On the second day of its ongoing Christmas gift-giving event, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) brought Yuletide cheer to impoverished kindergarten pupils in Muntinlupa City.

Close to 200 school children from Cupang Elementary School Annex (CESA) together with their parents and teachers were treated to a festive party and received Christmas gift packs containing noche buena items from PAGCOR. They also enjoyed parlor games and the musical entertainment provided by guest celebrity artist Lloyd Zaragosa.

CESA is a public school in Muntinlupa City whose pupils mostly come from the depressed community in West Cupang. Based on a recent livelihood mapping research data provided by the school, around 30 to 40 percent of the pupils’ parents are unemployed while 50 to 60 percent work as househelp and construction workers.

Wawie Sarmiento, wife of PAGCOR President and Chief Operating Officer Jorge Sarmiento, graced the festive event. She said the gift-giving activity is a fitting Yuletide treat for the young pupils of CESA who are deprived of the comforts in life.

“Due to extreme poverty, these children rarely get the opportunity to celebrate a merry Christmas. Through this gift-giving event, we made them feel that they are loved and experience the true meaning of the Yuletide season. Hindi natin kailanman matatawaran ang saya ng mga bata kahit sa mga simpleng bagay na tulad nito,” Sarmiento explained.

According to CESA officer-in-charge Elizabeth Tiston, several institutions and individuals have reached out to their school in the past through medical missions and other humanitarian activities. However, no one has ever conducted a grand Christmas party like the Yuletide gift-giving held by PAGCOR.

“Being chosen as one of beneficiaries of PAGCOR’s Pamaskong Handog is a landmark event not just for our young pupils but for the school as well. Our school may have been a recipient of various help through different activities sponsored by generous souls, but it was the first time that an event of this magnitude was ever done for us. Marami pong salamat sa PAGCOR,” Tiston related.

Tiston believes that the activity will have positive effect on their students as it freed their young minds from life’s difficulties even for just a day. “Exposing these kids to an event like this helps uplift their spirits because it enables them to enjoy something they don’t commonly experience,” she said.

Five-year-old Fritz Nicole Ronquillo, the youngest of five siblings, witnesses how her 38-year-old mother Richelle perseveres working as a househelp to provide them a better future. No wonder at a very young age she reciprocates her mother’s efforts by doing well in school. “Nag-aaral po akong mabuti para makatulong kay mama paglaki ko,” she said.

The young girl could not contain her joy since it was the first time she received lots of Christmas presents. “Masaya po ako kasi marami po akong nakuhang regalo,” she added.

PAGCOR will continue to spread holiday cheer to 10,000 beneficiaries who are under the care of 33 institutions until December 15, 2015. Other gift-giving events of the agency are also being held in different provinces nationwide.

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