Naranasan Mo Na Bang Ma-Oishi?

Isang makabagbag damdaming pagsasalaysay sa aking karanasan noong ADNFest 2016.

Ihanda ang panyo, sapagkat dadanak ang luha at uhog.

CHERET!

hahahaha

Hello mga beh! Kumusta naman kayo? Ako, heto, #GandaProbs pa rin. *flips shiny side bangs*

Ay wait, wrong number. ADNFest 2016 blog pala itetch. Hahaha

So hemingway, di ko na maalala kung kanino bang idea tong lahat kami sa OrgComm daw mag-share ng experience namin sa ADNFest. It’ll be fun, they said. Heto ako ngayon… 🎶basang basa sa ulaaaan🎶 hahaha heto ako ngayon at nahihirapan mag-isip what I want to share with you guys. Ano ba kasi ang isheshare eh naibigay ko na ang lahat… ang buong buhay ko, pati lablayp ko sa buong 2 months ng preparations for this epic event? Char! Pero naman, the struggle is real ha, kasi #TeamAbroadNgangaSaGanap ako. #Sadlayp

Sige ganito na lang. Simulan natin sa pinakasimula. 🎶Let’s start at the very beginning… a very good place to start...🎶 (umamin ka, kung alam mo ang Sound of Music, kinanta mo yan! 😂)

So ayun na nga, based on my birthday, I was conceived around mga mid June 1980 something… ay teka sobrang simula pala baka sa next ADNFest na ako matapos hahaha

Sige, simulan na lang natin kung paano ako napasabit dito.

Ganito kasi yan. Adik kasi ako sa twitter. If you follow me there, you’d know that I’m online 24/7.  Kaya nung new pa lang our GC ng Team Butchikik, isa ako sa pinaka-active. I remember one day, around June yata, nabanggit ni Mother MJ sa GC yung dream nya na yun nga one huge GT ng ADN, yung open for all, especially team no group. So nun pa lang, we got excited na. Like as in nag-isip na ng venue. I will never forget because I was with my bff then (na hindi pa rin yata alam how much of a MaiChard/AlDub fan I am), we were driving sa may downtown L.A. to meet up with another friend, then may kinukwento sya but obviously I wasn’t paying attention because I was replying sa GC LOL then she told me na itago ko daw muna phone ko. Hahahahah So anyway, so ayun venue ang pinapag-usapan and I couldn’t contribute because I know nothing na sa Manila. Pero natapos yung kwentuhan, natulog mga tao, nakalimutan.

Then come early August, na bring up ulit the topic and this time, nag-release na agad ng survey. I was not an OrgComm pa that time. So after the survey, shempre napag-usapan yung event sa GC na ganito ganyan ganire ganon, doon dito, 🎶sino bang dakila, sino ang tunay na baliw?🎶 Eh ako, bilang Team Abroad #SaklapLayp, lungkot-lungkutan diba. Dramarama ang peg ko because #PAANO ako makaka-join?

So because makapal naman my face and feeling close kay Mother, on August 14, I DM’d her: #ResiboPolicy

O diba, inabala ko pa her pag-plantsa. Take note, that’s 1:36 PM PDT, meaning 4:36 AM PH time yan na nagpaplantsa sha. Isang ulirang ina talaga.

So na-excite ako diba? I told myself na yay! may committee na agad akong nasalihan, kahit di ako maka-attend, I’ll be able to contribute! Sobrang proud ko sa sarili ko, bes! 😄

Then I opened yung GC where she added me.

They were already in the middle of discussing whether open field or basketball court yata or something yung venue. But the concern was the weather. Paano daw pag umulan, bumagyo, chorva chenes. Tahimik lang ako. Nag-pabebe hi lang ako. Kasi isip ko, oh wow! Ang seryoso ng committee na to!

Then nag-hi sila lahat sa’kin isa isa. Ang saya! Feel ko agad na I belong. Then I checked the participants list nung GC and counted 10 people, including me. I knew them all na kase sa TBK GC, so ang saya diba kasi hindi ako ma-aawkward because kilala na din nila ako. Then tuloy lang their discussion, ang bilis ng messages, bes, kase they were seriously discussing nga the venue.

Then it started to sink in.

I said, wait lang, ano ‘tong napasukan ko? Tama ba ‘to?

I was expecting a small committee na bibigyan ng assignment. I thought na ganun yun. Then I realized na oh shoot, OMG core pala to. Pinagpawisan ako ng malamig, bes. Pati kili-kili ko yata namawis. Muntik ako umatras kase again, #PAANO diba?

But I told myself (Oo na, I talk to myself a lot. Walang basagan ng trip!), kayanin mo self, andyan ka na. Nakakahiya sa kanila na nag-voluteer volunteer ka, tapos aatras ka. So after a huge lunok ng hiya, sumali ako sa usapan. Kapal ng mukha ko I swear. I started giving my inputs, they shared the folders and files with me, nag-volunteer pa ako ayusin the folders. Then yun, nagtanong sila kung anong committees ang hahawakan namin bawat isa. Ang tahimik ko na naman, bes. Kasi they asked kung san daw ako magaling. Hahahahaha tinawanan ko yata sila. Kase bes, huhubells I know nothing about organizing events! Naisip ko na lang, since ang line of work ko naman now is Accounting, napunta ako sa Finance. So yay! Ok sige, bffs naman kami ng excel and google sheets so gorabels! keribels! Keribam bam bam!

So dun nag-start yung totoong duties. Take note na never nag-turuan dito na ikaw dyan, ikaw dito. Lahat volunteer, tipong sige ako na dito, ako na don. Yun yung sobrang minahal ko sa small group na to. Huhubells mahal ko kayo OrgComm, sagad!

Okay, mamaya na ako iiyak. Tuloy ko muna kwento ko.

So sa finance shempre, ano pa ba ginagawa kundi magmanage ng finances diba. Kasama ko dito si Ate Shine and si Jill. So shempre sa committee namin yung paghanap ng sponsors kasi nga finances. Eh since makapal face ko, nag-volunteer ako na sige gow, ako na ang magsesend ng letters. But the problem was uhm I’ve never done that before. Bes, Political Science yung major ko, Bes. What do I know about Marketing? Waley. Zero. Nada. Kahit tuldok. So, shempre hanap kami ng help. If there’s really one thing to describe this fandom or to remember it by, aside from A&M, it’s really the bayanihan. Hindi ka mauubusan ng nag-ooffer maghelp. So we asked for help and help poured in. Shout out to Mama Ruthie for putting together the first draft of sponsorship packages!  It made our lives so much easier. Mother and Ate Shine just had to tweak them a bit, then write simple cover letter, so yay! I just transferred over sa letterhead ng adnfest and voila! Ready to go na the letters! Pero Bes, shempre may letter na pero haller, san namin isesend? Hahahah So I made a list ng lahat ng endorsements ni Maine and Alden individually and together. I scoured the interwebs to get contacts. That’s where I started. Pero yung mga nakuha kong contacts shempre mga tipong general customer service chorva lang nung mga companies. Pano kami mapapansin diba? So the Finance team and mga TBK and friends of friends and random people sa fandom to the rescue! As in we got random DMs pointing us to the right people. Ang galing and bilis ni God magbigay ng solution eh. Di ko na kayo iisa-isahin, you all know na who you are, but thank you sobra sa paghukay and sisid sa FB, google, IG, Twitter, sa mga kakilala, sa mga hindi kakilala, sa mga tao sa kanto, and sa mga kapatid ng pinsan ng lola ng tatay ng asawa ng uncle ng ninang ng kinakapatid ng ampon ng kapitbahay nyo for contacts! Ang galing lang talaga eh!

Pero here’s the disadvantage of being the one in charge of sending sponsorship letters: ikaw din ang magmomonitor ng replies. Ang hirap bes, kase after every send ko ng email, halos di ako nakakatulog kakahintay ng reply. Alam nyo yung feeling na nagsend ka ng secret letter sa crush mo confessing your feelings, tapos mega wait ka ng reaction from him/her? Yon. Yun ang feeling bes! Ang hirap diba?

It took days to even get one reply. And the very first one who replied, without any doubt, questions, or reservations on who we were was Ms. Mary. Goosebumps, Bes. You know why? Mamaya ko na explain, Bes. Basta remember her name. Pero yun nga, sobrang thank you to Ms. Mary of Neozep, dahil sila yung unang unang nagtiwala sa amin, kaya they will always have a special place in our hearts. Biruin nyo, ang unang sagot ni God sa prayers namin is pampaginhawa ng pakiramdam? Nakakalurky.

