Capitol scribes dance for flood victims
INSTEAD of canceling the Christmas party, they celebrated in an unusual way.
Reporters and photographers covering the Cebu provincial government held a “money dance”, a ritual usually seen in weddings where guests “pay” for the honor to dance with the bride and groom.
A total of P14,080 was raised by guests for victims of typhoon Sendong in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia pledged an equal amount of P14,080 from her December salary.
As music played, reporter Oscar Pineda of Sun.Star and correspondent Carmel Matus of Cebu Daily News swayed on the dance floor, as colleagues and guests approached to pin P100 bills on their clothes or drop money bills in a glass bowl.
The impromptu fund-raiser was held during Thursday’s party hosted by the Governor’s Office in Jazz n’ Blues restobar in F. Cabahug Street.
The party couldn’t be canceled since preparations were already set for it, said Gregg Rubgio, Freeman reporter and president of the Capitol Association of Reporters in Tri-Media (CART).
To make the night meaningful, Rubio encouraged guests to participate in the “money dance” for a good cause.
Other guests who contributed included Medellin town Mayor Ricardo Ramirez, Margie Lhuillier, Agnes Heuttel and TV crew members of Sugbo News of the Cebu provincial government.
The money will be turned over on Dec. 27 when Gov. Garcia goes to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to hand over donations to the mayors.
Meanwhile, the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) canceled its Christmas party set for Dec. 27.
CFBJ president Elias Baquero said beat chapter officers agreed to donate the party budget instead to families of fellow mediamen affected in the calamity. At least 15 beneficiaries have been initially identified.
The Mandaue City government canceled its Christmas party for employees on Thursday in favor of donating the amount to typhoon Sendong victims.
Mayor Jonas Cortes will be going to Cagayan de Oro on Dec. 28 to turn over the donation, which was authorized by the City Council in a special session. The assistance will be given to Cagayan de oro, Iligan City and Tanjay City.
In her speech at the Christmas party, Governor Garcia thanked media practitioners for covering her out-of-town visits and project launchings.
“Each year by tradition, we hold this Christmas party for the media because we cannot let the year end without the provincial government, without Gwen Garcia expressing its deepest thanks, kinasing-kasing nga pasalamat sa tagsa-tagsa kaninyo nga kuyog kanako nga kuyog niining akong paningkamot, nagpa-uwan, nagpa-init, nakakuyog sa bawod ug baha… aron lamang ang kamatuoran nga mohatag ug dakong paglaum labaw sa tanan dakong garbo sa atong mga kaigsuonang Sugbuanon ila usab madunggan, mabasa, mahibaw-an, tungod kaninyo, ang akong ikaduhang labing pinalangga,” she said.
Garcia said this was her second to the last Christmas party for the media since her term ends in 2013.
Asked if the next party would be held in Manila, a reference to her reported plans to seek higher office, Garcia in jest, spoke in Tagalog, “Kaya nga, nahihirapan ako magsalita.”
A drop-off relief center will also be put up at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) for donors.
Each Cebu town was asked to donate P50,000 as assistance to calamity victims in Mindanao, said Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)- Cebu Chapter. /Correspondent Carmel Matus
