Calamity drive for ‘Odette’ survivors

“LAST week, our country was once again hit by a very strong typhoon that devastated northern Mindanao, Visayas, and Palawan. The aftermath of this calamity was so tremendous causing the loss of homes, livelihood, and lives.”

Thus said the joint letter from the three leaders of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), namely: FINEX President Francisco Ed. Lim, FINEX Foundation Chairman Jose Jerome R. Pascual III, and FINEX Academy Chairman Eusebio V. Tan.

They appealed for assistance by contributing any amount to the FINEX donation drive for victims of Typhoon Odette, which lashed through six regions of the country and left a trail of massive destruction. To start the drive, FINEX is contributing P300,000 as the seed money for this campaign. The proceeds will be coursed through the CBCP Caritas Filipinas Foundation, Inc.

One of the hardest-hit areas was the southern part of my home province, Negros Occidental — particularly the cities of Sipalay, Kabankalan, and Himamaylan as well as the municipalities of Ilog and Cauayan.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo visited Kabankalan City this week to assess the situation on the ground and provide relief to thousands of affected residents. Until now, many of them do not have electricity and drinking water in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette’s category 5 winds and disastrous flooding.

Generous souls may deposit or transfer their donations to FINEX Research and Development Foundation, Inc.’s BPI account no. 3121-1865-18 and e-mail a copy of the deposit slip to mlnbanzon@finex.org.ph.

SUGAR & SMILES ART EXHIBIT
On a brighter note, Negrense artist Edbon Sevilleno launched his one-man show last Nov. 30 at Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City. The exhibit opened simultaneously with the unveiling of Sugar & Smiles: The Negrense Legacy Beyond 2020, the first coffee table book about the province of Negros Occidental.

Mr. Sevilleno is one of the top watercolor painters in the country today. His subjects reflect Negrense life in urban and rural scenes that he calls “Negroscapes” — including the workers in the sugarcane and gamefowl industries. Formerly based in Dubai, he has since returned to his hometown and 10 of his paintings serve as chapter dividers in the Sugar & Smiles book.

Other Negrense visual artists highlighted in the 320-page heirloom collectible include Rodney Martinez, Nunelucio Alvarado, Charlie Co, Dennis Ascalon, Maria Leah Samson, and Manny Montelibano along with National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. In the performing arts, several illustrious Negrenses are featured such as Peque Gallaga, Gilopez Kabayao, Joel Torre, Cecile Sicangco, Erik Matti, Susan Roces, Pancho Magalona, Toto Sicangco, Bobby Enriquez, Leo Valdez, and Angel Locsin.

Proceeds of Mr. Sevilleno’s exhibit will partly go to the Kalipay Negrense Foundation, which is also the beneficiary of the coffee table book project. Details are available at www.sugarandsmiles.ph or @Sugar&SmilesPH Facebook page.

J. Albert Gamboa is the chief finance officer of Asian Center for Legal Excellence and co-chairman of the FINEX Week Committee. The opinion expressed herein does not necessarily reflect the views of these institutions and BusinessWorld.