CARITAS MANILA Starts SEGUNDA MANA Grand Bazaar at TRINOMA

Had the chance to visit the Caritas Manila led SEGUNDA MANA Grand Bazaar 2025 at the Ayala Malls Trinoma's 4th Floor in Quezon City. This is the social service arm of the Philippines Catholic church and has been running a couple of years already. 

It was packed but people were eager to help because where else would you be able to purchase really great finds of food and products and in turn help the causes that they support particularly the education of the poor and their livelihood. This was witnessed by leaders of Caritas Manila, our lovely Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, several beauty queens and kings too. 

Rev. Father Anton Pascual the Caritas Manila Executive Director says "For 72 years we have been doing Caritas Manila efforts and there are a lot of people helping us in Segunda Mana. Second Hand Items, new ones, toys, we monetize them for nature and community projects and we hope this would be sustained with your help. This is patterned from the US's goodwill stores and we thank Ayala Trinoma, PMG, Miss Universe PH and Misters Pilipinas, our Mayor Joy Belmonte who has helped social enterprise. We want to thank you, and hope this gets sold in 3 days so we can help the poor. The poor are not lazy, they just need opportunity so they could help themselves. Please spread the good news, may God bless you!"

Mayor Joy Belmonte says "I was lucky to have been able to work after graduation with Caritas Manila. At QC, our values are aligned and have worked to give scholars to lift themselves and not just rely on dole outs. We have 40k now and hopefully have 80k after our term. Thank you to Caritas for doing environmental efforts, textile is another waste we need to address in this economy. Every year we have tons of it in our landfills and in a circular economy we hope to recycle these. I wish people stop a consumerist lifestyle, balance it with new and second hand items to help, declutter and live simple lives to donate in Caritas Manila. We hope to host a lot of social enterprises in the city, it's my dream to do this. Let's all shop for a cause today!"

Miss Eco International 2025 Alexei Brooks says "Coming here I asked what to talk about, but recycling is an important part of it. I am an athlete, and was poor to afford shoes. My grandma went to buy a 500 peso pair which I eventually would win in Palarong Pambansa. I still have it, it's a reminder of who I am, to take care of the environment and climate change is happening. This organization is partnering with international ones and it is a good cause. If you want to achieve great things, please donate so you can make a difference in someone else's life."

PMG GM Agnes Magallanes adds "I rallied our team to donate and went on to do 3 years of helping this cause. We want to be part of the solution, meeting with them, we got to have social engagements and urge corporations to give back. We need to be part of the solution, not just clothes, but plastics, it's part of our sustainable efforts and we thank Caritas Manila for making us part of it. We hope to sell these and have nothing to send back to our warehouse."

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The event will be from today til June 8 so you have about 2 days left to go there and help. Make sure to visit and buy so we can help families send their kids to school through Segunda Mana and other Caritas Manila projects. They also have vendors from communities, as they want them to be self sufficient later on. Hope you can help!

BEN&BEN, CALISTA and John Mark Saga Headline ALON Benefit Concert for Seafarers and their Families

In this day and age, people in the Philippines often do not get work in places across the country. To find a better life for them and their families, Filipinos venture out at sea and become seafarers. It's not easy to be away from family and remain in the deep blue ocean for weeks, months, some even years. Some fall prey to unscrupulous individuals who wouldn't bat an eyelash to not give them what's due them especially if they need government help, or lawyers to protect their rights (maritime or others) even if they are not in the country.

They need help, and this is where GOLD Foundation and maritime organizations come in. They just announced a concert for a cause called ALON Pagibig, Pangarap at Pagasa, slated this June 28th 6pm at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila. This is headlined by one of the most popular bands in the country BEN&BEN, talented singer John Mark Saga and lovely female PPOP Group CALISTA. 

Seafarer Cecilia Giron tells us about her experience at work and says "This is a very humbling type of work, I was a bit hesitant at first, but I was able to perform the job. When I went home, I was so thin and didn't encourage me to go back . 13 years in a cruise ship, and a few years more, fooled by our love story, but I didn't want to end my dream. I had to work for my daughter, and later asked to do the same work now. It only took 5 months to finish it."

