Text & images by Luz Bergersen
It was a timely occasion for Rawmags Social Entrepreneurship Lead Becky Torres and Marizel Arambulo, both bankers and committed Rawmags volunteers, meet up with visiting Oslo-based Rawmags Editor Luz Bergersen and acclaimed Filipina paletteknife artist Maia Magpantay.
From left, Luz Bergersen, Maia Magpanatay & Becky Torres
We met and exchanged views at popular dining place Mary Grace at Uptown Mall, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Manila.
On its secondth year, the Rawmags Social Entrepreneurship Team selected two new beneficiaries namely the Dugtong-Dunong sa Pagsulong Scholarship and Educational Program, and the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, which both share the common mission of providing support to the education of Filipino children coming from low income families.
Artist Maia Magpantay
Artist Maia Magpantay donated two exquisite stylized cubist paintings, whose proceeds will support the chosen recipients of this year’s Social Entrepreneurship project.
Maia paints in oil using a palette knife, ‘a process that enables me to create figurative forms with precisely drawn lines, roughening strokes of festive hues and vibrant colouration to express art. To celebrate the colourful life given by the Great One, to glorify the Lord with the gift He has entrusted to me and share this enthusiasm with my fellowman, is indeed a path I find worth pursuing.’
Marizel Arambulo (left) and Maia Magpantay
Becky shared the backdrop of Rawmags Social Entrepreneurship saying, ’’It was the idea of Betsy von Atzigen, Rawmags Editor in Chief, for Euro-Filipinos to contribute towards the education of less fortunate kababayans in the Philippines - to ‘pay forward’ and share blessings.’’
‘I was introduced to Betsy in August 2020 by Maris, a common friend and high school classmate, as Betsy was looking for an article on Vigan in Ilocos Sur. It so happened that Maris and I reconnected when we celebrated our high school golden jubilee.
Our classmates went to Vigan as our town of destination. We were 36 seniors all together. We rode the kalesa to tour Vigan in Calle Crisologo Heritage Street and around the town plaza. I planned and arranged this trip from transport and reservations, to hotel bookings, Vigan food selection and tourist places to visit. The visit inspired a travel article I wrote ‘My Vigan - Returning to One’s Roots’.
Check out ‘My Vigan’ in Rawmags October 2020 https://www.rawmags.com/
Betsy knew that Marizel (whom I introduced to her) and I were bankers, so she asked us to develop the guidelines for a simple social entrepreneurship program to be launched in February 2021 for Roots & Wings’ 12th Anniversary. That is how Marizel and I got involved in this volunteer outreach program.’
Rawmags sincerely thanks and wishes all the best to dear Maia, Becky and Marizel for their persuasive and enthusiastic engagement to this Social Entrepreneurship project.
More blessings and power!