These were the words of a visionary with a heart, whose dream for the performing arts was larger than himself. This visionary was the late Wilmer Ong Guido, founder of The Performing Arts and Recreation Center (PARC) Foundation. On November 12, PARC inaugurated their newly-renovated main studio and named it “Wilmer Ong Guido Hall,” to honor his legacy after his passing in 2017.

Before the main program, PARC welcomed the local government of San Juan City represented by Mayor Francis Zamora. The Mayor, together with PARC’s executive director, Ms. Issay Nodalo, signed a memorandum of understanding for “Kaunlaran ng Sining at Kultura sa Makabagong San Juan,” an initiative by the local government and PARC, pioneering the development of a hub for culture, arts, and local heritage in the historic city.

Mayor Zamora expressed his enthusiasm toward the foundation and its flagship program “PARCaralan,” which provides educational assistance and free performing arts training to underprivileged youth. “A lot of people, especially children, would like to perform but they're not given the opportunity. With the MOU which we signed today, I believe that San Juan will develop holistically because The PARC Foundation will now train our youth... We want San Juan to be a cultural hub [with] a lot of events through your foundation which of course, the city government will support.”

The inauguration of the Wilmer Ong Guido Hall promptly followed, with the unveiling of the commemorative marker and the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon by Mayor Zamora and Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Philippines, Hon. Gerard Ho Wei Hong, Ms. Nodalo, and Mr. William Guido, CEO of the Guido Group of Companies and the father of the late Wilmer Guido.

The program commenced with Ms. Earth - Philippines 2019 Janelle Tee as the host of the afternoon. Pastor Alex Patricio led the opening prayer with a short anecdote on how a father’s legacy is usually passed on to their children but in this case, it is the father who is inheriting his son’s legacy for the performing arts. This prefaced a video showing how Wilmer’s vision and dreams of PARC as a safe space for artists shaped the foundation’s past to present. leading into the welcome remarks by Mr. Guido.

Beyond being a businessman, Mr. Guido is a father who aims to see his son’s vision realized. Despite his initial doubts on Wilmer’s plan for PARC, Mr. Guido set these aside and decided to support his son’s endeavors. After Wilmer passed away in December 2017, Mr. Guido made it his personal mission to continue what his son started by fully becoming a supporter of the arts, most especially through PARCaralan.

Supporters of the foundation also gave a few words during the program. Mr. Colin Goh, CEO of The RICE Company Limited (TRCL), spoke as the representative of the Singapore delegation during the event. Earlier this year, PARC signed a memorandum of understanding with Global Cultural Alliance, a subsidiary of TRCL, cementing PARC’s close relationship with Singapore. Dr. Raul Sunico, world-renowned musician, Steinway artist, and former president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, spoke as well on behalf of the PARC’s board of trustees.

Other notable people present during the inauguration were Vice Mayor of the City of San Juan, Hon. Warren Villa; Mr. Victor Ng, Chairman of Millet World Singapore; and Mr. Bobby Kok, board director of Millet Capital.

With a common goal of empowering the young Filipino musicians of the next generation, PARC recognized JB Music as a partner for the PARCaralan Music Program. JB Music donated classical string instruments and music accessories for the use of the PARCaralan scholars and the program. Along with that, JB Music also provided the event’s use of the sound system free of charge. Mrs. Jean Fernando-Gandhi received the plaque of appreciation for JB Music and Sports, Inc.

The program also included intermission numbers from PARC’s artist partners. The first was a highlight video of The Heart at Play (THP)’s performance in the recently concluded ExtraOrdinary Celebration in Singapore. THP is led by PARC artist partners Therese and Patricia Rivera whose advocacy is to enable persons with special needs through their Dance Movement Therapy Program.

Philippine Ballet Theatre gave a rousing ballet number for the event’s guests. They performed a rendition of “Muntik Nang Maabot ang Langit,” an excerpt of their show “Serye at Sayaw” featured in their US tour earlier this year.

To round off the afternoon, The PARC Foundation’s PARCaralan Scholars wowed the audience with their rendition of “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor and “Buwan” by Juan Karlos.

“You cannot have [performing arts] unless you have performers…performing arts needs good performers, beautiful performers. And how do you do that? You educate them, train them, give them good experience[s],” said Mr. Tony Lopez, chairman and CEO of BizNews Asia, and a supporter of PARC.

As one of the final speakers, he urged all the guests to join PARC on December 11 for “Spirit of Giving: The PARC Foundation Performing Arts Ball,” a fundraising ball with all proceeds directly for the benefit of the PARCaralan program. Happening at the Conrad Hotel Grand Ballroom, this will be the foundation’s biggest charity event yet featuring world-class performances and an art auction-for-a-cause.

The Wilmer Ong Guido Hall has been fully refurbished from The PARC’s main studio. The enhanced hall now has an area of around 200 sqm and is equipped to host a range of rehearsals and performances—from a full orchestra set-up, to intimate plays with an audience size of up to 150. It can even accommodate dance classes or similar training sessions of up to 50 people at a time.

