Chairman Guillermo N. Carague and Commissioners Raul C.
Flores and Emmanuel M. Dalman led the COA family in celebrating Christmas 2002
on December 19 at the COA Sports and Cultural Center.
The celebration started with a Thanksgiving Mass with Most
Rev. Fr. Teodoro Bacani Jr. as celebrant and Rev. Fr. Dante B. Tamayo as co-
celebrant. It was then followed by the Christmas greetings of COAns to the
Commission Proper.
Immediately after the mass, the COA officials and employees
trooped to the stage and greeted Chairman Carague and the two Commissioners.
Presentations depicting various meanings and faces of
Christmas made the celebration merrier and more meaningful and colorful.
In his Christmas message, Chairman Carague thanked all the
COAns for the wonderful year that was about to end. "You have given me
something valuable—professionalism, competence and a good heart, which are
more than material things" he said, adding that he was very much impressed
with the past year’s performance of COA. Chairman Carague also cited some of
the major accomplishments under his administration, namely the New Government
Accounting System or NGAS, COA organizational restructuring and physical
improvements. He said that he was astounded and proud that these were all done
because of COA’s competent people such as its CPAs, lawyers, engineers and
architects. The Chairman also gave special credit to the carpenters, plumbers
and masons for the job well done in the various COA projects.
Commissioner Flores’ Christmas message was brief but
conveyed sincere wishes:" In spite of the present economic difficulties,
may your Christmas 2002 be a lot happier and may you enjoy many many more years
of Christmas."
Commissioner Dalman, on the other hand, gave his message in
the form of prayer. " We pray that all of you will have very happy days,
restful lives and food on your table, roof over your heads, beds to rest on and
warm clothing to wear. May all the crosses on your shoulders be light, and your
joy be full." He ended his Christmas message with a warm "Maayong
Pasko sa inyong tanan."
The cultural presentations highlighted the celebration as
nine groups took center stage and competed for the first, second and third
places in what turned out to be a battle of talents and artistry. The
administrative Office together with HRMO and Records Division gave a dance
presentation called "Pasko na Naman" which won for them the first
prize of P5,000. The group of the National Government Sector, which placed
second, did a song interpretation of "Taghoy", "Sama-Sama"
and "Pasko Na Sinta Ko" which accompanied a series of skits. The third
placer, the Corporate Government Sector group presented an Interpretative Modern
Folk Dance to the tune of a medley of Christmas songs.
The other performers were the groups of equally talented
personnel from the Legal and Adjudication Office—"Nativity Noon at Ngayon;
Local Government Sector—Christmas tribal dance interpretation of "Walla
Coco"; ITC—"Fiesta"; PDC with their skit and song
interpretation of pe y and Othello Pantorillo of Meycauayan, Bulacan. The 3
prize of P 40,000 went to Ursulo Poricallan of Soogod, Leyte and Pedro Relleta
of Naga City. Two 2nd prizes of P50,000 each were won by the COA NPC—MMRC Port Area, Manila and Ma. Concha
Mejia of Quezon City. The two 1st prizes of P 100,000 each were Arlene Bautista of COA-Tandag, Surigao del Sur,
and Josefina Inoferio of COA Region VII, Cebu City.
The Christmas program ended with Commissioner Emma M.
Espina's closing remarks. The Christmas party and lunch in the various offices
followed. Another highlight of the celebration was the gift giving by the Lingap
ng COA Family Foundation Inc.
The LCFFI, led by its President, Director Amorsonia Escarda
and Board Chair Director Fely Ona, gave away Christmas gift packages of ham,
cheese, pasta and spaghetti sauce to COAns belonging to pay grades six and
below.
Chairman Carague described the gift giving as
a"manifestation of our love and concern" for the low income COAns.
COS Patchie Castellano and LCFFI officers AsCom Raquel
Habitan, AsCom Marcelino Hanopol Jr., Dra. Violeta Javier, Director Erlinda
Reyes and Director Juanito Recio assisted in the gift giving.
The children from the COA Day Care Center added joy and warmth to the event
as they greeted Chairman Carague with special action- song numbers entitled
"I Am But a Small Voice" and "Tomorrow". Jan Marie Nicole
Moraleda, granddaughter of Director Recio, recited a heart-warming oratorical
piece entitled "The Best Christmas Gift" that awed the chairman and
his staff. The children ended their presentation with a resounding "Merry
Christmas Lolo Chairman"!
