Switching on the Mandarin tree for literacy: G.M Mark Bradford, Marga Delgado, Lizzie Zobel, DOT Usec. Edu Jarque and Louie Locsin. (Photo by SANDEE S. MASIGAN)

The Mandarin Oriental lit up their giant fresh Noble fir tree to start the season with fanfare. General Manager  Mark Howard,  Lizzie Zobel and Margarita Delgado, co-founders of  “Sa AklatSisikat” the  beneficiary of the hotel’s fund-raising, Tourism Undersecretary Edu Jarque and Louie Locsin, wife of  congressman Teddy Locsin  flicked on the switch and thousands of firefly bulbs lighted the  20-foot tree  which Mila How helped bring in from Oregon, USA.

For every P500 donation, a silver ball is hung on the tree. Proceeds will go to the “Sa AklatSisiskat” a literacy program which helps poor children learn to read. The denizens of the hotel’s Kiplings Club raised P50, 000 among themselves that first evening! Go, guys!

The first night raised over a hundred thousand pesos for the beneficiary foundation. Violinist Jay Cayuca kept the crowd happy as did the two mime “statues” offering boxes of chocolates and the foie gras bars, hot and cold. We, Baby and Princess Ferandez, their guru, Master Joseph Chao, colleagues Chit Lijauco and Jullie Daza (who has come out with a small book of quotable quotes of local celebs) and my “apo” Amanda stayed at the cocktail table near the foie gras and within sight of the sparkling tree. There’s time for you generous souls to go to Mandarin’s Captain’s bar and hang up a silver ornament for charity!

* * *

“Just a phone call away…”

How many times have we used the telephone to “bring home“ family and friends?  Lots of times, I imagine, especially with cell phones now in the pockets of millions of Filipinos all over our beautiful islands.

Telephones/cell phones link us to those we love, to stave off homesickness, when we are in danger as in the case of one of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre . The point is, we stay connected now.

Just recently I called up my faithful “yaya” Pops in Vancouver, Canada using our landline and my PLLDT Budget Cards. Yes, it’s only Pl.50 now a minute using their card, so of course I had a long conversation with her. As usual, she was weepy, asking about her “alaga” ( charge) my “apo”Amanda . How was she? Are her uniforms ironed well, is she eating properly, how was her ballet recital? And how was her “gang “ at the school Amanda went to? Lola Mildred, “yaya”Delia and the rest of the girls?

She was assured that all was well and she should just enjoy her stay with my son Junie and that she should take good care of my “apo”Monchu who is turning nine today!

Anyway, I am happy PLDT has this Budget Card as not everyone can chat freely using the internet and their computers. Easier to lift the handset and phone away! 

Speaking of bringing home family and friends via phones and cell phones, check this   little cell phone from Solid Broadband called PinoyMyPhone! I first came across this little phone when they launched it complete with a full-star cast concert. It is “embedded” with the “soul” of the Pinoy with the National Anthem,  OPM songs, sing-a-along pieces, scenes of the islands like Chocolate Hills, Boracay, etc., jokes, favorite sayings, quotes from great Filipinos, quotes from famous Filipino movies (Cherie Gil  telling Mega Star Sharon, “You’re nothing but a second-rate trying- hard copycat!”) and the most popular content for a lot of us– prayers!

What’s the Filipino without his prayers? The cell phone can be your guide as it recites the rosary with its four mysteries, all your favorite novenas from Mother of Perpetual Help, St. Jude, St. Padre Pio to Our Lady of Manaoag, at “iba pa!” It also recites, on schedule, the three o’clock prayer and the Angelus.

It’s a great little gift (comes in yellow, red, green, purple, black) to relatives and friends here and abroad. It is dual - sim, tri-band, in short, a working cell phone. My friends also use their Pinoy Phones when they are stuck in traffic and want to pray, before sleeping, etc. YayaPops says her Pinoy Phone helps her combat home –sickness. It is always a conversation piece when she meets Filipinos in the park or at the malls.

When some of us from our media forum, BulongPulungan sat down for lunch with President Gloria, we presented her with a Pinoy Phone. Her father, DiosdadoMacapagal has a quote there on nationalism. So does Jose Rizal and Cory. Incidentally, there will be a special edition of Cory phones which will have a video of her famous speech at the US Congress in l986.