On-going Projects and Events
Adopt A Brick
How does the Adopt-a-Brick work?
The Concept is simple. A number of bricks are offered for adoption, reserved and paid in advance by interested individuals, organizations, businesses, offices and politicians. These bricks are then set aside in a “warehouse” BANK that will eventually be used to build the CENTRE.
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50,000 brick are being offered for adoption and available for $100 and $50 each is paid in advance. Each brick will be made in the form of plaques and engraved with each donor’s name. This will be clearly displayed in a prominent place when the centre is completed. There is no limit as to how many bricks you wish to adopt.
Imagine what the Community can all achieve:
SCENARIO 1
50,000 BRICKS subscribed @ $100.00=$5 million
SCENARIO 2
50% of the BRICKS subscribed @ $50.00
50% of the BRICKS subscribed @ 100.00=$3.5 million
SCENARIO 3
50,000 BRICKS subscribed @ $50.00=$2.5 million
How much are we aiming to raise to get started?
Below are some conservative figures that we believe is achievable with your support. Updates showing the amount collected can be obtained by sending an email to trustee@bulwagan.org.nz.
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How To Make A Donation
All donations, pledges, adopt-a-brick subscriptions can be paid into the bank account – Bulwagan Foundation 03-0510-0797259-03.
Include your name and donor number as reference. A donor number will be provided and you are to use this each time you make a donation. A receipt will be issued so you can claim your rebate from IRD at the end of each financial year. For new donors please contact us to be issued your donor number.
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A brochure and application form for 'adopt-a-brick' can be downloaded here.
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"Alkansiya"
The "alkansiya" is the traditional "piggy bank" in the Philippines. It is made out of coconut shell with a hole that fit coins.
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How does this work?
Upon request, you can ask for an "alkansiya" from the Bulwagan Foundation Trust and it will be registered. The family or individual will fill it with coins e.g. $1 a day until it's full. A schedule of another "breaking of alkansiya" will be announced by the Trust - at least once a year. The Trust will issue a receipt for the total amount of the coins. This receipt can be used later on to claim for a rebate at end of the financial year as the Bulwagan Foundation Trust is a Charitable Trust that you donated the coins to. Also, for every $50 or $100 which is an equivalent of a brick, a certificate will be awarded to the donor.
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A brochure and application form for "alkansiya" can be dowloaded here.
Events
The trust's on-going main events are the "Pasko": The Filipino Christmas Festival and the Philippine Festival, organised and produced yearly.
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"Pasko": The Filipino Christmas Festival
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"Pasko" means Christmas in English. In the Philippines, Christmas is a big and long celebration. Once the "-ber" in the month (e.g. early as September) hits, expect that almost every household, offices, malls and even public places, will start to look like Christmas. Christmas trees and decorations will be set up and Christmas songs and carols will be heard everywhere. Christmas doesn't end in the last day of December but early January of the following year. One of the Christmas decoration that is prominent is the "parol". A "parol" is an ornamental, star-shaped Christmas lantern and is traditionally made out of bamboo and paper. The Christmas lantern comes in various sizes and shapes but generally the basic star pattern remains dominant. The design of the "parol" evokes the "star" of Bethlehem that guided the Three Kings to the Manger. It also symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and the Filipinos’ hope and goodwill during the Christmas season.
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One of the highlights of the "Pasko" Festival is the "parol" contest. This contest was initiated by the Bulwagan Foundation Trust to encourage people to express their creativity and love for Christmas by creating "parols". In this contest, especially due to limited access to the traditional materials, any materials can be used as long as it is free from any sharp protrusions or hazardous materials that could cause harm to people.
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In the celebration of the "Pasko" Festival, there are also cultural programme, food and non-food stalls, exhibits, music and dancing, raffle draws and sometimes "palarong Pinoy" (Filipino indegenous games).
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Philippine Festival
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The Philippine Festival was initiated by the Bulwagan Foundation Trust in 2015 and due to its success, it became a yearly main event.
This festival involved not only the Filipino community but the wider community especially the Maoris and Pacific Islanders. "Taste of Home", Philippine Festival 2016 was the first main event held at the Filipino Community Centre. As the theme states, "Taste of Home", most stalls sold exotic Filipino food. The trust made a rule that no two stalls should sell the same dish. Most, if not all stalls were sold out early even before 4PM. For this reason, stall holders were looking forward for the next event. Philippine Festival 2017 had the same theme (food) plus mini museum where Filipino artifacts were displayed. Organisers and volunteers were dressed up as well. As this festival has become another success, other groups tend to duplicate the event.
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In the celebration of the Philippine Festival, there are also cultural programme, music and dancing and raffle draws.
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