Judy Ubayan serves food at his booth, which is an extension of Goto King, a Filipino food franchise, at a fundraising bazaar at the Philippine embassy.
Judy Ubayan serves food at his booth, which is an extension of Goto King, a Filipino food franchise, at a fundraising bazaar at the Philippine embassy.
Judy Ubayan serves food at his booth, which is an extension of Goto King, a Filipino food franchise, at a fundraising bazaar at the Philippine embassy.
Judy Ubayan serves food at his booth, which is an extension of Goto King, a Filipino food franchise, at a fundraising bazaar at the Philippine embassy.

UAE

Holiday bazaar raises funds for needy Filipinos

The festivities at the Philippines Embassy will benefit Filipinos in the hospital and in jail.

Ramona Ruiz

December 30, 2010

  • English
  • Arabic

ABU DHABI // Filipinos in the capital have their last chance today to visit a fundraising bazaar at the Philippine embassy.

Filipinos are known to celebrate among the longest and merriest Christmas holiday seasons in the world. Radio stations start playing holiday carols by September, and Christmas festivities extend beyond the new year.

A portion of proceeds from the first-ever Paskuhan — or Christmas — Bazaar at the embassy will benefit Filipinos in the hospital and in jail.

"This is in keeping with the Christmas spirit of giving," said Bal Junio, the chairman of this year's Filipino Christmas festival in the capital.

The embassy bazaar began December 11 and was due to end on December 17, but Filipinos heading to the embassy to pick up travel documents asked that it be extended, said Mr Junio. Each day sees hundreds of Filipinos queueing at the embassy in Al Bateen for their overseas employment certificates. Overseas Filipino workers need to present the certificates to Philippine airport immigration officials when they return to the UAE from their vacations.

"They wanted to try out some Filipino dishes and native delicacies, and shop for small gift items to bring home," Mr Junio said.

Maylinda Emya, 30, a nurse in Abu Dhabi, tried on some sandals while waiting to get her document. She will be flying home for a visit a week from tomorrow.

"I hope we'll have the bazaar here at the embassy all year round," she said.

Dyna Javier, 40, a human resources manager, seized an opportunity and opened a temporary shop where expatriates could photocopy and access the internet.

"People usually come to the embassy to have their passport renewed and other services so we decided to set this up," she said.

One organisation recreated a sari-sari store, which is found in the Philippines, selling a multitude of assorted small items.

The 45 Filipino community organisations in the capital will set up another bazaar in February, and again during the Philippine Independence Day celebrations in June, he said.

The bazaar will be open from 8am to 6pm.

UAE%20SQUAD
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
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  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

Towering concerns
The specs
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Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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3. Hajj

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The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 715bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh1,289,376

On sale: now

Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
TOURNAMENT INFO

Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers

Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends

Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.

TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.

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The biog

Age: 59

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Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”

Specs%20
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