UNICEF PH bedazzles with online auction to raise funds for kids

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MANILA, Philippines—UNICEF Philippines, an organization supporting childrens’ causes, will be holding its first fund-raising, online auction event entitled ‘Auction for Action’ to benefit children worldwide.

The three-week fund raising event will go live on May 25 on www.ebay.ph/unicef, and will be hosted by Bianca Gonzales, Iza Abeja and Daphne Oseña Paez.

Formerly called United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF has been supporting child health and nutrition, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education for boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS in the Philippines, and all over the world.

In the Philippines, UNICEF has been working closely with the government to ensure that supplies and services can be delivered quickly and efficiently to communities affected by typhoons, floods and other calamities, said UNICEF communications section Chief Angela Travis.

For the auction, UNICEF has partnered with Ayala Malls, Ebay.ph and Cibo and acclaimed artists in various areas of design; from paintings and functional art, to sculpture, furniture, fashion, and fine jewellery.

Bidders from around the world will use E-bay to browse through the items to be auctioned, and make their bids.

“This is an event that would not only raise funds, but awareness,” said Paez who was one of the event founders.

Gonzales clarified that that they were not receiving funds from the United Nations (UN). “Because the word UNICEF has the letter U and N in it, people thought we get funds from UN,” she added.

Gonzalez said donations from noted designers Vito Selma, Kenneth Cobonpue and Benji Reyes will be up for grabs during the auction, and the proceeds will help UNICEF deliver programs that will ensure that children start and stay in school.

Some of the items, she said, include the Geo table, the Noel chair, Maze dining and coffee tables, the Harry rocking stools, the Boomtown lamp, the Raimondo floor lamp, the Tweet floor lamp, an armchair, and mozzarella inspired seats.

Meanwhile, purchasing contemporary art pieces which include glass arts, paint installations, sculptures, photographs and paintings donated by Manny Baldemor, Araceli Limcaco Dans, Popo San Pascual, Ramon Orlina, Juvenal Sanso and others, will help protect children in the Philippines from violence, exploitation and abuse, said Gonzalez.

Bidding for fashion accessory items including a mother and child pendant, necklaces, a hand-painted medallion and a purse from Celestina Maynila-New York Inc, Kristine Dee, and Janina Dizon Hoschka, will help UNICEF ensure that children have a healthy development from birth to adulthood, Gonzalez revealed.

Rounding off the fashion accessory items is a dazzling, special 22-pieces pink shell beaded Janina necklace.

“The designers said yes in an instant. I had no idea that it was that easy to ask them for help,” said Paez , who was understandably effusive in her thanks to all those who gave their support to the event.

Packages such as dinner for four people by Chef Tonyboy Escalante of Antonio’s and a dugout experience with the Philippine Football Team, or Azkals on July 3 at the World Cup qualifier in Manila, were also thrown in as part of the auction.

“If this turns out well, Unicef may hold its own fashion week,” Gonzales quipped.