More than the transformation of the studio, the best thing that happened is that PARC has now immortalized their beloved founder’s life. The Wilmer Ong Guido Hall is envisioned to be the new home of PARCaralan scholars and the launchpad for the careers of emerging and budding Filipino artists. The Wilmer Hall is now available for booking.

For more information, you may visit www.theparcfoundation.ph or facebook.com/PARCph or contact (02) 8350 6356.

The Performing Arts and Recreation Center (PARC) Foundation held their most celebrated fundraising event yet last December 11 entitled “Spirit of Giving:The Performing Arts Ball” at the Conrad Hotel Grand Ballroom, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. The event aimed to raise funds for the foundation’s PARCaralan Program which provides educational assistance and free performing arts training to underprivileged youth in the Philippines, particularly in San Juan and Tondo, Manila.

This exclusive red carpet charity ball is the first of its kind in the Philippines, highlighting the potential of performing arts to transform the lives of the Filipino youth. The event was done in cooperation with the Singapore Embassy in Manila,Global Cultural Alliance, Millet World, Chinoy TV, and Manila Bulletin. The evening also serves as a culminating event for the 50th anniversary of the bilateral ties between Singapore and the Philippines.

“May the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts…”

The Christmas spirit of generosity was unmistakable in theair of the ballroom. The pre-event program featured a charity auction. Items generously donated to The PARC Foundation for the event were open for bidding, featuring artworks by Juvenal Sanso, Ranjit Das, Master Sun Yu-li, the winners of the National Digital Arts Awards, and a Steinway B-211 grand piano from Steinway Boutique Manila.

The main program began with acknowledging the presenceof the evening’s guests of honor: Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao and Vice Mayor of the City of Manila Ma. Sheilah "Honey" Lacuna-Pangan, who have both wholeheartedly expressed their support for the youth and the arts.

Moreover, Mr. Edgar Saavedra, Chairman of Megawide Foundation, received a plaque of appreciation from The PARC foundation for their pledge of long-term partnership.From this point, a pioneering life skills exchange program is underway to train scholars from the families of Megawide Foundation employees and, at the same time, provide career opportunities to the families of PARCaralan scholars.

“Dreams inspire worlds for change… lead us to better places…”

For this one special night, performing artists from different generations, belonging to different nations and spanning different genres gathered to give PARC’s supporters a glimpse of what the PARCaralan Scholars can be in the near future.

The PARCaralan Music Scholars with their stringinstruments, together with the young hip-hop troupe Stylo Mylo Crew from Singapore’s Little Arts Academy, and the budding singer Christine Gabrielle Francisco gave a rousing collaboration of Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All.”

Dazzling performances kept the crowd on the edge of their seats as homegrown talents from both the Philippines and Singapore entertained the audience. Gracing the stage were “Asia’s Phoenix” Morissette Amon, foremost vocal harmony group The CompanY, and the country’s beloved Father of Christmas Carols, Mr. Jose Mari Chan.

The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Rodel Colmenar, an excerpt of “The Nutcracker” by Philippine Ballet Theatre, and renowned pianist and member of PARC's Board of Trustees Dr. Raul Sunico gave a spotlight on more Christmas classics, the rich sounds of the Steinway & Sons grand piano echoing throughout the ballroom.

To represent Singapore, Corey Koh exhibited hisexceptional skills as a 17-year old classical tenor, while international jazz singer Michelle SgP serenaded the crowd with her original song “Dreams,” a highly significant song that carried the theme of the night.

“A million dreams are keeping me awake…”

You may recall the hit 2017 biographical movie-musical featuring the visionary achievements of a poor tailor’s son,who achieved his dreams through grit, wit, and belief in those who society has given up on.

Almost 200 years later, the heart of “The Greatest Showman’s” P.T. Barnum has lived on in one particular advocate for the arts, his dream and vision transcending from himself into the hearts of countless others.

More than a fundraising event, the night was also a tributeto The PARC Foundation’s young and visionary founder,Wilmer Ong Guido. Very much like P.T. Barnum, Wilmer believed in where his dreams could take him. Wilmer envisioned providing a safe space for artists to grow and hone their crafts in a cultural center in San Juan.Unfortunately, his untimely passing in late 2017 put those dreams on hold as he left a gaping hole in the foundation’s heart.

January 2019 came as a breath of fresh air as co-founder Ms. Issay Nodalo stepped up to become PARC’s Executive Director with the newfound support of Mr.William Guido,Chairman and CEO of the Guido Group of Companies and Wilmer’s father.

The past year saw PARC grow exponentially through partnerships, networks, donors, and patrons. Support came in the form of partnerships with Singaporean group The RICE Company Limited and its subsidiariesGlobal Cultural Alliance and Millet World, leading to the Singapore Embassy in the Philippines showing their support for the future of the foundation.

It seems that Wilmer’s dream is slowly coming together as it should be. By 2025,The PARC Foundation aims to reach the goal of 300 scholars helped, supported, and provided for. With this season’s Spirit of Giving, we can see that not one, but a million dreams have indeed taken flight for the night.

For more information, you may visit www.theparcfoundation.ph or facebook.com/PARCph or contact (02) 8350 6356.