So sa kanila nag-start. From there, dumating na the other email responses. Ito na yung mga times na halos di na ako makatrabaho kakahintay ng emails. And like I mentioned, disadvantage ng email sender is ako din ang nag-aabang ng replies. Masaya naman because I got to be the first to get excited sa mga nag-yes.... but I was also always the first recipient of rejection. Masakit Bes. Ang sakit sakit.

Ang paghahanap ng sponsors, parang pag-ibig lang yan. So you put yourself out there, nagpaganda ka, you put the best version of yourself and offer everything you have-- puso at kaluluwa. Kailangan mo ng tibay ng loob, you have to know your worth, and you really have to be ready for rejection kasi, maraming nag-decline. We expected it na rin naman because hello, sino ba naman kasi kami diba? Pero pordalab and with unli prayers kay Papa God, nilakasan na rin namin loob namin. Pero alam mo yung paulit ulit kang umasa, pero paulit ulit kang nareject ng different people? Worse, yung iba, deadma talaga. Hanggang sa bandang huli, namanhid na lang ako. May mga times na umiyak talaga ako because ang sakit Bes, especially dun sa wala talaga kaming nakuhang response. I deserve an explanation! I deserve an acceptable reason! Ganern! Pero cheret lang shempre. Like I said, we expected the worst naman talaga. But just to give you an idea of what we went through, here.

Parang guys/love lang ang mga sponsors, bes:

1. Yung love at first sight/first love. Neozep to, I swear. Sila yung minahal na kami agad kahit wala pang details. Walang tanong or pagdadalawang isip, gusto nila magparticipate. Kaya sila ang first love namin and pag-uwi ko ng Philippines, forever loyal na ako sa Neozep.

2. Yung Paasa at Pahabol. Sila yung isusubmit daw sa supervisor or correct department pero never na sumagot ulit. Yun pala nag abroad na at may kinasama nang iba! Mga talipandas! Hahahah joke lang peace po.

3. Yung hindi sure. Sila yung papag-isipan, pero eventually mukang nakalimutan na. Parang guys na hindi alam kung mahal ka nya or naaaliw lang sha sayo. Yung urong sulong ang puso. Yung hindi na lang sabihin nang diretso na “sorry, ayoko talaga sayo, bye.” hmp!

4. Right love at the wrong time. Eto yung isa sa mga pinakamasaklap. Sila yung nag-decline kasi sayang, nabigay na nila sa iba their sponsorship budget for that period, but they really wanted to join. #sadlayp Sila yung isa sa mga iniyakan ko slight ng adobe. Nakakahinayang kasi sobrang short lang kasi ng notice.

5. It’s not you, it’s me. Yung sponsors na hindi lang kasi talaga sila bagay para dun sa event.

6. Protective. Sila yung tipong may walls around them at matinding protection sa sarili, takot masaktan bes. Hahaha joke. Sila yung may strict specifications sa lahat to protect the brand. And natuwa ako sa kanila, because I learned a lot about branding! O davah, bonggels! I didn’t know na lowercase or uppercase letters matter. Astig eh!

7. Date date muna. Sila yung gusto formal meeting muna, which I think was fun based sa kwentos of my fellow OrgComm who met up with them. Nakakatuwa madiscover na mga fangirls/fanboys din talaga sila.

8. May tulay. Sila yung hindi yung brand mismo yung kausap namin but a 3rd party na parang marketing/advertising company. Ang astig eh! I swear, it was super nakakaaliw yung mga natutunan ko dito.

9. Tahimik magmahal. Sila yung walang kibo, ni ayaw magpa-mention, pero yung naitulong nila sa amin, wagas! *ubo PLDT Home DSL and Puregold ubo* huhubells we love you po talaga and thank you!

10. Si Forever. I want to mention Coke because sila yung naging official partner namin. It’s still surreal for me until now. Sila ang forever namin I think. Pero like any real forever love, pinapaghirapan yan at dumadaan sa trials. Yung ligawan, pag-arrange ng dates na nagkakaaberya last minute, but in the end, sa altar este sa SMX din natuloy. heheheh

So yan, nilimit ko na lang sa 10 para bonggels.

But then, there’s Oishi. Okay, special mention ko ang Oishi because hari talaga siya ng hugot and twice ko siya iniyakan. Yes, siya ang iniyakan ko ng adobe nang bonggang bongga. Ito yung pag-ibig na niligawan mo, tapos naging MU kayo. Sobrang saya mo na for a few days. Araw araw kayo mag-usap, ganern, hanggang makatulog sa madaling araw hawak mo pa phone mo (literal. #TimezoneProbs). Tapos biglang isang araw, ayaw na nya. Nadurog ang puso ko Bes sa pakikipagbreak nya. I questioned everything that I believed in. I questioned my own feelings. (cheret! ang drama eh) Humagulgol ako na bonggang bongga, bes. Nagtanong ako sa Dyos kung may mali ba akong nagawa. Nagtanong ako kung anong pagkukulang ko. May mali ba akong sinabi? Ginawa ko naman lahat. Kinuskos ko naman. Pero wala pa rin. Nadurog pa rin ang puso ko. Wasak ako Bes. Madaling araw na nun. Umiiyak ako. Sabi ko, please, ako na lang… ako na lang ulit.

Nung una nag-hesitate pa ako sabihin sa OrgComm, kasi nahiya ako because I already told them about my relationship with Oishi. Masaya na silang lahat for me, tapos ganito? Pero shempre, as with how all pemilies should be, di ko na pinatagal and I told them. Umiyak ako sa kanila, as in hagulgol while typing sa GC. Shempre disappointed sila lahat, yung iba nga parang may galit pa sa nangyari eh. Pero alam nyo bakit mas lalo ako naiyak? Because when I showed the breakup letter (cheret) sa kanila, they cried with me (virtually and except Gab and Jill-- hindi umiiyak mga yan. hahaha peace lamyu). Nalungkot sila for me. Dinamayan nila ako. Hinayaan nila akong magmukmok at malungkot for myself. Natulog ako noon na umiiyak, Ate Charo. Hindi ko talaga kinaya. Tapos paggising ko, hindi ako agad sumilip sa GC. Heartbroken eh. Gusto ko lang maglasing sa tulog. Sakit pa ng ulo ko when I woke up and super swollen my eyes because of crying nga. Pero nag-viber sila sakin. Grabe lang yung pagmamahal ng OrgComm sa akin, I swear. So nag-viber sila to say na ok na ulit si Oishi. Nakikipagbalikan na daw. Umiyak ulit ako, Ate Charo. Hindi ko talaga kinaya. Hinintay nila ako gumising to ask if gusto kong makipagusap ulit. Pero naintindihan nila na wasak pa rin ang puso ko at di ganun kadali magmove on. So they replied for me. So yun. Nagkabalikan kami ng Oishi.... thus the title of this blog and Gab’s Oishi message for me:

Iba talaga yung naging experience ko sa part na to. Ang dami kong natutunan sa marketing, advertising, and basta yung ways ng bagay bagay in the Philippines. Nakakahanga talaga because everything was new to me and I am really thankful I got to experience this with the most patient and understanding people.

So yan ang kwento about Sponsorships. Heheh *pahid ng uhog*

Sa totoo lang, my journey to the ADNFest2016 was really like yung naranasan ko with Oishi-- yung roller coaster of emotions, yung puyat at pagod, yung both yes and no.

But aside from Sponsorships, sa committee din namin ang audit sheets and monitoring of payments and donations.

Literal na in one day, iyak tawa ako kasi tipong may magdedecline na sponsor, pero biglang may magpepledge or magdodonate sa gofundme. Not for the faint of heart ang magmonitor ng sponsor at pledge/donation emails. Nakakaloka sha Bes, but I regret nothing. And buti na lang na kahit papano nasaktan na ako enough to have a stronger heart for this. Hahahaha

Naenjoy ko yung pagsend ng emails. Naenjoy ko lalo yung audit sheets. Kaloka lang kapag di nagsubmit ng deposit receipt, bes! 😂 Naenjoy ko yung pagprint and cut ng IDs, especially Maine’s, Alden’s, and Matti’s. Nagsanay ako ng few Spanish sentences to bargain for the lanterns sa Mexican friend ng co-worker ko. And kinapalan ko fez ko na ipakipauwi kay Mel yung bigat na lanterns na yan to Pinas. So thank you again, Mel for taking them home! Hihihi

Nakakapagod because of the timezone yung puyat, but it was all worth it. Yung pakikipaglaban ko to okay yung pag-hire a last minute company for the livestream, jusko sa puyat ko nun, di na ako nakapasok sa work. Nakakamiss na actually (artista! hahaha), yung excitement, yung takot, yung kaba.

