BISAYANG DAKO SA NEDERLAND (BISDAK) CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY
By Angel Axinto
Spijkenisse, The Netherlands
September 30, 2018
September 22 was the day when BISAYANG DAKO SA NEDERLAND celebrated its Silver Anniversary. It was a beautiful evening and the Wijkcentrum party hall in de Akkers, Spijkenisse was colorfully decorated with party slingers and balloons.
(L-R) With the right palm pressed to the left breast, BISDAK and all the guests sang the Philippine National Anthem; BISDAK President Flora Schuijt gave the opening remarks; Eda Liaw Sinajon, one of the pioneer Bisdak organizer, gave a short words of thanks specially to Felicia Gagarra (in orange Bisdak polo shirt), a pioneer Bisdak officer, whose health is not stopping her from celebrating the 25 years of the organization she helped organize and dearly love.
It was an occasion that everybody has been waiting for…a celebration that the organizers have long been preparing for. Tonight, supporters and friends would come together to commemorate BISDAK’s 25 years of existence.
No less than the Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands Honorable Jaime Ledda was the evening’s guest of honour.
Honorable Jaime Ledda, Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands giving his inspirational speech to the BISDAK organizers and to all other Filipino organizations present.
A long buffet table filled with a feast of mouth-watering Filipino cuisine and delicacies were prepared for the evening’s dinner. Each menu cooked with passion and love by Bisdak officers and coordinators. Crunchy lechon /inasal (roasted whole pig) was tantalizingly placed at the front-most of the table. No Filipino anniversary is complete without it. Everything is in place…..everybody excited….every Bisdak coordinator knows exactly what they need to do………..let the celebration begin!!!
Guests enjoying a buffet of vast variety of Filipino cuisine and delicacies. So much food to choose, everybody, including the Ambassador and his companion Elly relished everything served on the table. What a delightful sight .
Arriving mostly in groups, guests were welcomed with a beautiful smile by Bisdak Nanelia and her husband Adri. While she pins Bisdak ribbon on their chests, Ari ushered them inside. A great husband and wife team-work.
Party in full-swing with live performances of Niztky, Kirei, Gerrit and Norly of the Sunset Band
The idea of creating a group for a good cause was born during a simple get together of friends held at Jecay Ligans’ residence in Utrecht on June 1993. These group of good friends, all coming from the Visayan region, put their heads together and decided to do something to help their barangays back home. Their inspiration is the famous quote from the Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal saying :
“Ang tao nga dili makahibalo molingi sa iyang gigikanan, dili maabot sa iyang padulungan” (A person who doesn’t know how to look back to where he came from, will never reach his destination).
(Top photo left): Kapitbahayan's Founder/Chairman Mherzy van der Steen and Lorens doing their graceful choreography of the famous hilarious Bisayan song "Pasayawa Ko Day"; (Middle photo left-right): BISDAK Vice-Chairman Jecay Legan, Mutya Ng Kalambuan 2008 Janet Sulliman, BISDAK Chairman Flora Schuijt and one of the pioneer BISDAK officer Doris Bello Alfafara. (Right photo left-right): BISDAK Treasurer Nanelia Vissers- Perocho, Jerome Deraco and Nazaria Dequito, Adviser and over all coordinator.
And so, on August 20, 1993, Bisayang Dako sa Nederland was born. Members were: Basco Fernandez (Cebu), Doris Alfafara (Davao), Jun Pols (Nasipit Agusan), Simon Dumanon (Agusan), Nanellia Vissers-Perocho (Ramon Magsaysay Zamboanga del Sur), Nazaria Dequito (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental), Jerome Deraco ( Alimada North Cotabato), Grace Cabactulan (Sagay, Camiquin), Felicia Gagarra (Iligan City, Lanao del Norte), Jessie Ligan (Barangay Cabu-buhan, Magsaysay Misamis Oriental, Mindoro), Eda Liauw-Sinajon (Baclayon, Bohol), Nonot Ty and the late Nening van Leeuwen (Calinoban,Kibungsog Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental)
Different Filipino organizations joined in like the Filipino-Dutch Community Drechtsteden, Stichting Bayanihan, Samahang Pilipino sa Holland (SPH), Filipino Catholic Community Of Rot-terdam (FCCR) and Filipino Catholic Community of Den Bosch
It was not until April 2007 that it was officially recognized and named STICHTING BISAYANG DAKU SA NEDERLAND.
