where is the bright side of this situation?

I remember my parents talk about their golden years when they were younger, how life was so simple and less complicated. They said one could buy lunch by spending not more than three pesos then. But now, you cannot even buy a piece of candy with that amount of money. Why has life changed so drastically? I believe that it is because of the selfish acts of our leaders who do not think twice before acting. Their notorious deeds help build the overwhelming problems of the world. Their acts can even affect us Filipinos abroad. We can no longer experience some privileges that we once knew. My parents are trying their best to dodge this crisis the best way they can. Our trips to the mall are now limited. We do not go out as much as before. They even cancelled our allowances which made me very, very disappointed.

But there is a bright side in this situation. I am not proud to say this by I used to be very lazy. I wan not fond of helping my mom with the chores. But due to my desperate need of allowance, I now help with the household chores and they give me a reward for it. I am happy to say that I am no longer lazy. At least, I have learned some good virtues out of this crisis. And that is not the only thing that I am thankful for. Even though problems are piling up and stress level is at its peak, I and my family are still living together under the same roof. And that is something worth smiling about. God gave us strength to overcome these problems. To Him, I owe my deepest gratitude…

But still, we should not lie around and do nothing about this Global Crisis. Stand up and fight for what is right! Hand-in-hand, we can turn this crisis upside down. Let us all be united and rise up as one to speak for our motherland. No more crises! No more graft and corruption! No more! Let us knock into the conscience of our leaders and tell them we had enough. KABAYANS, ACT NOW for the truth and accountability in the government. Let us be the change we want to see in the world. Let us all be an agent of change!

Materialistic

By: Frederick Michael Evidor
United International Private School-Dubai

The iPhone. It has always been my dream to grab one of those fancy gadgets. I was extremely impatient during the long wait I had to endure to finally buy one. Not only for its sleek design and its high-tech capabilities, but also for the bragging rights it would give me in school. For months before I discovered this phone, I have been complaining, moaning and hiding my embarrassment over my own pitiful, useless phone. And just when I almost had the chance to buy it, my mother stopped me and said something I would remember for the rest of my teenage life: “Sorry, son, but we can’t buy it yet. We’re cost-cutting.”

Cost-cutting? Oh! The fury, the sadness I felt when she said it! Since that infuriating event, I have stopped myself from daydreaming about my precious iPhone. I started to notice that my siblings were being refused of their favorite things as well. Also, my parents were trying to refrain from paying for anything else but the family’s ‘essentials’: food, electricity and water bills, and school supplies. Most sadly, my parents would drag us away from our most wanted computer games, books, jackets and shirts… (Not to mention iPhones!) I hated it. My siblings hated it. Simply because we were always exposed to a life of luxury and now we are trying hard to live and to adjust to a simple, cost-cutting one. It was only after I kept myself updated and read newspapers that I realized that my family was becoming a part of a crisis that was affecting the whole world.

The global crisis had a huge impact on my family. We had to make difficult decisions: from small decisions like reducing our mall trips, movie nights, restaurant dinners and shopping to big ones like whether or not we should all go back to the Philippines. The latter one struck me most because my parents don’t know if we can still afford our bills in the UAE. And if we would be going back there, I would be leaving my friends and my life here in Dubai. Even my siblings would be greatly affected by this. It will be hard for us to begin a new life all over again.

There are some good things this crisis has brought to my family, though. Now, we will be able to live a free, simple life and appreciate it without all the luxury. It would teach us to love the simple joys about life and to stop being materialistic. It would also help our relationship. Since there would be less mall trips, we would be able to spend more time together at home. It would also teach us to pray (“Lord, make us rich. Make us rich. We are rich!”) together.

Okay, so what about my beloved iPhone? Now my parents cannot afford to fit it in our budget. And I know that. So I approached my parents and tell them that it’s okay that I can’t get it even though inside I am secretly, fervently hoping that they would change their minds. They smiled sadly and say that they would buy me something else. Mobile phone load, perhaps?

How is the Global Crisis Affecting Your Family?

By: Clarisse Polintan
Philippine National School-Abu Dhabi

The news today is almost all bad. The media is constantly feeding us a doom and gloom, only serving to worsen our already hectic lives. Many people are becoming worries as they witness their friends getting fired from their jobs or being buried in debts one by one. We are all becoming victims of today’s dire economic crisis. But is it really a problem that we have to concern ourselves with?
During the few occasions when we hear about anything involving the global crisis, our usual response is probably to shrug and say, “It’s not my problem.” But this is not true. This crisis deeply affects our lifestyles, starting with our parents. Since they are the ones handling anything involving financial problems, it is natural for them to start feeling stressed. But this can be dangerous as too much stress can lead to a tense family life. It may even get to the point where our parents get so stressed that they start fighting with each other and that’s when the problems can really start. If something like this happens, there is no choice for us but to step up and do something. We can’t just keep feigning ignorance over something that can potentially destroy the relationship we have with our family.

Knowing this, we have started changing our ways for the better. This is one battle that our parents cannot fight alone. We have to do everything we can to ensure that we come out as winners. Doing small things like cutting back on our expenses, helping out more around the house, taking care of our siblings or cousins, or even preparing our own meals can make a big difference as this will give our parents less things to worry about. We can even minimize our usage of electronic gadgets such as Televisions or computers in order to lessen the bills that they have to pay. Whatever it is that we choose to help in, I’m sure our parents will appreciate our efforts.

All things considered, we realize that now is the time to start making better decisions. It’s time to stop turning a blind eye to every little difficulty that comes our way and to start doing things that will benefit us all. Today’s global crisis may not end as soon as we hope. But at least, now we know that we will be able to endure it, with smiles on our faces.