Yung tuwing may mag all caps ng GIRLS sa GC, nahuhulog puso ko because it meant something super duper major. We’re all mostly kalma naman kasi (thanks to Gab). So basta may nag all caps na, ay jusko, all eyes na kami sa messages. Here are some na naaalala ko na nahulog ako sa sahig because most of these happened while I was tulog. #TimezoneProbs

1. Accidental meeting with Alden at Concha’s. Ito yung kwento ni Tere. Pero please don’t judge me. Hindi dun sa pagconfirm ni Alden ako nahulog sa sahig eh. Dito talaga:

Hindi ko kinaya, Bes. My Tentenatics heart could not take it. Gumulong talaga ako sa floor sa sobrang saya ko.

2. Confirmation na dadating si Meng. Yung kilig at iyak ko nito umabot sa Saturn.

3. Dadating daw si Ms Annette. Nakakaloka, Bes! Alam mo yung feeling ng sinabihan ka ng sister mo na dadating yung Tita mong artista from Hollywood, yung kahit alam mong cool tita sha, nakaka intimidate pa rin? Yun ang feeling ko kay Ms. Anette. Hahaha

4. Yung may pasample ng performers’ rehearsals. Nung una ko nakita yung rehearsal ng Keep Holding On, hindi ako nakahold on Bes. Naglupasay ako sa floor. Huhubells!

5. Yung pagtawag ng Coke kay Ate Shine. We never expected it kase.

Mga good news lang yan. Ayoko na isa isahin yung mga bad because masakit alalahanin. Basta just a few days before ng fest, kulang na lang sumuko na lang kami but we didn’t. Kinaya namin. Tulong tulong.

Nakakabaliw talaga Bes. Kase ang smart ko din na sumali pa ako sa drabble challenge ng AMACon 3 kahit halos mamatay na sa pagod sa ADNFest preps. Tipong ilang beses ako na sit down meeting ng boss ko and was asked if may personal problem daw ba ako. I mean, #paano mo ieexplain sa boss mo na “uhm... sorry, I just didn’t get any sleep because I audited deposit receipts for a fandom event.” Jusmiyo marimar. Halos di kami nagkita ng roommate ko nung 2months na yan because lagi lang ako nasa room. Pinagpalit ko na rin ang lablayp at kinalimutan si kras para hindi ako madistract. I think the only thing that kept me sane was ClingyTitas and really, the OrgComm. Kakaibang support system to. Wala kaming sinukuan na kahit ano. Laging sagot was “kaya natin to” or “kayang brasuhin ni Candy yan” or “hinahon muna tayo, may diplomatic answer si Gab dyan” or “sige, ask tayo ng help” or “teka, kalma tayo, let’s talk about this then vote” or “God will provide” or “pagpray natin.”

I really believe that because walang nega samin and lahat kami believed in each other (kahit later on, like a few days before the event we found out na we all started organizing with no knowledge whatsoever of what we’re supposed to do or what organizers actually do! Nakakatawa bes!), kaya kami nag succeed sa whatever we wanted to accomplish. Hindi naman sa nagbubuhat ng own bangko, but I’ll buhat na rin, but I think kung hindi sakto yung mga ugali namin with each other’s, baka nagsabunutan na kami, albeit virtually, dahil sa lahat ng trials.

Pero alam nyo, I really believe din sa divine intervention and that Papa God was really with us the whole time kaya wala kaming naging major trials na hindi namin kinaya. Heto mga ghostpumps moments:

Our first sponsor was Neozep through Ms. Mary. Parang sinend sa amin ni God si Mama Mary para gumaan yung pakiramdam namin. Kakaloka diba? After that, nagsunod sunod na. Thank you Ms. Mary, Neozep, and to all our sponsors!

Then there’s Ms. Miracle of Instamug who was just all too happy to provide our souvenirs. Souvenirs na we already gave up on sa simula pa lang. We said kasi na wag na magsouvenir kasi hindi nga keri, because budget jusko. Pero dumating sa buhay namin si Ms. Miracle and we got everything we wanted and more. Huhubells! Pati yung special request kong umbrella, meron! Ang saya saya!

Madami pa yan. Pero I’ll let them kwento na the rest dahil uhm ang haba na nito jusko, nagbabasa ka pa ba? Kung nakarating ka na sa part na to, tweet mo ko ng “@pandita0314 huhubells! Achievement unlocked” hahaha seryoso, gawin mo yan with HT por da ecanami, bago mo ituloy! 😂

Ayun. Basta ang point ko was lahat ng bagay, nakuhanan or nabigyan ng sagot. Lahat nagawan ng paraan. Lahat napag-usapan at naayos na matiwasay.

Nung mismong event na, bilang #TeamAbroadNgangaSaGanap ako, halos all day ako umiiyak. Yung emothyon ko, di ko na talaga napigil. Fine, nasa top 3 ako ng iyakin sa OrgComm, pero #PAANO ka naman kasi hindi maeemothyonal makita yung pinaghirapan ng group that you were a part of? Never pa ako naging part ng ganito. Then makita mo how happy the people were at the event. Mula sa mga pila, hanggang sa dance party sa Shut Up and Dance. Nakakaiyak! Yung pagdating ni Alden and Maine, bonus na cupcake na lang yun eh. Yung nagpang-abot sila, icing na lang yun ng cupcake. Yung kumanta si Alden, jusko sprinkles na lang yun nung icing ng cupcake. Pero yung nag-ikot sila at nalapitan ng mas maraming tao at nakapasok pa sila sa Creatives’ Nook? Bes, yun yung dambuhalang lifesize cake na nilabas out of nowhere at topping lang pala yung unang bonus na cupcake. Ganun namin hindi inexpect ang mga ganap. Kaya nakakaiyak. Hindi ako natulog hanggang di natapos yung LS. Nung humiga ako, nakatulog ako na umiiyak pa rin. Sobrang maga ng eyes ko when I woke up.

As closing, gusto ko ulitin what Maine said sa ADNFest na forever na sigurong nakaukit sa puso at isip ko: Sana, yung mga relationships/friendships na nabuo natin because of Maine and Alden, sana hindi yun mawala kahit anong mangyari.

Lahat tayo nagkakilakilala because of our love for Alden and Maine. ADNFest, for me, was a testament and celebration of that love. A lot of people came together to make this happen, and we cannot thank you all enough sa tulong. But more than that, mas dumami pa yung nabuong friendships because of ADNFest (shoutout to Team Alone No More/ @adnfestbabies). Dun ako talaga super duper proud na because of this simple event, yung mga dating mag-isang nagfafangirl/boy, ngayon may barkada na. Mas dumami pa ang friends natin and mas tumibay pa tayo as friends, pemily, fandom, and  most especially as a nation.

Andami na nating pinagdaanan, bes, ngayon pa ba tayo susuko?

cue music: 🎶keep holding on… ‘cause you know we’ll make it through... 🎶

Pahabol na Shanaynay (P.S.)

See you sa ADN Summer Fest Cebu?

P.P.S.

See you din sa ADN Fest 2017?

*pabebe tawa and sukbit ng patilya sa tenga*

P.P.P.S.

Because of ADNFest, sinantabi ko ang lablayp ko. Nag-thrive ang pimples ko. Dumami ang gray hair ko. Lumaki eyebags ko at tumaas yung eyeglasses prescription ko bes! Hahahahaha But you know what? No regrets and I’d do this all over again with the OrgComm in a heartbeat. :)

- P (@pandita0314)

Usapang Budget

Kung nasusuka ka sa mga numbers, wag mo na ituloy ang pagbabasa nito. Ako pala si Jill, ang dakilang Accountant/Auditor ng ADNFest. At ito ang aking kwento… (Char! Docu? Lol)

So ayun, dati pa talaga naming naiisip ang mag get-together. Sa Team Butchikiks (TBK), GC lang po siya ng mga mahaharot dahil sa fanfic ni MJ na He Said She said. Nag kita kita na sila before, dinner ganun.