BISDAK’s goal is to extend help to our brothers and sisters in the very remote parts of the Visa-yas by building potable water among others. Clean drinking water, being the most basic human need, is sad to say, not readily available in some areas. People has to walk for as long as half an hour to get clean water to drink. Having experienced that, Bisdak organizers is strongly motiva-tion to do whatever they can to provide clean drinking water to those areas that needed them the most, and making lives a lot better.
BISDAK Dancers dancing to the hit ‘Sumunod Sumayaw’ of the famous Filipino band Boyfriends.
The task is strenuous….but the willingness to help our countrymen is paramount, and so, for 25 years Bisdak has build projects after projects after projects. When calamity strikes in our be-loved country, Bisdak officers will come together, plan, act and send aid back home. Be it be monetary, medical supplies, used clothing and everything they can think of, to help our brothers and sister in need. It is that strong spirit of being a true Filipino..in heart and soul.
(Top photo left) BISDAK secretary Nanellia Vissers-Perocho and husband welcomes guests the entrance and carefully pins BISDAK ribbon to every single incoming visitor’s shirt/blouse.
It was a great honor for the Bisdak organizers to have our beloved and most admired Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands as guest speaker. Honorable Jaime Victor Ledda is a man who is so active in all affairs concerning Filipinos in Holland. During his speech, he admired and thank BISDAK for all the achievements they have done for the past 25 years. He emphasized the importance of unity among Filipinos in Holland and the different organizations that are actively helping our countrymen back home. Having said that, he expressed his appreciation to the Netherlanders for their support as well.
They swing and sway as the live band plays on…………….it’s celebration time!!
In 2014, during Bisdak’s Christmas party, the new Bisdak officers were formally inducted. There was not much changes though. Flora Schuijt has been Chairman for years, there was simply a little rearrange-ment of tasks. Although some pioneer officers decided to let other members lead the group they nev-ertheless vowed to still give their all-out support for the organization. Bisdak forever.
BISDAK officers inducted during the December 2014 Bisdak Christmas party: (L-R) the late Neneng van Leeuwen (sadly passed away less than a year after), Jecay Cultura Ligan (Vice-chairman), Flora Schuijt (Chairman), Jessica Neday (Secretary), Nanelia Vissers-Perocho (Treasurer) and Nazaria Dequito (Adviser and overall coordinator )
The festivity was topped with the live band performing. The beautiful songstress Nitzky Rabino, her real life partner Gerrit on keyboards, Norly on guitar and lovely singer Kirei made the evening more dynamic! The dancefloor was jampacked! Guests were swinging, arms swaying, stumping, jumping, laughing and giggling….a fantastic sight to see. Everybody was letting loose and just having the best time of their lives!
BISAYANG Dako sa Nederland has done countless projects in the past 25 years. Water pumps in Magsaysay and other parts of the Visayas, sending a lot of used sewing machines and creating sewing workshops in Cagayan de Oro City to help the wives of motorela drivers earn a living, sending less fortunate children to school in Cebu, building a chapel in Bohol, and a lot more tangible projects. Whenever calamity hits the Philippines, BISDAK would do everything they could to solicit funds by instantly making a fund raising party, asking friends for used clothing, even to a point of going to the streets asking for any assistance. This we silently do out of love for our countrymen.
Zumba dance led by Cynthia van Dam Gomez and joined by Vivian Santua, Rosa Cabrillas and company.
Since the Anniversary was held weeks after the super typhoon Ompong (Mangkut) that left hundreds dead and hundreds more missing in Luzon and the recent landslide in Naga Cebu, we instantly asked the guests to help the victims back home. They lost their homes, families and everything they have strived all their lives to build…these are our brothers and sisters….they are suffering as we speak and we cannot, and will not turn our backs on them. Right there and then Bisdak went into action.
