Fifty-five-year-old Crescencio Silvestre has gotten used to spending Christmas without the festive holiday trimmings and celebrations. Crippled by polio since he was a child, the father of four has also been struggling to put food on the table.

Although bereft of financial means to enjoy the happiest time of the year, Cresencio is content to have his family intact. For him, being with the people he cares for is the true essence of the Christmas season.

But this year is a bit different because Crescencio and some 119 beneficiaries of the Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled (PHILCOCHED) in Quezon City were treated to a fun-filled Christmas party by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) during the 7th day of its Pamaskong Handog project.

“Sa totoo lang, halos nakalimutan na namin kung paano mag-celebrate ng isang masayang Pasko dahil sa kahirapan. Kaya’t labis kaming nagagalak na nabigyan kami ng walang kasing-sayang Christmas party ng PAGCOR,” he said.

Mary Grace Cabrera, PHILCOCHED Volunteer for External Affairs who represented Foundation President Irma Coronel, expressed gratitude to PAGCOR for providing their wards with a joyous Yuletide celebration. “Nagpapa-salamat kami sa PAGCOR sa pagsi-share nila ng blessings sa aming mga may kapansanan. Sa pamamagitan nito, naramdaman namin ang kanilang pagpapa-halaga sa amin,” Cabrera said.

Volunteer Community Organizer Lily Balinton who has been involved in PHILCOCHED’s charitable activities for 30 years now was also thankful that organizations like PAGCOR remembered them. “We are blessed to have generous benefactors like PAGCOR who made us feel the joy of the Christmas season,” she happily said.

Apart from the festive Christmas party, PAGCOR also turned over 20 wheelchairs to PHILCOCHED and distributed gift packs containing assorted noche buena items to disabled beneficiaries.

According to PAGCOR Slot Machine Department (SMD) Senior Manager Ronald Pineda, whose department volunteered in the distribution of gift packs for PHILCOCHED, being able to participate in such activity was a heart-warming experience. “Kung puwede lang na araw-araw eh makapagbigay tayo ng ligaya sa mga kapatid nating may kapansanan, gagawin natin.  Labis kaming natutuwa dahil kahit na sa maliit na paraan ay nakapag-bigay tayo ng saya sa kanila,” Pineda said.

PHILCOCHED, which operates under Tahanang Walang Hagdan, is an institution that cares for disabled individuals by helping them achieve full, productive lives to gain respect and human dignity.  It also teaches their beneficiaries to become providers instead of being a burden to their families by giving them various livelihood training programs.

Go back