"Karaoke Dreams" Bares The Truth

I watched PETA's "Karaoke Dreams" at the Isabel Cinema here in Laoag City yesterday with my husband, Anthony. I also invited 74 members of my Theater Arts Guild to watch the play.

The play was entertaining . The audience loved the funny characters of Aling Pising, Julie Nahuli, Rudy Natsugi, Mrs. Biglangyaman but they ended up pitying the fate of this bunch of hopefuls that fell prey in the wily antics of the handsome fixer Boy Peke.

"Karaoke Dreams" bares the painful truth that there are, indeed, wolves who take advantage of Filipinos who seek employment abroad. The naive and gullible end up losing their properties, money, dignity after fully trusting these heartless wolves who thrive on other people's hard-earned money and "karaoke dreams".

I had the privilege of meeting Kirsten Bartsch and Louie Sebastian of the International Organization for Migration. IOM is funding the play and it is such a good project for it helps Filipinos to be more careful in preparing pertinent papers before leaving the country. Queng of PETA was oh-so friendly.

Now, I am in a dilemma. IOM faxed an invitation for me to attend a workshop at the new PETA headquarters from Nov. 24 to dec. 5. That would be great! But I am currently in the middle of preparations for the Outreach and Medical/Dental Mission of HSAL Batch '78. Being the chair, I have to be here to supervise everything. We are on our last stretch of gathering stuff before the big day, Nov. 30. I bow to PETA, it's where I had my first training in theater under the founder, Cecile Guidote-Alvarez (well, she might not remember me but that was years ago). But I am also being egged to stay for the Outreach. My batch mates don't want me to leave them and just fly in on the day and fly back to Manila like some seagull snapping some fish from the water.

Hmmm....let me think.

Leading the pack

Ok, I was silent for awhile coz I got busy with another blog which I have: hsal78hub. I created this for the purpose of culling out all my batch mates for our very first community project wherein I am the chairperson. It's a few days more before our big day in Caaoacan ( a depressed area in Laoag City) and I am so excited. The idea of doing this socially relevant activity popped up last month. I just quipped about helping the needy while growing more advanced in years and ...zoom...here I am with my humble idea, handling all the preparations. I am just so blessed to have batch mates and friends who are fully supportive of this cause.

The medicines are ready, sacks of rice, clothes, noodles, toothpaste, toothbrushes, pails, etc. Our truck is on standby and members of the Medical/Dental Mission are all set. Some will be coming in from Manila and donations from here and abroad have poured in too.

What a good feeling to pay forward for all the blessings and grace God has in store for us in the future.