Fifteen children from the different homes were able to visit Intramuros, Manila last Saturday afternoon August 23, 2008. They were accompanied by their 5 big bros/sisters- three staffs and two volunteers. There were actually 26-30 children excluding the children from MPCC home who were on the list for the monthly outing but the number was reduced since most of them attended some more important activities. The children especially those who are in the YAP had choir practice which will soon be presented on the forthcoming event of the foundation to be held in one of the prestigious hotels next month, while the others went to their schools for their dance practice or activity practices whichever they joined in that was presented in celebration for the school activities like the Buwan ng Wika.
This was MLC’s second time (as per record in my 2 years in the foundation) visit to Intramuros but almost all of the remaining children were their first time to be included in the centre’s outing especially in the said place.
The group met in MLC and watched the Shrek movie while waiting for the very busy van of the foundation. It was 2 o’clock already when Tatay decided to drive the other van which was for the president’s use only since the reserved van had a hectic schedule during that day. The group loaded themselves inside the vehicle and headed for their destination. The children happily jumped off and crossed the street going to the museum. Some sat down on the pavement of the street and calmed themselves from the dizziness they felt after experiencing U turns that the van did before it finally found its way to the Bahay ng Tsinoy, the first destination. They were very eager to enter and to see the things found inside the museum.
Bahay ng Tsinoy Museum is a museum of the Chinese in Philippines life. The word “Tsinoy” blends the Chinese-Filipino blood, the so called Filipino-Chinese. It shows here the pictures of the early contacts of Philippines and China through barter trades. The Parian is depicted inside the museum. This was a quarter where the Chinese lived and worked as merchants during the Spanish colonialization. Colonial culture brought by the west particularly the Spaniards shows the culture through the different pictures of the churches built by the Spaniards, pictures of GOMBURZA etc. What took my attention was the pictures and information about the successful tsinoys in the country. The owners/builders of the SM, PAL and the like are among the huge industries/companies which started many decades ago.
"I am a Filipino"
A hologram was showed to the children. This traces the transformation of the early barefooted,
ignorant , disadvantaged farmer to become the modern Tsinoys!!!
the gang inside Bahay ng Tsinoy Museum
The group then decided to go to the second destination which was in Fort Santiago. The excitement of the children echoed in the corners of the park as they run freely like flock of migrating birds. It was already 6 in the evening when the team boarded the van going home.
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