Konting kwento lang pano ako napunta sa OrgComm ha. Dati tahimik lang ako sa TBK GC. Lurker ba. Then nagkita sila Tere, Elaine, Candy, Shine basta, sila, eyeball sila sa SM Aura. Tapos napag usapan nila na gusto nila mag donate sa isang lapis isang papel, kahit daw 50 kits lang. De sige go. Ang ending, sa GC, ang dami gusto mag donate. Tapos, alam ko kagigising ko lang nun (team abroad) bigla nag announce si Shine, na
“Di ba may auditor sa GC na to? Sino ka nga?”
Sabi ko, ay teka, Ako yun! Charot. Nag DM sa akin si Shine, ayaw niya kasi talaga humawak ng pera. So kelangan may controls (nosebleed na at this point ano? Pwede wag mo na ituloy to. hahaha). Anyways, so ayun. Di hala, discuss agad ng controls, ganito ganyan. Sabi ni Shine, Hepppp! I add kita sa GC ng OrgComm. Hahaha. So ayun, discuss ulit ako ng controls over cash. Sabi ata ni MJ dati, Jill, please speak in English. Hahahahaha. ang tahimik nila, sabi ko, welcome ba ako dito? Di lang talaga sila relate. Sabi, basta, ikaw bahala sa funds. Nosebleed agad ang dala ko first day ko sa GC. Anyways, fast forward, we were able to deliver 200k++ worth of school supplies sa Eat Bulaga. Inaudit ko lahat yun!

Then ayun, nung Anniversary nung July 16, nag small get-together sila, mga mahaharot na TBKs, sa bahay nila Mommy Kim. Sabi namin, sana madami tayo na invite. Gusto naming ma meet mga tao sa fandom… Then the idea was shelved dahil… nagkaroon ng IYAM! Nag pa Block Screening muna kami sa Glorietta, ako din ulit accountant/auditor dun. Eh kasi ayaw namin natetengga. Naghahanap kami ng sakit ng ulo.

Then tadah! Isang hapon, sabi ni MJ, guys ituloy na talaga natin yung gathering na pangarap natin. So hanap-hanap kami venue. Yung sa Intramuros pa yung una naming choice, Puerta Real. You can check sa google, good for 1k pips, outdoor, 30k lang. Di sige, inquire tayo… Mejo nabubuo na siya. Gumawa na din ako ng costing per pax, magkano estimated na ticket price. Then sabay, pano kung iinvite natin si Alden at Maine? Security! Jeske! No no ang outdoor, tapos baka umulan. Di hanap ulit ng bagong venue, hanap kami… Acacia Estates… naalala ko, nakita naming yung Glass Garden ba yun? Correct me if I’m wrong, dun ata nag bday si Nadine (Jadine! Hahaha.) Nakita naming ang price, then sabi, ay wag. Hahaha. Mamumulubi tayo. Di pwede… hanap pa… hanap… then MJ released that blog, and we released the survey… para ma estimate namin ilan ang pupunta. At dahil ang dami nag respond, estimate namin more than 1500 nag respond in a few hours.

We looked for bigger venues, pero naman, full payment daw agad upon reservation. 2k lang pera namin. Hahahahaha. Di nga namin pera yun. Maintaining balance yun ng bank account na gamit namin since isang lapis isang papel. So wala kaming pera. Then, ang pinag pipilian namin, World Trade Center and SMX. Jeske yung presyo, sabi ko, teka lang… hahahaha. Ano na? Tapos nag pa quote kami. Mahima himatay ako. Binalikan ko yung costing per person, hindi enough ang 500/pax lang. Pero na announce na namin sa survey na 500 lang ang ticket price. More than 10x na tayo sa estimate. Hahaha. Halos kahalati ng ticket price mapupunta lang sa venue. Pero sabi namin, nananalig kami sa mga may mabubuting puso sa fandom. Mag scout tayo for donations and sponsorships. Then, aun, after maybe a week, sumugod si Candy, Elaine and Tere sa SMX, meeting meeting. Then boom, pirmahan na. Hahaha. I tell you guys, pumirma sila sa SMX, 2k pa din ang laman ng bank account namin. And in a matter of 10-15 days, we have to pay downpayment sa SMX worth ****** or else, mawawala ang venue. So ayun kami, release the registration form agad, and payment details.

Ang dami naming glitches nun kasi di talaga kami prepared. Kaya mejo natagalan ang pag release namin ng payment details. So ayun na, we started scouting for other suppliers… Stage, lights, lahat na. Then, people are sending DMs, and if we need any help. I allocated a budget for decors, pero unti unting nababawasan. May sumagot ng balloons, ng tarps, ng banners, ng photobooth. ANG DAMING GENEROUS PEOPLE FROM THE FANDOM – they do not even want to be named. Pag ka release namin ng pledge, the following day, may pledge agad worth *****. Grabe, sabi ko, sure ba siya na yan? Baka na sobrahan ng zero. Hahaha. pero yun daw talaga. Iyak agad… sila. Haha. (Sorry, just letting you know, di ako iyakin). Hahahaha. Tapos nung ni-release naming yung bank account details, aba, oo nga. Grabe. Ang laki ng donation niya Megahd!. Ni hindi niya binigay yung full name niya sa pledge form. Nickname niya lang ata yun. Huhu.

Tapos maliban diyan sa venue, madami pang kwento yan, 2 months ba naming trinabaho. Pero eto pa ang top 5 unforgettable Budget moments sa OrgComm GC:

1. Sponsorships kamo? – Ang hirap ang maghanap ng sponsors! Ang dami nag reject sa amin, yung unang “solicitation” letter namin, nag mamakaawa kami sa mga companies para ambunan nila kami ng konting grasya. Hahaha. It’s a big No No! Hahahaha. Kaya nagpatulong kami kay mommy Ruthie (Labyu Mommy!) para magpagawa ng sponsorship package, magkaiba sila. Basta. Hahaha. Eh di ready na ang package, sabi, kanino natin isesend? Hala siya! I asked around, para sa list nung endorsements ng MaiChard, and we said, send tayo ng sponsorship letters sa lahat. Eh, wala kaming contact, ayun minessage namin yan lahat ng SocMed accounts nila! FB, IG, Twitter, lahat na! Saksi ang Finance team dito! Shout out kay Ja na nag swimming sa FB, sa lahat ng official page ng mga endorsements nila Alden and Maine. Sabi namin, pati yung mga as Juan for All, malamang kilala nila Aldub! Hahaha. Pati LaPacita ni message namin! Ayun, ang ending, alam niyo na sino ang mga sponsors, sa tiyaga din naming makahanap ng mga contacts, referrals from some people, we were able to book 10 sponsors. Ang saya ko nung Um-oo yung Maynilad and Coke, kasi bes, tanggal sa budget na ang drinks! Sagot na nila!. 2,000 pieces ng Coke at Water din yun! You do the Math! *whew*.

2. Security – I remembered one day, ilag pa si Candy (siya in charge sa pakikipag usap sa mga suppliers, ang galing niya!) sa akin sa GC.

Sabi ba naman, “Jill, nakaupo ka ba?”

Nanlalamig ako pag mga ganyan, ang dami kong mini-heart attacks sa Fest! Eh di ayun, sabi, Jill kasi yung sa event permit *blah blah* wala na akong naririnig/nakikita. Naghihintay na lang ako ng punchline, sabi, kelangan natin ng K9! K9??? K9??? Huhuhu (Yan yung aso di ba? yung pag may bomb threat ganun?). Teka, ang gusto lang natin kumain ng fishball and ice cramble dati, ngayon sasabihin mo kelangan ng K9??? Sinong walang puso ang mag lalagay ng bomba sa isang fans day ng Aldub Nation? I mean? Sino??? Anyways, ayun, kelangan eh, so yeah, may K9 tayo mga bes! Di namin nakita, si Shine lang nakakita sa kanya. Lol! Eto pa! “Jill, sabi ng security natin, kelangan daw natin ng crash barricades” Hahahahaha. Ano daw? Jusko, facepalm-ngiwi moment. Siyempre, ang default question ko is “how much are we talking about?” (Wow, English!). Anyways, ayun, nairaos din naman, adjust adjust sa budget, tanggap tanggap ng late registrants, sige lang, tanggap pa! Ang usaping security and event permit talaga ang nagpapatunay na wala kaming ka alam alam sa pinasok namin! Hahahaha. But of course, God works in mysterious ways. He sent people, and madaming goosebumps moments kami, na mapapasabi kang, Wow! Thank you Papa God! You should hear the story how Candy was able to find our supplier for security! Grabe talaga yun sa coincidence! *goosebumps*.

