BEAM Newsletter

BEAM caps 2008 with enchantment and fun

“2008 has been a fruitful year for the BEAM Project because of your hard work and our stakeholders’ involvement in all the activities we conducted. It is fitting to celebrate the year with the men and women behind the success of BEAM.”These were the words of BEAM Australian Project Director Ian D’Arcy Walsh to the staff during the annual year-end program held last December 11-12, 2008. The lush greenery of Eden Nature Resort in Toril provided a perfect backdrop for this year’s “Flora and Fauna” theme.

The year-end program kicked off in the afternoon with the project’s version of the popular television reality series “Amazing Race,” where teams composed of BEAM Davao and Cotabato staff solved puzzles and performed different tasks around the resort to earn the next clue that will lead them to the next station. Everybody participated in the games that challenged their wits, put their strong legs to test as they ran around the resort searching for the stations and fostered teamwork. Challenges included counting a glassful of watermelon seeds, fruit eating relay and answering trivia questions before riding in Eden’s famous “Indiana Jones,” (not for the fainthearted). The teams’ ingenuity was tested when they were tasked to fill a soda bottle with water from a pail using only their body parts. Staff members used their hands and even mouths just to have the lead and proceed to the next station. Good memory was a problem to some teams when they had to write down a song (12 days of Christmas) or a poem (Joyce Kilmer’s “A Tree”) from memory. Finally, the teams’ faith in one another was tested at the last challenge of forming a circle when all, except one were blindfolded and followed instructions given by another.

After the race, the resort was transformed into a fantasyland as BEAM staff entered the hall as goddesses, gods, hunters, flowers or animals, staying true to the Flora and Fauna theme. The night was even made more enchanting with BEAM’s Lakan at Lakambini ng Gubat (God and Goddess of the Forest). Representatives from the different components paraded in their best attire depicting dwellers and famous figures of the forest. Teams worked their creative juices to come up with a costume using indigenous materials to give their representatives a chance for the title. The question and answer portion drew loud cheers from the crowd because of the contestants’ funny but witty answers. In the end, Fem Gamutin, as “Gagambina,” complete with six spider “legs” made of paper (from the School Management team ) was adjudged Lakambini ng Gubat. Jimboy Lumintac, one of the Materials Development Center XI staff bagged the Lakan ng Gubat title in his muscular “Centaur” costume made of chicken wire frame and cloth which was a “labor of love by my team mates.”

Janice Tagubase, Pong Delgado and Red Rola were also acknowledged as the outstanding employees nominated for 2008 BEAM Employee of the Year award. IT Manager Red Rola won the most coveted honor in the project. Prizes from BEAM friends were also raffled. Project officers from Cotabato and Davao offices showcased their talents in dance and song numbers that added to the festive mood. The night was indeed filled with celebration, appreciation of everyone’s hard work and camaraderie among the staff – a fitting end to another successful year in the BEAM Project.