October 19, 2002
9.00 am - 7.00 pm
Makati Sports Club

For some of us, the day began at 1.30 in the morning, just as the previous evening´s event wrapped up.  By 4.30 am, we had just about completed setting up and labelling the concessionaire tables according to our floorplan (generously drafted by Archt. Victor Rufino).  At around 5.30, the first concessionaires walked in.  The ingress started as a slow trickle, with a number of those arriving not quite sure under what name the owner had registered their booth. Before long, however, the ballroom erupted into a madhouse.  Some concessionaires needed to be ushered directly to their tables despite the blatantly clear floorplan and labelling.  Others needed their table removed to accommodate their racks or displays.  Others needed an extra table or tablecloth or an extension cord.  Some complained of neighbors encroaching on their space or blocking the entry to their booth or even removing their table altogether.  A couple even attested that their actual position did not strictly conform to the architectural layout.  And throughout all this, Tess Sulit and Raine Gines were running around giving concessionaires their ID´s and allotment of complimentary tickets while nagging them to submit their raffle prizes.

At 9.00 am, the venue had evolved into a veritable Bazaar, and the official opening of the event came through the PA system.  At a hastily set up Registration table in the veranda, Avi Lim started asking attendees to present their tickets while Arra Manuel manned the exit.  The concessionaire entrance was officially closed several times until someone finally wired the door shut. Inventory still kept coming through the customer entrance for most of the morning.  Registration was utter chaos as an endless stream of people plied in and out claiming to be "delivering" or "part of set-up" or "having a booth inside", aside from the legitimate ticket-bearing attendees.  Concessionaire ID´s ran out since some booths had up to 5 persons manning them.  Bukas Sarili members were so swamped that when Maxi-Bear arrived with check in hand, they could hardly be entertained to be issued a receipt.  As if there wasn´t enough to worry about, Ellie´s Roasted Calf plugged its glass oven into a wall socket virtually shorting all power to every other booth in the Annex.

The fishbowl collecting the ticket stubs filled up rapidly, and the Raffle kicked off at 10.30 am with Mike Alimurung (fresh from his stints with Globe and Caltex radio ads) as the first MC.  Criselle Panlilio took charge of manning the Bukas Sarili Christmas Card booth, while Tess Sulit got the Credit Card booth going.  Several Bukas Sarili members were hawking their own wares as well --Mike Julian with his Yonex badminton products, Tessa Santos with her originally designed bead jewellery, and Anne Castro with her new venture, the Swiss Pinoy Kitchen.  Eye-catching set-ups included BJ & Kaye with their stuffed leather soccer balls in all sizes, Designer Blooms' stunning Christmas decor display, Sodaco Agri's fruit stand, Play & Display´s virtual store, Excel Frames' commanding gold leaf frame selection, House of Silvanas' freezer, and of course, Ellie's whole roasted calf rotating on a skewer.  Free booths were allotted to certain non-profit organizations, namely Museo Pambata, Childhope, and the Foundation for the Fullness and Integrity of Creation.  Raffling of prizes started out with ticket number calling, but soon turned into a Bukas Sarili trivia contest with questions coming out of our newly released Newsletter.  Shelli Manuel, Jay Gatmaitan, and Quintin Pastrana took turns at the microphone.  Migs Manese of Indie Art had an everchanging array of promos over the PA system to keep sales going.

It was one very hectic Saturday, but certainly a very worthwhile one.  Bukas Sarili and Rotary Club of Makati East successfully completed their first ever Christmas Bazaar.  150 concessionaires participated and approximately 2400 total attendees.  Many of our concessionaires turned out a profit.  Some earned in the range of P30,000 to P40,000; one even netted a whopping P71,000!!!  No that's not a typo; I even had to have her repeat it to me several times to be sure I heard it right.  Needless to say, these concessionaires were either asking whether we had another bazaar this year or were attempting to book for next year.

Members clad in our white Bukas Sarili shirts provided continuous presence the whole day. Special thanks to my parents, Tess Sulit, Raine Gines, Mike Julian, Mike Alimurung, Avi Lim, Sha-Sha Sy, Timi Gomez, Tintin Montinola, Super Perez, Pilar Estrada, Arra Manuel, Anne Castro, Ana Narciso, Quintin Pastrana, Tessa Santos, Criselle Panlilio, Judith Ramos, Kendrick Yu, Barnee Bartolome, Joy Belmonte, Jay Gatmaitan, Karol Fadri, Shelli Manuel, Edwin Reyes, Jane Banta, Mari Swa, Pam Sulit.  To those I missed, sorry!

- Ray Alimurung