3. “Benta tayo ng Coke!” – Hahaha, guys sorry, kelangan kong ikwento to. It was just a joke okay? Pero seriously, ganito, wala na talaga kaming budget, and malayo pa ang collections to go namin. Sabi ko, iiyak na lang tayo, chip-in chip-in tayong OrgComm para sa kulang ha. Kasi wala na talaga. Tapos sabi ko, aha! madami naman ang Coke, ibenta kaya natin yung iba? TAPOS MAY ISANG MEMBER NG ORGCOMM BIGLANG TUMAHIMIK. Yun pala, nag papadala na ng pera. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Seriously guys, kung magkano yung hinahabol namin, yun ang padala niya (at hindi siya maliit!). I remember after ng padala niya, nag compute ako ng collections to go, may sobra na kaming Php48. Hahahahahaha. Tapos sabay sabi niya sa akin “Jill, mag promise ka sa akin na hinding hindi ka mag bebenta ng Coke, please. Magpromise ka.” hahahahaha. *peace out kung sino ka man, alam mong ikaw to. Hahaha!*

4. Livestreaming - Eto, na mis calculate talaga namin to. Mga maling akala na yan talaga, madami napahamak. Anyways, akala kasi namin, yung mga tools and paraphernalia ng livestreaming eh included na dun sa lights and sounds supplier namin. Sabi naman nila, may pang LS daw sila, so okay. Then nung nakuha na namin ang go-signal ng PLDT for internet connection for LS, ayan okay na wala nang problema. Guys, this is mga 3 days before the Fest ha! Sabay, nope, me kelangan pa palang bilhin, etc. etc. I personally believe, na nag usap na si Candy and MJ, may sarili silang GC dito. Hahaha. kasi naramdaman ko nung pumasok sila sa GC para sabihin sa akin na kelangan ng budget, isa din ito sa “Jill, nakakapit/nakaupo ka ba?” moment. Pero anyways, may nakausap na daw sila, so, lahat ng kelangan for LS, **k lahat. 3 days before the Fest! and wala na talaga, sagad na sagad na ang budget. Napabukas agad ako ng laptop, tingin sa budget, ano pa ang pwede kong ikaltas. bawas dito bawas doon, pakiusap dito, brasuhin doon. Alam mo how we made it work? The people in the Org Comm are the most selfless people you could ever work with.

“Magbibigay daw Pexers”, 
“Jill, aambag ako ng ___”, 
“Jill, may nag donate ulit sa gofundme dagdag mo ang **k”
“Jill, aambag ako ng ganito, saka mo na kami i reimburse, kung may sobra man” 
“Jill, nag promise ako dati mag bibigay ako, sagot ko na ang **k” 

 And then, after 5 mins, may budget na ulit ang LS! Sabi ko, okay na. Kalma na tayo. I-go na natin yan. Pero feeling ko, mga 5 mins din kaming hindi humihinga, and dala na din siguro ng dasal, nairaos namin ang LS. I even attempted to say, “FB live na lang natin”. There was an astounding “NO!!” sa GC. :P

It was our way of saying Thank you din kasi, sa mga Team Abroad, mga di makakapunta, who selflessly said na, “Eto, **k, donate na lang ako. Kahit hindi ako makapunta, enjoy kayo ha! Kaya kung kelangan igapang, and we even personally handed over the solicitation letter to PLDT (Thank you Tinay!!! Dabest ka!) and Tinay even clarified na wala po kami kelangan sa inyong pera, internet connection lang po kelangan namin. (Hahahaha!) Sa dami ng hanash and “mababaw ang kaligayahan” sa fandom, one would never think, that we have the most blessed, but most humble people you will ever meet in your lifetime. To team abroad, we hope we made you feel that you belong, that you were there during the Fest. Dalawa sa OrgComm ay team abroad din, but distance and timezones were never a hindrance for us to organize this event. Trivia: 3 po ang timezone ng OrgComm. Kaya sa isang araw, hindi natatahimik ang GC. hihi. Special shout-out sa Pexers na nag ambag! Madaming Madaming salamat! :)

5. “How far are we to breakeven?” - araw araw yan, walang palya, araw araw yan na tinatanong sa akin. May na collect ba tayo today? Sino-sino mga nag bayad? Wala?
First and foremost, yung pinaka first naming registration na nirelease, there were 2k registrants, 70% lang ang collection rate. So di ba, kami, anyare? Hindi pwede na 70% lang ang collection, ang mga bayarin!!! Eh di, registration ulit! Ulit pa, isa pang registration. Nung hindi na kami ng release ng registration form, may mga nag DM na. Sige tanggapin mo na. May nagpadala ng nobela, kung bakit kelangan daw andun siya sa Fest, may asong nag mamaka-awa pa sa dulo ng letter niya. Pero sige, tanggapin mo na. Meron dun, senior Citizen daw siya, mahihirapan daw siya sa Fest, so dadalhin niya daw anak niya, etong si Nanay, pano niyo po nalaman to in the first place? Hahaha. Anyways… Sige na nga Nay. Hindi lang yan iisa, madaming beses yan. “Hello po, may slot pa po ba, isasama ko sana Nanay ko, 80 yo na po siya, pero fan na fan siya ng Aldub. Matutuwa po yun kung makakasama siya sa akin”. Di ba? Hindi naman bato mga puso namin, so sige na nga, tanggapin na”. Kulang pa tayo sa pera eh. hahaha. I have to deal with these questions everyday,

Jill, malayo pa ba? 
Oo, malayong malayo pa. 
Magkano na collect today? 
O, how much na to break even? 
Wala pa, malayo pa.
Ayan, may na collect ulit today, ok na? 
Wala pa din, binawas ko na ma kukuha natin sa *** at sa *** wala pa din. haha. 

 Refer to discussion sa Coke above, sa sobrang layo pa namin para ma cover ang expenses, nag threaten ako mag benta ng Coke! Ayun nga ang ending. Lol. Ay mga nang-away pa sa amin, siyempre, naiintindihan naman namin, binigay nila yung 500 nila sa amin, baka nga naman scam kami di ba? Hindi naman namin sila masisisi kasi never heard of us naman di ba? Yung mga nag isang lapis and block screening lang sa amin ang nakaka kilala sa amin, and makakapag patunay hna hindi kami scam. Hehehe.

Anyways, ayun, congratulations at naka abot ka sa part na to, pasensiya na and hindi ako writer, feeling ko pag full english ang blog entry na to, mas lalong hindi ko to matatapos. I admit that we miscalculated the ticket price, pero we would like to be reasonable din, sa iba siguro wala lang yung 500, but we have a story of one walk-in registrant na 200 lang ang dala niyang pera at sumugod siya sa SMX. She really just want to see Alden and Maine. So yung mga nasa registration, ambag ambag sila para mabuo yung 500 ni Nanay.

These are the kind of people that made us different, that I think set us apart. Alden and Maine are very down-to-earth individuals. We can imagine them as our friends, our son, our daughter, kapitbahay mo ganun, and they are so real as real could be. And despite sa problem sa finances, we were able to push through with the event, kahit pa may banta ng bagyo. I know we have lapses during the event, kahit kami mismo nakita namin yun. But we were glad that despite these, everyone went home very happy, euphoric to a point. And Alden and Maine stayed, and bonded with all of us. And for some, na minsan lang magkaroon ng chance na makita sila, nagka tamang panahon din sila at last! That’s really just our target, that we were able to let Alden and Maine feel our love, kahit wala tayong fans club, or group, or kahit nasa probinsiya tayo and nasa abroad, madami tayong nagmamahal sa kanila.

