PAHK to host first-ever OFW Independence Day fest

 

Kwong (in pink), and her directors offer a toast at the PAHK Independence Day Gala

Hong Kong’s oldest professional and business group, the Philippine Association of Hong Kong, will host its first-ever Independence Day luncheon gathering for overseas Filipino workers tomorrow at Hotel Alexandra in North Point.

The event called “Alab,” will gather Filipino leaders from various sectors to celebrate the 126^th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence from Spanish rule. Everyone is encouraged to come in Philippine native attire for the festivity.

“Alab” comes close on the heels of the PAHK Annual Independence Day Ball called “Hiraya,” held on Jun 8 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, a traditional fund-raising event held each year by the 63-year-old organization.

PAHK officers in last-minute planning for 'Alab'

PAHK chairperson Scylla Kwong said “Alab” is the group’s way of giving OFWs a chance to enjoy the same experience that its members and guests had at the Saturday dinner gala, but held on a Sunday and at a time that is most convenient for migrant workers.

“We are thinking of doing this as a PAHK signature event in the future,” said Kwong, who is head of OSW PrimeCredit Ltd., which is co-organizing both Alab and Hiraya with First Pacific and Philippine Airlines.

PINDUTIN DITO

It is not, however, the first dress-up Independence Day gathering to be organized for the OFW community in Hong Kong. Philippine Alliance, a mostly OFW group, first staged the “Kalayaan Ball” more than a decade ago. However, a fiasco that erupted last year about how the yearly event was allegedly turned into a business seminar by the organizers, Global Alliance, disheartened many OFWs.

Guests at the 'Alab' luncheon will be able to 'dance, dance until the end'

The PAHK decided to step in and organize an event separate from the one being held this year by GA on the same date and time at the Grand Ballroom in Tsim Sha Tsui, in hopes of allowing OFW leaders a chance to have a really good time.

At “Alab,” there will be a live band, a raffle draw, and lots of chances for the guests to mingle with each other and dance to their heart’s content, all for the heavily subsidized ticket cost of $150.

According to Kwong, the tickets should have cost $550 each, so the sponsors who are footing the rest of the bill will be given the chance to speak, but their pitch should not last longer than five minutes to prevent the party event turning into another business event.

TAWAG NA!

“The program rundown is simple,” said Kwong. Apart from the sponsors’ time, the program will only include a speech from Kwong and Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan, and a presentation of the PAHK’s Board of Directors.

“We will have a band and singers so our OFWs will be able to dance, dance until the end of the program,” said Kwong.

Some of the past chairpersons of PAHK lent support for this year's Ball

Until last year, the PAHK was a key organizer of the Filipino community’s Philippine Independence Day celebration on Chater Road, which has traditionally followed its Ball the previous night. In fact, until only a few years ago, PAHK was the main organizer of the event, with the Philippine Consulate General billed as the main supporter.

When the Consulate took over the helm, it started tapping OFW groups like Global Alliance and Philippine Alliance to organize the whole-day show, including getting corporate sponsors and inviting Manila-based talents to entertain the crowd.

This year, PAHK decided to bow out of the bigger extravaganza for the first time in decades, but not without trying.

“We reached out to both the PCG and GA at the beginning of the year to see how the PAHK could continue playing a role in the celebration of Philippine Independence Day with the community,” said Kwong. “But we were given the impression by GA’s Leo Selomenio that she needed $300,000 to cover the expenses of the Sunday event.”

Since the PAHK did not have the money they were quoted, and since its sole purpose for organizing events has always been to raise funds for charity, Kwong said her Board of Directors decided to opt out of the Chater event and allow GA to go to corporate sponsors directly.

She said the PAHK has not given up entirely on being part of the event it started in the first place, and for which transparency in the handling of funds is its key asset, being a registered non-profit with the Hong Kong government.

But for now, it has “Alab” to show that PAHK remains committed to providing the kind of quality entertainment that the country’s unsung heroes in Hong Kong richly deserve.

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