RIYADH, 7 February 2004 — The Second Philippine International School (SPIS) in Riyadh celebrated Family Day yesterday with activities capped by a seminar-workshop for high school students. With the theme “Wow, Filipino Family: Cradle of Culture and Civilization”, participants held the day-long activities with gusto.
“This event is intended to make the relationship between the parents, teachers as well as the Filipino community in Riyadh closer,” according to Ramon Lopez, chairman of the board of the Parent-Teachers and Community Association (PTCA).
Addressing some 200 fellow parents who attended the event, Lopez said that the family day was important since the students had a seminar-workshop on how to cope being away from their parents.
Sooner than later, many of these students, specially the high school graduating students, will go back to the Philippines to enrol in college or university to pursue their search for higher education. Just how will they cope was one of the subjects taken up by the facilitators with them during the seminar-workshop ,” he told Arab News.
He said that on the occasion, parents shared their experiences as couples as well as parents in attending to the various needs of their children — emotionally, spiritually and mentally. “The family, being an institution, is the very structure of society. So, if the family is strong, we can also have a strong and stable country,” he said.
Talking about marriage, he said that it’s “God-ordained, connotes independence, denotes oneness in spirit and permanence in relationship.”
“The ‘Family Day’ is something to look foward to for us parents. Me and my wife Soldelicia never pass up an opportunity to attend to show our son Jon Jon that we care about him as well as the activities involving him,” said Hofuf-based Cenon “Nonie” C. Sagadal, who is marketing officer with RCBC-Telemoney .
The event started with the invocation by Emmanuel Aycardo, followed by the singing of the Philippine national anthem led by music teacher Reynaldo Francisco.
Simon Madrazo delivered the welcome remarks, with Amira Jocellette Aquino belting out a tune. Former PTAC chairman Alfonso Santos delivered a message as school guidance counselor Benelda L. Mondido opened the seminar-workshop.