And before I end this blog, below is a liquidation report of the Fest. Pasensiya na at ngayon lang to na release. Adulting beh, matagal na din naman tong natapos, pero kelangan may kasamang blog entry na hindi ko matapos tapos. Hahaha. Peace! You might say, reklamo ako nang reklamo sa taas walang pera, eh may sobra pala. If you check closely, these are almost from the walk-in sales. Yung mga hindi naka register, pero sumugod sa SMX, kasi narinig nila sa 24 oras nung October 15 na may event tayo. Hahaha. Pumayag na lang kami na papasukin sila, meron dun, isang van sila, may kasama pa silang 83 yo na matanda na naka wheelchair. So, who are we to turn them away. We gave in na lang din. Saka, I covered some of the digits sa report, as some of these prices are with special consideration (tawad, in short) and some gave special discounts dahil Aldub fans din sila. Hihi. To return the favor na din, di ko i disclose ang full amount in public, but if you feel you need full details, DM niyo lang ang twitter account natin @adnfest and we will give you a copy of the full report! :)

And because of that, the OrgComm is planning another activity, wherein we will donate the excess cash to a charity organization! Secret muna to, kasi under discussion pa. Uunahan ko na po kayo ha, intact pa po ang pera natin! Saka malapit na din ang Christmas, it’s our way din to give back, with so much blessings that we received sa fandom and kay Alden and Maine na din, maliit pa yan compared sa mga natanggap natin!

And.. I don’t how to end this. Hahaha. Eto na lang, thank you so much for everything guys. For the friendship and the memories. It was one epic moment. And yes, my parents didn’t know about this yet. Mag-out na ako pag-uwi ko as pinas! See yah! :)

For the full liquidation report, please click here.

- Jill (@frosty_spice)

#Blessed

Team No Group, simply classified as fans who didn't join any Fan Clubs but still supported Alden and Maine with the same intensity as those in FCs. I'm part of that. The OrgComm is part of that. Most of my twitter friends are all Team No Group. So thinking of an event that would bring together the people you've never seen before but constantly interact with online together was absolutely an awesome idea. Only problem was, how?

When we first started thinking of ADN Fest, it was just a simple get together. More like a giant eyeball of sorts. It's just so each individual who haven't been to any events could meet up and be with their fellow fans. We had no connections. We had no resources. More or less we dived in with just an idea, but not a concrete plan. It wasn't a big deal when we released the survey. It became one when we got the responses.

With the responses, we saw everyone was excited. They were ecstatic. They kept talking about it. But of course, when something gets talked about, some would say nice things and some would say the opposite. I expected negative responses but not to the extent of people doubting our characters. Oh the hanash against ADN Fest and the OrgComm. It would make me remember that sometimes people think negatively of you even if what you're doing is for a good cause. I mean, we're doing this for Alden and Maine and moreso for our fellow fans... so why talk shit about it? Anyway, moving on. With every hanash we received, we received equal #blessings.

One of the biggest blessings we ever got was given to us on one Saturday when I drove to Lucena with Candy, Gab and Elaine. To make it easier for me to explain what happened, let me give you a schedule:

- 7 am leave Manila

- 11 am arrive in Lucena

- 2 pm leave Lucena

- 6 pm eat at Concha's

What happened was:

- 9am we left Manila

- 2 pm we arrived in Lucena

- 430 pm we left Lucena

- 8:30 we arrived at Concha's

Here's the story.

We were having a bad day. We just read a couple of negative tweets and messages about ADN Fest and about us too. We kept wondering what in the hell were we doing wrong about planning such an event pordalab - as they say it. It was discouraging, to be honest. We just decided to go on with the day, even with the hanash and being late. When we were about to go to Tagaytay for Concha's, it was late afternoon already. It was raining too. We got a message at the ADN Fest twitter account from a lovely couple who told us they were at Eat Bulaga and that they were able to tell Alden about the event. They asked if we could talk over the phone so they could tell us more. Remember, WE DO NOT HAVE CONNECTIONS AT ALL, so this was HUGEEEE for us. I had to stop the car on the curb in the middle of nowhere so we could call them. They told us the story. We screamed... and screamed... and screamed in the car. Of course, nothing was final, but Alden saying that he would go was freaking gold. With that, we knew he would tell Maine about it and then they could all be lovedovey and go to the event together. Of course, this was still more than a month away, anything could happen. But at least, he knew about the event.

So up to Tagaytay we went, and omygod Waze made me scared of driving. It was nighttime already, and the directions from Waze made me go up to Tagaytay on a road I've never been before that doesn't have lights at all. The only light on the road was from my car and there were no railings on the roadsides too! I was scared af and I kept joking "Sana may liwanag after this dilim" and by liwanag I meant Alden at Concha's.

We arrived at Concha's around 8:30 pm. We already started eating when OMG THE BLACK STAREX. THEN MAMA TEN. THEN ASKJAHDGHSJAKJS ALDEN. We stopped eating and we held hands trying to calm each other down. Actually, we became really calm you'd think we were boring people. Alden passed by us and said "hello po, madami po pokemon dito." ASDHJKAHSJKFLAJ HE TALKED TO US. Okay, calma self. He went inside and we were all in a frenzy. We were thinking if we could talk to him about ADN Fest and invite him, but we were really shy to approach him. Hello, dilemma.

So while we were discussing and cursing everyone in the OrgComm GC out of excitement, the lovely couple who we talked to earlier called us again. AND THEN BAM. They said they'll call Mama Ten. AN ABSOLUTE WTF MOMENT, RIGHT? So after a few minutes, we were told to go inside and we were able to introduce ourselves to Alden. To cut the story short, he said "yes! I'll go." and that my friends, was the best thing that happened on that day.

That day proved that God wanted us to pursue ADN Fest. In the midst of all the hanash from other people in the fandom *ahem ahem* (sorry OrgComm, I couldn't help myself), he introduced us to a wonderful couple who are true fans of Alden and Maine and he also intervened with our plans so we can meet Alden personally. Also, this was the day where we posted the clip from the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" because true enough, with God by our side, nothing would stop us from organizing such an event for everyone. :)

And to add to this story, he also #blessed us with wonderful people in the fandom who supported, volunteered and provided help with decor, printing and photography. Special shoutout to the lovely couple we met and to the crazy Logistics girls who volunteered to be part of the committee. Also, thank you for all the kind words from amazing people who messaged us to show support. All we wanted was for the event to be a reminder why we're all here: for the friends we've all met because of our support and love for Alden and Maine. We asked nothing more but to have everyone have fun and enjoy.

In conyospeak...

Omygod lang talaga, we really felt the pressure kasi may people hating on the event pero wala naman kami ginagawa against them, you know. But God is good, love nya us and love niya ang ALDUB Nation. He helped us in like everything to make it successful. Grabe lang talaga sa #blessings. Char.

- Tere (@terespeaks)

The ADNFest According to the Tita sa Gilid

The Fest has been a long time dream of MJ but we never got around to really planning as we had different ideas on how to execute it. It was just that one fateful date in August that she really pushed for it to happen.

At that time, I was suffering through first trimester pregnancy symptoms which any mother would know, is another version of hell. I could hardly follow the discussion as I was miserable most of the time. When they were discussing SMX, I could barely butt in but at the back of my mind, I was terrified. I’m familiar with event rental costs and getting SMX would easily involve six figures which we do not have. The money that we have left from our previous project is not even enough to meet the maintaining balance of our bank account and they were discussing SMX.

Not wanting to ruin the mood, I let them be and slept the night off. Next thing I knew, they already booked the venue and they’re ready to announce it to everyone. I was scared stiff but I rest on the supposition that the girls knew what they were doing and I was just here to help out with audit and stuff. It was to my shock that we learned later on that neither of us has any experience in event planning or organization. Apparently, we were all thinking the same thing--that everyone else knew what they were doing! Thank God, we were able to survive planning the event without f*cking things up.

Another thing that gave me sleepless nights was that I was elected to speak in behalf of the OrgComm during the program. I can’t exactly say I’m used to it but ok, fine, I’m used to it (I was a teacher once), but it did not diminish my nervousness. This will be the biggest crowd that I will ever address in my lifetime and I don’t know if ever I’ll get over it. I’ve got three versions of my speech written out but I ended up speaking from the heart.

We faced a lot of troubles while planning this event. One is that there were some people who were asking who we were. A sizable event with an equally humongous venue and here we are, a bunch of unknowns suddenly coming out of the woodwork. Saying that we raised a lot of eyebrows and probably ruffled some feathers is an understatement. But armed with just our pure intentions and fervent dream, we managed to surpass expectations and put the naysayers to rest.

If there’s one thing that organizing this fest taught me is that our God is such a great God! He made miracles happen. A lot of things could’ve gone wrong, especially for newbies like us. But He gave us solutions immediately when faced with problems. Moreover, our group is really a positive bunch that when confronted with issues, our mindset is, “Kaya natin ‘to.” We can do this. No obstacle is too great when God is by your side and during our planning, we certainly felt His presence.

