salamat sa tanan nga ningtambong sa PARES last august 30. we didn’t expect to gather a crowd that big and to raise an amount that significant. because of PARES’ success, we are planning another event, this time to focus on booksale. this is not going to be another one of those ordinary booksales. some big names in cebu’s literary scene will be involved. we’re holding details for now. again, thanks a lot.

for photos of PARES, visit jonggai’s visualplayground.multiply.com

By going to the event, you are helping poor talented students get a two-month free art education. See you.

Tsinelas is organizing an art school for free to benefit kids from cebu city’s depressed areas. here’s the initial points agreed upon: children will receive free art lessons at the university of san carlos – college of fine arts and architecture in talamban every weekend. a 3-month (or 2-month?) module will be designed. handling the project are fine arts alumni and faculty members of usc-talamban. beneficiaries will be selected from elementary public schools and must come from poor families.

screening of beneficiaries will involve teachers and members of the community to make sure only those who deserve the training will qualify. everything will be provided to the students for free, including fare to and from usc-talamban campus, art materials and snacks during sessions. at the end of the module, a culminating activity will be held where certificates will be distributed and with the usc administration officially recognizing the children’s accomplishments. an exhibit of the children’s art works will be the highlight of the graduation ceremonies. jonggai, a member of tsinelas executive committee, is in the organizing team. thanks jong.

one of our cyberpals, modern patadyong is starting a similar activity, with focus on music. visit her blog and check it out. i salute kristine buenavista for starting it in her hometown in iloilo. i salute all people who make life a lot less difficult for underprivileged kids.

for all visitors to this blog, i invite you to join us. that cup of starbucks coffee you’re holding is worth a year of school supplies for kids in the mountains. think about that.