Last year, Freeway has successfully launched the National Artist Collectors’ Series that featured the works of Literary Genius Nick Joaquin last Fall and the paintings and sketches of Visionary Master Ang KiuKok last Holiday. This June, Freeway will once again pay special homage to another great National Artist for Literature, the multi-awarded Jose Garcia Villa.
To launch this collection, Freeway held an intimate TERTULIA (literary gathering) at Legarda Elementary School last June 16, 2010. Hosted and participated by the smart students of Legarda, attendees mostly comprised by top fashion bloggers, stylists, VIP Freeway customers, and media press witnessed a fun, educational and heartwarming event.
The event opened with a folk dance medley by the students and was followed with video slideshow of Legarda Elementary School which boasts itself for the recognition given by DepEd as a heritage landmark site for its building structures, and for having consummate teachers and exemplary students. After that, a video presentation of Jose Garcia Villa’s life was shown to be able to know more of the man of the hour.
The TERTULIA proper followed with lovely readings. Ms. Cherie Gil, one of the most recognized personalities in Philippine TV, theater and cinema, read selected poems from Villa’s Doveglion. While a collection of Villa’s magical and joyful poems from Villa’s children’s book Parlement of Giraffes were beautifully rendered by a group of students from Legarda in both English and Pilipino. The excerpts and readings were carefully chosen and interpreted by Philippine Literature expert, Mr. Lito Zulueta.
To know more about the man behind the National Artist, Freeway was fortunate to have 2 important resource speakers share their experiences on Villa’s life. The children interviewed Ms. Virgie Moreno, co-member of Villa in “Ravens, a group of influential writers in the 1960s and a good friend of Villa, and Ms. Ruby Villanueva Precilla, Villa’s favorite niece. Students were able to ask questions them about the life and personality of Villa during the interview.
After the interviews, attendees were delighted with an acoustic performance by Hale’s vocalist Champ Lui Pio together with the students of Legarda singing to Hale’s Blue Sky and Wala Ka Na. As a surprise, another talented group of students presented an interpretative dance of one of Hale’s songs Kahit Pa. Truly entertaining!
Mr. Tim Yap also graced the event with a surprise gift for Legarda Elementary School! He presented P100,000 worth of school supplies. Freeway’s Sheree Roxas Chua-Gotuaco and Katty Roxas Chua-Qua also donated Jose Garcia Villa books to Legarda on behalf of John Cowen who is the Literary Trustee of Jose Garcia Villa. The school was also presented plaques of appreciation through its principal, Dr. Franklin Marcelo and to selected teachers who made the event possible.
Freeway treated their guests to a raffle of Freeway Gift Certificates and Jose Garcia Villa books. And everyone was able to take Limited Edition Jose Garcia Villa tote bag and a Villa necklace as souvenirs of the event.
Great poetry, inspiring learning event, great music and historical venue, definitely a very remarkable event for everyone!
