Wow Pinoy: Bringing joy to compatriots in distress

JEDDAH: Have fun, but don’t forget the less fortunate.
With this in mind, Filipino community groups in Jeddah and nearby cities held a bowling competition last weekend and at the same time set aside part of their fund collection for charity.
A total of 39 teams participated in the event dubbed “Wow Pinoy” at Iceland Bowling Lanes, a mall in Jeddah.
Danny Londonio, leader of the Bagong Bicol Saro in Jeddah (BBSJ), the organizer of this year’s event, said Filipino women workers “in distress”, who are currently sheltered at the Philippine Consulate, are the beneficiaries of the charity proceeds. The Consulate shelters between 80 to 100 wards every month, mostly household workers who have fled their employers, alleging abuse.
Londonio said part of the proceeds will also go to a school for indigents in the eastern Philippine town of Bulan, Sorsogon, through Francis Salud, “Wow Pinoy” founder.
Salud, a writer for Arab News’ Filipino language weekly publication Pinoy Xtra, organized Wow Pinoy in 2005 when he was working in Jeddah, as annual “bonding activity”, with a charity component called “Oplan Bring Joy”.
Last week’s event was especially touching for Philippine Consul Germinia V. Aguilar Usudan, who said in her speech during the event that it was inspiring to see members of the community “serving others”, while at the same time having fun and keeping physically fit.
When the daylong games were over, D’ Buddies1 emerged as the champion, SUCG Bowling Team took 2nd place, D’ Buddies 2 was 3rd, and Nortehanon NSI won the Best in Uniform award.
For the individual awards, the winners were: the High Game Scratch (Male), Khalid Bustinera of OFBC-Scorpion Team; High Game Scratch (Female), Victoria of Pinbuster; Game Score with Handicap (Male), Rico Bulalayao; High Game Score with Handicap (Female), Fedelyn Bustinera of OFBC-Scorpion Team; and Best Muse, Mavis Adrienne Della of Dynamix.