Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao CELEBRATES A JOINT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING EVENT AND CONCERT TOGETHER WITH ITS SISTER SCHOOLS
Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, together with its sister schools, Mapúa University, Malayan High School of Science, Malayan Colleges Laguna, APEC Schools, University of Nueva Caceres, and National Teachers College, for the first-ever virtual Christmas Tree Lighting Event and Concert last December 2, 2020, with the theme “Igniting a Spark of Hope” hosted via Facebook Live.
The global health crisis may have kept everyone socially distanced from each other, but it brought all iPeople schools together in a virtual event to celebrate Christmas and ignite a spark of hope among all. The program started with the invocation by Julienne Maree Villadolid, MapúaMCM Senior High School STEM student, performing “Light of a Million Mornings” which was followed by the national anthem and a message from Dr. Reynaldo Vea, iPeople President and CEO.
Dr. Reynaldo Vea, iPeople CEO and President, delivering his welcome message.
“We do not yet know for sure what 2021 will bring, but what we can do is stay hopeful especially in this yuletide season—the very season of hope. While the season is associated with material things, our current situation will perhaps make us better realize its true meaning and that this is the celebration and birth of our Savior, whose will we believe and submit ourselves, and who has brought and will continue to bring hope to mankind. May I wish all of you then abundant blessings this Christmas and plentiful reasons for hope in the new year! Maligayang Pasko po at Manigong Bagong Taon sa ating lahat.” Dr. Reynaldo Vea stated in his welcome speech.
During the program, the “We Love You 3000” fundraising initiative was launched for the benefit of the schools’ building support personnel, which will run until December 10, 2020. Once the schools reach 3,000 likes or hearts on their respective Virtual Christmas Trees, P30,000 will automatically go to the Christmas tokens that will be distributed to the non-academic support personnel who were affected by the pandemic.
Furthermore, the schools also initiated individual outreach programs where Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao hosted the H.O.P.E. Benefit Concert last December 4, 2020, to raise funds for jeepney drivers in Davao City.
Representatives from Mapúa University, Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, Malayan Colleges Laguna, Malayan High School of Science, APEC Schools, National Teachers College, and University of Nueva Caceres co-hosting during the event.
Students from all over the seven schools showcased their talents in special numbers, where MapúaMCM students namely Julienne Maree Villadolid, Jeaven Bruce Bustamante, Angealyn Leguip, Audrey Peig, Juvylane Tumulak, Trisha Xandra Atanosa, RJ Montalban, John Matthew Banzon, performed a beautiful rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s “My Grown-Up Christmas List” edited by Kim Adrielle de Gracia and RJ Montalban.
Franchesco Lu, one of the MapúaMCM Hyperlinks, the school’s digital publication and ambassadors also co-hosted the event together with representatives from the sister schools. Together with them is Mr. Chiqui Reyes, the main host of the event who is also a veteran TV and radio sports commentator and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) anchor.
Talented performers from Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao with their rendition of My Grown-Up Christmas List by Kelly Clarkson.
The highlight of the event is the joint Tree Lighting Ceremony as the seven iPeople schools worked together to showcase a unified Christmas celebration—symbolic of how the schools have been more connected in the midst of trying times.
The Christmas Trees of each school, although lit apart, symbolizes how the schools’ communities come together in celebration of the yuletide season.
“Liwanag ng Pag-asa” — a special song written by Maan Chua and composed by Paolo Sisi also debuted at the event where the schools used it as the Official Christmas ID for the joint Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The song talks about hope always existing even in the darkest of times.
“I hope this serves as an inspiration not only to schools but to people that would hear it, but also be a life lesson that we are in a borrowed time in this world that at some point would end. At some point, we just need to think about how we live our lives and how we live for others so that when the time comes, we would be able to tell the world or tell yourself that I was able to live something meaningful and inspiring for others to see and others to remember.” Maan Chua shared in an interview. She is a renowned singer-songwriter from Davao City, known for her songs “Itadyak,” “Sayaw,” “Mindanao”, and “Mundong Luntian.”
The event also featured lots of exciting games and prizes for everyone, including a brand new iPad 8, iPhone 11, and P31,000 worth of cash prizes. Tamara Brianne Balibay, MapúaMCM Senior High School ICT-Programming student, won the raffle of the iPad 8.
The night ended with a free concert from This Band and Spongecola as they performed and serenaded the crowd with their hit singles “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na,” “Hindi Na Nga,” and “Bakit Ganon” from This Band, and “Tambay,” “Jeepney,” and “Bitiw” from Spongecola.
A number of activities are still ongoing on the Spark of Hope Facebook page such as the “Build Your Minecraft Christmas Village” interschool competition open to all enrolled students among any of the iPeople schools, in which the winners will receive a cash prize of P15,000. The deadline for entries will be on December 10, 2020.
This Band performs via Facebook Live with their hit singles.
Spongecola serenades the crowd via Facebook LIVE with their hit singles.
Other related articles and media:
https://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/340994
https://web.facebook.com/MalayanMindanao/posts/3916131061731027?_rdc=1&_rdr