Give love on Christmas

“GIVE love on Christmas day…”
So goes the song of a then still very young Michael Jackson and his brothers with their Jackson 5 group in the 1970’s.
After all, Christmas is just a couple of days away but even as we say that it is better to give than to receive, of course it is always nice to be on the receiving end of the process too. Just remember, it is not the gift that counts though, it is the price of the gift.
Now kidding aside, with the Philippines enjoying the reputation of having the world’s longest Yuletide celebration, it is the time that people set aside their differences, at least they should, buy a lot of gifts for their loved ones, families and friends, and compulsory gifts for those who demand that they receive from you. It is the time too that people are on a part mode that it is difficult to do serious work or expect serious work from one’s staff.
Since this is supposed to be a sports column, for me, Philippine sports has received its share of Christmas gifts way in advance, particularly the athletes and the para athletes who delivered in their respective events in the 2018 Asian Games and Asian ParaGames held in Indonesia.
In so doing, these athletes assured themselves of a very merry Christmas with the cash windfall they received from different sources for their medal performances.
At the Asian Games, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, skateboarder Margielyn Didal and individual play golf winner Yuka Saso got P7 million each coming from the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, President Rodrigo Duterte, Siklab Foundation, and others who wanted to reward them. And with that kind of money, they can expect friends and family members to expect in turn gifts from them.
But I believe our para athletes will have the bigger reason to enjoy this Christmas because of the record number of 10 golds that they won in the Asian ParaGames, led by swimmer Ernie Gawilan with 3 individual golds, chess player Sander Severino with 2 individual and 2 team golds, Kim Ian Chi and Arthur Bucay in bowling and cycling respectively.
More than regular athletes, para athletes do not enjoy the same kind of support that they need, nor the recognition and incentives they deserve that is why I know the likes of Ernie are guaranteed a merrier Christmas for them and their families.
So in my part, I would like to share with you something that I have been doing the past 15 years for indigent kids in my favorite mountain, Mt. Banahaw, starting it off with just 30 kids and a family only affair for me. The number increased regularly to the present 100 or so kids who have come to expect me and those who have been supporting me every Christmas to be able to do this event yearly.
No, I am not sharing this because I want to brag about it but rather to have more people join me in this endeavor, at the same time that I would like to acknowledge all of them for the support I have been receiving from them. The truth is, aside from the poor kids in Banahaw, I also do gifts distribution to street kids and families in Metro Manila again with the help of the same people. And this year, for the first time, I have allocated part of what I have raised for the Missionaries of the Poor in San Andres that houses special kids and old folks abandoned by their families.
I was in Mt Banahaw last December 15 and was joined by Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, my partner the past ten years already through the help of Jean Henri Lhuillier, my core group of Y-JAM members whom I have nurtured from their high school days to the present with most of them working already and doing their share too of donating like Kim, Melody and Jake and Norman, my Paco Catholic School buddy Betchay Luces with hubby Ed and daughter Eliza, also regular supporters with other high school batchmates Boy Samsin, Sari Razon, Janet Resurrecion, Criselda Young and many others from my Class ‘72 batch and Perly Margallo from my FMCI days. We had around 100 kids as beneficiaries and had a nice party for them with lots of games and prizes.
December 21 was my schedule with the shelter in San Andres with Atty. Rob Avenida and his office and APO frat brothers pitching in not only by donating but being there with me and he has promised to support the December 30 distribution of gifts and packs to street kids and families, same with Perly.
From the world of sports, my old friend former San Beda and Ginebra player Mike Advani has always been generous with his support, with sister Maya and partner William Tan, former triathlon organizer and sports science professor Nino Sinco, triathlon president Tom Carrasco, my colleagues in the management world where I still move, former Fil-Indian Basketball Commissioner Dilip Budharani, Shan Bommiah and Rigene Teves, my former HR staff in the 80’s like Chie Santos and Perly, friends from way back like Michael Yulo and Vito Orcullo, a former Crispa amateur player from the 70’s, Yam Velas, my former secretary at Victoria Court, and many others that have to pardon my being a senior that their names escape my memory but in my heart I would forever be thankful to all of them