My former boss and publisher, Irene Martel Francisco, has gladly shared with us the good news that the recent dinner of the Childhood Protection Network, which she has steered through the years with utmost dedication and commitment, turned out to be another successful fundraiser for a worthy cause.
Upon my request, Irene furnished us with interesting details of the event which I am most honored to share with you.
Sharing and giving
In her own words (taken from her Facebook post): “We at the Child Protection Network (CPN) are endlessly grateful to our friends for making the annual CPN Dinner such a success! We raised Php 7,300,000, all of which will go to the cause! 🎉🎉🎉🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Our dinner was not large, in fact, it was intimate in size compared to larger fundraising events. But we had 85 guests who were committed to helping abused children and women continue to get medical, psychological, and legal help.
Thank you to everyone who joined our dinner, who graciously bid at our auction as well as to those we invited but could not attend yet sent their donations in! Super thanks to Finesta at Solaire, Ricky and Lizzy S. Razon and David Batchelor!
On behalf of our founders, David and Katherine Bradley, CPN board members and staff…. we so appreciate your generosity ❤️❤️❤️”
To reiterate the above, I am sharing with you the official CPN notes sent to me by Ms. Mitzie Casibang, Tatler events manager.
An opportunity to give and share is always interesting and invigorating. The recently held Child Protection Network dinner and charity auction certainly gave teeth to this theory! The proceeds from this night’s sharing and giving ran up to P7,300,000. All were raised through the auction items and an impressive level of personal donations from guests and regular donors.
Finestra at Solaire is such a lovely room, with sophisticated furnishings and lighting fixtures, an open kitchen, and views of the outdoors. Add to that background, the 85 guests we had — all ready to enjoy a gourmet meal and conviviality. Our four-course dinner was beyond good. Every dish was outstanding and the South African wines plus bubbly paired so well.
and chairman David Bradley.
David and Katherine Bradley, the major benefactors of CPN and a couple who visits our country yearly to offer unfailing support to this cause, were delighted to meet new friends and connect with old ones. CPN board members, namely, Irene Martel Francisco, Renna Angeles, Johnny Velasquez, Mia Borromeo, Mons Romulo, and executive director Dr. Bernie Madrid, were all ecstatic at how the evening turned out for the foundation.
As of now, CPN has 138 child protection units in 64 provinces and 10 cities across the country. It provides vital medical and psychosocial care for abused children. CPN is at the forefront of the battle against the many faces of child abuse.
The Auction lots on offer were varied and all extremely covetable as can be attested to by all being sold later that evening. Tonico Manahan, auctioneer par excellence, made sure the lots fetched the best possible prices. They were all donated by generous souls and thanks are in order to El Nido Resorts for a three-day-and-two- night stay at Pangalusian Island. Jaime Ponce de Leon for the artwork by Anita Magsaysay Ho. A2A Safaris donated an iconic Safari in Kenya. Vintage Grail gave us a new and rare Tudor watch to auction. The Bradley’s auction lot was for a week’s stay at their estate in Provence, France.
An event such as this cannot take place without the commitment of major partners like Alice Eduardo, Renna Angeles, Lizzy and Ricky Razon, and Tatler Philippines. Their generosity was instrumental in creating a fun and engaging evening. Truly, it takes a village, or in this case, a community of altruistic people, to make a lasting difference in marginalized children’s lives.