Don’t get me wrong, we were not always right. He taught us a serious lesson in humility that brought us back to reality and the objective of our event. We swore never to forget that lesson and we always remind each other of that fact.

I was also assigned to speak with possible sponsors. Whenever a company is interested to be a part of our event, they usually call me. I was so surprised and elated when Coke called us telling us that they are very much interested to be our partner. Just to let you guys know, all of our sponsors gave products instead of cash, except for one company (our auditor will release a detailed report on our expenses later on). The problem with products was that it’s either we pick-up the goods or they are delivered to us.

Some of you might be familiar with this already. We all thought that we’ve coordinated all pick-up and drop-offs of goods. A day before the event, we received notice that the Coke products were not available at the warehouse and our truck left empty-handed. I wanted to sit down and cry as we needed those drinks to serve to our participants, but we did not have the luxury of time. I called my contact and she really did everything to make sure we had the sodas available. However, we were only given a leeway of two hours to get the goods from another warehouse and to SMX. I kept a tight hold of myself and it was Mommy Kim that saved the day for us--and the girls (yes, girls) who unloaded the jeep of the 650 cases of Coke Mismo.

Those bottles did not appear there magically. Our army of girls transported these from the vehicles to the hall. #girlpower #girlsruletheworld

Being pregnant, I was given the privilege of sitting with Alden and Maine to check if they needed anything and to ensure that they are comfortable. It was a rare chance given to people but I could not, for the life of me, take pictures or videos. I felt that it was unprofessional and that it’s the only respite that we could give them from all the autograph and selfie seeking fans that follow their every step.

We invited Maine and Alden to be guests and not as performers or the main attraction. We never promised their attendance because we wanted them to see what the fans have prepared for them, pordalab, and also to surprise the participants. It was so hard for us to balance this as we understand that for many, the event was their first and only time to see them up close.

If there’s one thing I could say about the two, they are SO accommodating. When Maine arrived, she immediately said that she wanted to go around and meet the fans. I kept on asking if she was sure as I was worried about her safety but she was insistent. During the photo ops, they were even considering of going table to table but their security team vetoed the idea. That is how much they love their fans and I will be forever thankful to them.

One poignant moment that stood out for me (and was captured on film and was also meme’d to death), was when the performers started singing “Keep Holding On”. I had a magazine with me that somebody requested that Alden and Maine sign. I was handing it to Alden when he politely said that he wanted to watch the performance first. I should be embarrassed but I was actually touched by his statement. So I sat back on my chair and watched the song number with them. I was taken aback when I saw Maine crying and Alden comforting her that I could not help but cry with her as well. #TitaSaGilid

 

 
It’s amazing what we have accomplished especially with the magnitude of the event in just a span of two months. Up to now, we’re still awestruck by how big the event was considering we initially wanted it small and intimate and how it became the highlight for most of the participants. Reading all the messages and stories in twitter made our hearts so full, and our spirits, so glad.

MJ already thanked so many people and I echo her gratitude. This whole thing would not have been possible if not for the hundreds of people who helped us, not only financially, but physically. From the pagbubuhat to the pagpupuyat; From Tamahang Panahon up to Aldub Nation Fest, everyone helped out when help is needed. Just one tweet and the response is just overwhelming. If there's one thing that can truly describe what ADN is all about, it's that the spirit of bayanihan truly lives in our hearts.

We initially wanted this to be a one-time thing only especially when we are reminded of the obstacles that we had to overcome just to get things done. But considering the lives we’ve touched and how our lives have changed, we will do it all over again. For Maine. For Alden. For ADN.


- Shine (@sunshi_fairy)

Our TP: Tamang Pasasalamat

A few months back, I remember saying, “Alam niyo, dream ko talaga yung get-together ng ALDUB Nation. Parang music fest kasi marami tayong magagaling na musicians sa fandom, tapos meet and greet ng Wattpad authors, then yung artists, display nila yung works nila.”

I was that specific. Pero pangarap lang po yun – pangarap na hindi ko inakalang magkakatotoo kasi, in Maine’s words, sino ba naman ako?

Pero ganun pala yun, when you whisper a dream that’s meant to be, the universe conspires to make it happen.

And the universe did. It happened.

Because October 16, 2016 was the realization of a dream – not just MY dream, but that of the whole ALDUB Nation.

Here are the highlights of the ADN Fest 2016. Credits to @SS_MaiChard for the video.

The event was spearheaded by 10 people; you know us as the ADN Fest OrgComm. But did you know that behind us was an army of more than 100 workers and a whole nation as support?

For the next few days, you will read stories about how the ADN Fest came to be, straight from the people who were at the front lines. But for now, we are saying THANK YOU.

Since day 1, sobrang dami ng taong tumulong. Our inboxes were flooded with messages offering help.

“Ate, may contact na ba kayo sa ganitong sponsor? Eto po, o. Baka makatulong.”

“Ate, baka kailangan niyo ng tao para sa ganito, andito lang po ako.”

“Saan po pwede magpadala ng donation?”

“Gusto ko po sana magbigay ng food para sa committees…”

“I have an SUV na pwedeng gamitin pang-hakot.”

“I can lend you a truck. Ako na bahala sa payment.”

“Magkano pa kulang para sa LS? We’ll deposit.”

These are but a few of the messages that we receive day in and day out.

ALDUB Nation, SOBRANG AMAZING NIYO.

Maraming, maraming salamat po sa mga sumusunod:

• Members of the working committees – Finance, Registration, Logistics, Program, Food
• Authors, artists, and performers
• Nicole Hyala and Chris Tsuper
• Stephen Tan, Kulas Basilonia, UP Guitar Guild
• Team Abroad, Team Province, Team Di Makakapunta who sent pledges
• Our sponsors – Coca Cola, Hapee Toothpaste, Magnolia, McDonald’s, Neozep, Bear Brand Adult Plus, Oishi, Platinum Karaoke, Maynilad, Uber, Puregold, and PLDT Home DSL.
• Eat Bulaga, APT Entertainment, All Access to Artists, Inc., and GMA
• Ms. Annette Gozon, Mr. Leysam Sanciangco, Mama Ten, Direk Mike Tuviera, Mr. Rams David, Mr. Michael Uycoco, Direk Pat, Ms. Therese Diaz, Dean Mendoza, Tristan Cheng, and Jecker Juarez
• Mr. Rodney and Mrs. Barbie Barriga
• Our Guardian Angel (na ayaw kami magka-ulcer)
• Our suppliers

• Eventsec Pro – Jay Unarce, Eric Aguilar, and Michael Pesayco
• Mi3 Event Services
• Cybersound – Robert “Bobby” Masil
• MS Godspeed – Elvis Lorenzo
• SMX – Stevan Hugh and Hanna Elaine Sanos
• Event Rentals
• Jacob Joints
• iDigitizer
• Instamug
• BibiHeartBibi

Thank you to everyone who braved the rain and wind at pumunta pa rin kahit may bagyo. Thank you sa mga nagpuyat kasama namin simula 1 AM ng October 16. Thank you sa mga nagdasal para sa success ng event, para sa mga nag-alay ng itlog for good weather.

Hindi po namin kayang isa-isahin ang lahat ng tumulong para mabuo ang event na ito. We don’t want to miss anybody out. Pero alam niyo po kung sino kayo, at kung ano ang papel na ginampanan niyo sa fest, and for that, we will forever be grateful.

Most of all, to Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, thank you for coming – and for actually staying. It was more than what we ever hoped for.

Sa inyong lahat, from the bottom of our very happy MaiChard hearts, MARAMING, MARAMING, MARAMING SALAMAT PO.

xoxo


P.S.

The ADN Fest 2016 OrgComm

The ADN Fest 2016 started as a dream whispered in the confines of a group chat room. Fortunately, those who heard shared the same vision and worked toward the same dream.

With 25 days to go before the actual event, we think it's about time for you to know the people behind all these.

.....

The Finance Committee Head, SHINE (@sunshi_fairy), is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Management of Financial Institutions and with an MBA degree from De La Salle University. She has been in the financial services industry in the last 16 years.

.....

 JILL (@frosty_spice), a member of the Finance Committee, is a BS Accountancy graduate and is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner based in Dublin, Ireland. She has been working in the audit public practice for 8 years, where her experience in audit and reconciliations is crucial in Finance functions of this event. She also oversees the budget allocation of the funds gathered from ticket sales and donations, if any.