At the end of the night we were able to collect 200.10 euros from our kindhearted guests. Half of the money we immediately sent to the landslide victims in Naga Cebu and half send to typhoon Ompong victims in Luzon.
(L-R) Sunset Band Gerrit, Norly, Nitzky Rabino and Kirei Ishii; Avi Astrera and Lourdes of NWorld; Toko Phinoy Asian Products by Violeta Mendiola Anuno.
This is how Bisdak group works, no time wasted. Coz time is precious, in this case time could mean life or death.
More motivated after what our good Ambassador said, Bisdak will keep on doing what needs to be done.
In the past 25 years, BISDAK’s success is due to the strong will by the officers and coordinators and most of all due to each and every Filipino organization and individuals who believe in the same cause and are always there to show their support. Without your assistance, this organization could do little. Without your presence in all our affairs, we will not make it this far. Although the idea of stopping was once brought up…..it was unanimously decided to keep on going.
And for this, in behalf of all the officers, coordinators and members of BISAYANG DAKU SA NEDERLAND both past and present, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all our families, friends and sup-porters who in one way or another helped us all those 25 years.
Our special thanks to Stichting Kapitbahayan’s Mherzy van der Steen who help coordinate this Silver Anniversary, Samahang Pilipino sa Holland (SPH), Filipino Catholic Community of Rotterdam (FCCR), Sticthing Bayanihan, Filipino Catholic Community of Den Bosch and Filipino-Dutch Community Drechtsteden. We are looking forward to more togetherness, more shindig and more projects.
(L-R) BISDAK’s projects: portable water systems in different parts of the Visayas; First Bisdak Party March 26, 1994 in Doelari Rotterdam West; HULP-AKTIE party for the victims of typhoon Sendong on March 3, 2012.
To sum it up, the celebration was a tremendous success. There was exuberant food to everybody’s content, inspiring speeches, surprise acts and dances, lots and lots of prizes given away and the live band playing non-stop disco! It was an evening like no other. The Wijkcentrum was bursting with guests, the dance hall could not accommodate them all. Those who prefer a relax mood, where they could chat with friends not having to shout to each other have stayed at the spacious lobby where NWorld skin care products and the Toko is available and more conveniently where the bar is located. There is always a place for everyone. Everybody went home sweaty but extremely happy. The night seemed so short….a lot of our guests don’t want the party to end….so did we. But after midnight we have to thank them all and said our goodbyes.
Once again …...DAGHAN KAAYONG SALAMAT!!!!! MARAMING SALAMAT PO!!! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!
‘til next year…… MABUHAY ANG BISDAK, MABUHAY PILIPINO!
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Photos courtesy of: Jerome Deraco, Tess Banayag, Chelita Korthouwer Capilitan, Eda Sinajon Liauw, Avi Astrera, Yanie Houkes Sinajon, Vivian Santua Bulan, Laarnie Oandasan, Edwin Ofalla, Margelita Lim and Anna Bracamonte
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Below is the update of the monetary assistance that BISDAK sent to Naga Cebu last September 25 2018.
UPDATE FOR WAVE 1 JOINT Relief Operation from CGS Bohol and different Individuals.
Delivering Relief Goods bound to CGDCV for proper distribution at NAGA, CEBU.
For more Help to NAGAHANONS don't hesitate to contact 09957212548 or visit CGS Bohol at PIA Bldg. K of C Drive, Pob. II, Tagbilaran city, Bohol.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
BISDAK Netherlands; Sarah Dequito; Alma Jaso; Liauw Family; Jie Fen Chin; Yanie Houkes Sinajon; Vangie Sinajon; Jhoana Mahawan-Seltenrijch; Cec Panglao and TIROL FAMILY; Sumaylo Family; Kaumahan MKTG; FITNESS WORLD GYM; SURIO Family (Smash motorcycle group in Bohol); Melvin R. Salinasal; Bea Villanueva; #Itsbettertohelpthantobehelped