Bayani Summer Outing 2003

Arthur Cantos

 

When    – June 5, 2003

Where   – Yahweh Springs Resort in Calamba, Laguna

 

Rain or Shine

Manila and its surrounding cities were drenched with heavy rains for 10 days due to back-to-back typhoons.  On the day of the Bayani summer outing, the sun came out for the first time in over a week.  What a beautiful day it was!

We started the day very early to beat the infamous Manila traffic.  On board two tourist buses, the more than 100 Bayani nurses and their families were whisked out of the city to picturesque Pansol (Calamba, Laguna) and its underground hot springs.  On the way to Yahweh’s Spring, the site of the summer outing, the nurses watched the 20 minute American Heart Association BCLS video. 

I was on the second bus that left Manila.  By the time we arrived at the site, Larry Tagalog was already at the door to welcome the guests.  Soon after, we were treated to a morning snack of pancit (noodles) and puto biñan (local steamed rice cake) and some refreshments.  At 9AM, we officially started the event with an invocation led by Violy Davis, immediately followed by a moment of silence and a floral offering in honor of our colleague Bernardita Pumakis (DaVita) who had tragically perished in an untimely accident a few weeks before. 

Zip, Zap, Zoop

Sherolyn Matienzo (UCSF) led the group to a community singing of “If We Hold on Together.” Larry then got the ball rolling with his ice breaker game – Zip, Zap, Zoop, a round robin kind of game where the objective was to get to know everybody by exchanging places when the word Zoop is called. 

After the game, I got up to talk about “Timelines and Milestones in the Nursing Immigration Process.”  This was followed by the obligatory group picture taking. Then the party started.

Most of the participants enjoyed a dip in the pool, where the tepid water was quite soothing thanks to the underground hot water springs.  Others enjoyed dancing and karaoke singing, while still others took the time to read the NCLEX® review material they brought along with them.

The minute the lechon (roast pig) donated by ATII arrived, the buffet lunch started.  We had our fill of salad, pork and chicken adobo, pinakbet (Ilocano vegetable dish), grilled fish, kaldereta (beef dish) and seasonal fruits for dessert. 

Immediately after lunch, the games started.  First was the “trip to the USA” where the girls had to find the safety pin, pinned on the boys’ shirts, followed by the NCLEX® games where nurses had to line up behind the letters A, B or C selecting the best answer from multiple choice questions, and finally “King’s wish”. This last game is won by bringing to the leader or the King what he or she wishes like an expired nursing license, a black brassiere or a picture of their spouse.

Ms. Summer Outing 2003

The highlight of the afternoon was the selection of Ms. Summer Outing 2003 where three contestants, enticingly garbed and appropriately made up, competed for the crown. The candidates trotted out their stuff amid the spirited and partisan cheering from the enthusiastic audience. Ms. Davita was Reggie Hufana as J Lo, Ms. UCSF was Marlon Manuel as Nora Aunor, and Ms. UMC was Arthur Bascug aka J Lo local.  UCSF won the crown as Ms. Summer Outing. 

By 4PM, we started our trip back to the Manila. Just before leaving the city of Calamba, we stopped by a store to buy local delicacies like coconut pie, peanut brittle and other sweets to take back to our families.

Department of Tourism’s

Ambassador of Goodwill Training

When    - June 6, 2003

Where   - Department of Tourism auditorium and Intramuros (Walled City)

 

From concept to reality

When Larry Tagalog and I were developing the core curriculum for the three C’s (Computer training, Clinical topics and Cultural workshop), I suggested that I’d like our nurses to be more prepared to talk about Philippine tourism when they get to the USA.  Larry took upon the concept and, with the assistance of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), developed Bayani’s own Ambassador of Goodwill program.

The half day orientation was divided into two general areas – lecture at the DOT office and site visit of a tourist destination in Manila.  Our very own Bayani nurses ran the show with Claire Alipit (UMC) as the master of ceremony.  Blanche Cruz (UCSF) led the opening prayer, followed by singing of the Philippine National Anthem led by Jacqueline Syhap (UCSF).  The two speakers were introduced by Jessie Gonzaga (UMC) and Julie Basaca (DaVita).

Topics presented by DOT were “The Culture of Tourism” and the “Volunteer 12 (V-12) Program.”  The latter helps promote tourism by rewarding Filipinos here and abroad with cash and other incentives (e.g., free roundtrip air fare) by bringing or sending 12 or more foreign tourists to the Philippines. 

After the presentation, the Bayani nurses were taken on board the DOT tram and a jeepney (a mass transport vehicle with elongated back seats adopted from the war-time American jeep), to ancient Intramuros (Walled City) – the site of WOW Philippines year-long event featuring varied ethnic dances, food and wares of the entire island group. 

Upon arrival at the venue, we were treated to a mass performance of 200 pupils from Cotabato City beating to an ethnic rhythm and dressed in their tribal outfit.  Inside the exhibit hall we sampled the delicacies from Southern Mindanao, bought some Muslim Filipino-inspired fabrics and jewelry and learned how to play some musical instruments like the Kulintang – an 8 piece brass gongs.

The event ended with an open-air buffet dinner at Tamayo’s restaurant where we pig out on Filipino and Italian cuisine