Jebsen Gamido an awareness advocate in the maritime sector told us about those experiencing not just abuse, but even mental health concerns for those who are working on ships. There are tons of seafarers who are in the same shoes and hopefully it will also be highlighted at the ALON concert.

Cadet Jerimy Orquiza shared how he didn't want to become a seafarer, but since he worked in a maritime school, he was inspired about their stories and got interested with their lives, even if it means being away from their families so they could provide for their loved ones. 

Marville Espagob of ISWAN shared how he had a great career, but it was hard for him mentally. The ALON concert is intended to help folks like him, and he will have a chance to talk about it in the show. They provide free helplines to understand them and their stories."

Ms. Lala Tolentino of The Mission to Seafarers adds "There has been no event that is like this to remind ourselves of love, welfare and hope. We support the family and seafarers around the world, no matter what the nationality, race or trust. We are recognizing them, they carry 90 percent of what you are wearing today. They are hidden workers, unseen, and this will make them be on the spotlight. Because they want to help their families, they set aside personal happiness because no matter what it seems, they deserve our recognition. The benefit concert will go to fund the mission for the seafarers and their families."

Gelo Ruiz who's directing the concert says "ALON will be a tribute born out of love. There are about 3 Million out there, and this is very personal for me because I am a son of a seafarer. This will be about their Stories, their Advocacies, and how we have better lives with their sacrifice. We are making ways to inspire people, and our program contains Ben&Ben, Kelvin Miranda, Calista, and John Mark Saga who will sing for one night. Every artist have their own story, it gives people hope. Calista will also showcase women empowerment with their numbers, and John Mark has real seafarer family members. We hope you get to support us on June 28th!"

Expecting a whopping 7000 attendees, they are still looking for partners, you may reach them on their social channels and email too. Tickets available at ticket2me.net and it will be held at the Ninoy Aquino stadium in Manila. Make sure you bring along your seafarer family members, friends and everyone.

John Mark Saga is a seafarer's son and says even the poster tells a lot about growing up without his father on his side. He got to pursue his dreams because of his father's sacrifice which he wasn't able to do in the past.

Calista says "It's an honor to be part of this big movement about seafarers and their families, it's a responsibility to represent the women and we have been advocating empowerment even those who are on board. With ALON, and our music, we hope it touches hearts for those who work in the industry. We will support them, and their dreams as seafarers too."

Calista had their concert years back to help frontliners and medical professionals, this time they're doing it for seafarers which is a very noble thing to do.

It's an important advocacy, for the seafarers and their families. If you want to do the same, go support them in the concert. Tickets will surely sell out fast because concerts like this cost more on a normal day. They plan to give the proceeds to organizations that help seafarers with legal, medical and mental needs. Get tickets via Ticket2Me.net and watch the event at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium because it's going to be one fun night!

JISULIFE Turns Blue and Opens New Branch at SM City San Lazaro

Spent the afternoon at the SM City San Lazaro for a windy event as popular portable fan brand JISULIFE opened at the 3rd floor Cyberzone in Manila. 

The event was graced by Jisulife Country Manager LA Lucero, Marketing Head Igue Bonifacio and popular radio DJ Kevin Sy. They also introduced a huge sale to coincide with the SM City San Lazaro mallwide sale slated to run from May 17th to 19. Folks who were early got the chance to get the Life5 Plus at 599 instead of the original price of 750++, the same goes with the other fan models that they also lowered prices at this particular branch. They also held games for the public and gave away several Jisulife fans, and lanyards to keep them safe and tight while you carry it around all day. 

They also told us this is one of many Jisulife stores that they plan to put up in the country that is bearing the new BLUE logo (it was previously Orange/Red), and they plan to change the existing kiosks and stores to look like this one too. They also plan to implement this look in the previous collaterals they have built including those inside department stores nationwide!

It's HOT and you know Jisulife can get that heat out of your system. If this branch in Manila is so near your place, go get them because there's a reason why they are number one in the market!