.....

 The Registration Committee Head, ELAINE (@elainejhoie), is a Workforce Management Lead for Capacity Planning and Forecasting. Her expertise in the field enables her to share her talents in data mining and analysis for manpower planning, headcount surveys and spreadsheet reporting development and maintenance for easier registration process flow. She took up B.S. Economics at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

.....

 The Logistics Committee Head, CANDY (@candywrapper16), is a graduate of AB Management in Human Resources from DLSU – College of St. Benilde, and has experienced working as an executive assistant for 6 years. Her role involves liaising with supplier, sponsors, and guest relations. 

.....

KAREN (@chandrakaren), is a Management graduate. She used to work at Paco Catholic School, RDP Office and Xavier School Auxillary Department. She is currently a housewife and looks after her two kids. As the head of Food Committee, her role in the event involves food management and planning, coordination with suppliers, vendors, and distribution.

.....

The Program Committee Head, MJ (@yowsapsap), is a graduate of two health care degrees - Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has worked with two multinational pharmaceutical companies as part of the sales team – organizing round table discussions, medical conferences, and other social events. She works as an online content writer for the past 7 years and maintains the ADN Fest’s official blog site. She is in-charge of the overall flow of the program.

.....

 GAB (@gabri27elle) carries over a decade of experience in quality assurance, with focus in transaction handling through different channels - phone call, email, web, chat, social, SMS, and many more. This has aided her role in properly communicating and constructing organized responses through the groups' social media platforms. She is a graduate of Lyceum of the Philippines University with a degree in BS in Foreign Service Major in Diplomacy.

.....

TERE (@terespeaks) is the organizing committee’s resident creative head. She works in the IT industry as a Software QA Analyst. She graduated with a degree in AB Multimedia Arts from De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde. She is in-charge of all creative and design tasks, and all multi-media communications for the event.

.....

PANDITA (@pandita0314) graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science, Minor in Philosophy. She is currently based in Orange, CA where she works as Office Manager and Executive Assistant to a multi-unit Franchisee of Restaurants composed of Subway, Jamba Juice, Wingstop, Denny's, Del Taco. She has experience in restaurant operations, quality control, contracts and leases negotiations, treasury/financial management, and acts as a liaison between the company president and everybody else. P is the organizing committee’s all around go-to person for anything and everything.

.....

 MOMMY KIM (@kerimaadam) is the committee’s stronghold for support and morale booster. She graduated from UP Diliman and is a licensed Chemical Engineer. .....

Drop us a line over at Twitter and say hi. We'd love to hear from you!

P.A.K.S. Ganire!

Prikwently Asked KwestionS

This post is dedicated to the numerous people we have encountered who asked us the same questions over and over again.

Don't get us wrong - we love it that they asked; it shows interest. And interest on ADN Fest 2016 is good. So we compiled frequently asked questions, answered them, and placed them on our nice little template for convenience and easy reading. It's on Twitter.

You call them FAQs, we call them PAKS. Here are the answers to the most Prikwently Asked Kwestions.

What is this event about? What is it for? 
 The “ADN Fest 2016: Fun, Flair, and Friendship” is a celebration that will bring together the ALDUB Nation as a whole, minus the affiliations.

Who are the organizers of this event?
This event is organized by Team Butchikiks - @yowsapsap, @sunshi_fairy, @elainejhoie, @gabri27elle, @terespeaks, @ChandraKaren, @frosty_spice, @pandita0314, @candywrapper16, @kerimaadam.

Does GMA Artist Center or TAPE know about this event? 
We have taken the necessary steps to inform both GMAAC and TAPE about ADN Fest. Are Maine and Alden going to be there? Maine and Alden are busy individuals so this we cannot guarantee. However, we will exert all efforts to have them in the event.

What kind of vibe should I expect?
ADN Fest 2016 is an informal event and will have a relaxed vibe to it. Think of picnics and school fairs, just brought indoors. Expect an afternoon of fun, friendship, music, and artistry – everything that this Nation represents. If you ask us to describe the whole event in one word, it would have to be this: CHILL.

What is the official HT of this event? To see what people are talking about on Twitter regarding the event, please check out the event's official hashtag: #ADNFest2016.

Is this for free?
No. Ticket price is P500, inclusive of entry to the event, food, and souvenir.

How is the registration process? Will it be online only?
You will be required to register online AND on-site. Those who took the time to answer the survey form will be given priority in registration and ticket purchase.

How can I buy tickets? Is there a limit to the number of tickets I may buy?
Ticket purchase would depend on your registration. We will only send payment information if you are registered for the event. One person for one registration form only. After you have sent in proof of payment, we will send you an e-ticket. Print the e-ticket and bring it on the day of the event.

Bakit 2,000 people lang?
From the original 1,000 participants, we have increased total headcount to accommodate 1,000 more. This brings our total number to 2,000. We have to impose limits because we do not want to put everyone’s safety and security at risk. The more people we have, the more difficult it is to implement strict crowd control measures.

Bakit ang aga ng payment deadline? Deadline for payment is set on September 6, 2016 because we will be required to make payment, either partial or in full, to all suppliers. Please take note that this event is basically fan-funded. We rely on donors and proceeds from ticket sales to pay for expenses. 

Why are ticket payments only accepted through the given bank account?
As much as possible, we want to properly account all payments made by the participants. The bank deposit will serve as your proof of payment as well as provide us the paper trail that we need to properly do our reconciliation and audit for the sake of transparency.

Is there a dress code?
We already said this: Come As You Are. Wear something comfortable. We trust you enough to make the right judgment as to what you will be wearing. A friendly reminder though, the wearing of official fan club shirts is not allowed. Color coding and the use of any clothing material that would identify FC affiliation are also strictly prohibited. Those who are found to violate these rules will not be granted entry to the event, or will be escorted out of the venue.

Will there be food?
Yes, light snacks will be served. Before you enter the venue, we advise that you eat something heavy that will last you for a couple of hours. Food kiosks will also be available at the venue itself. What is the age limit for this event? Children below 7 years old will not be allowed entry to the event for safety purposes. Those who are 7-10 years old will be allowed to join provided that they are accompanied by a parent/guardian. All children, regardless of age, will be charged with the full price of the ticket.

What will I get out of this event?
New friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

I’m a musician/artist/performer and I would like to be part of the program. How do I join? 
If you wish to perform during the event, please send a DM to the Program Committee head @yowsapsap. Yes, you will still be charged with the full price of the ticket.

Are One Sided Fans/Solid Groups/Fan Clubs welcome to the event?
Everyone is welcome to join the event. However, we will not allow the bringing in of tarps and signs, as well as the wearing of official fan club shirts. Color coding is also not allowed. This is to maintain neutrality for everyone. We aim to level the ground so that we all start on an equal playing field. Any group who will violate this will not be allowed to enter and/or will be escorted out of the event venue. Paid tickets will not be refunded.

Are non-ALDUB fans welcome to the event?
Unfortunately, No. This event is for the ALDUB Nation, by the ALDUB Nation.

Can anyone join even though they do not have twitter?
Yes. A Twitter account is not a requirement to be able to join the event. As long as you love BOTH Alden and Maine, you are welcome to join.

Can registered participants bring a plus 1 (spouse, sibling, parents, kids, driver, yaya, bodyguard, etc)?
Yes, provided that they, too, have registered online.

What if I registered/paid but won’t be able to make it? Is the registration transferable? 

Yes, registration is transferable. You will have to provide us with the name of the person you are transferring your slot to. Please ask him/her to bring an Identification Card.

I won’t be able to attend but I would like to contribute in any way. How? May I donate? If I do, may I at least get souvenirs from the event?
For donations, kindly send a message to the ADN Fest’s Finance Committee @frosty_spice or @pandita0314.

If I don’t make it to the event, will I get a refund?
Unfortunately, NO.

Are sponsors allowed or invited?
Yes, we welcome sponsors provided that they do not compete with ALDUB’s endorsements.

Can we extend the invitation to A&M’s respective managements, families, and celebrity supporters?
The organizers will spearhead the invitation. Will the event be covered by press/media? We haven’t gotten in touch with the press and the media as of the moment. Are pets allowed? Sorry but we won’t allow pets inside the venue.

We hope we covered everything. If not, tweet us. We're @adnfest on Twitter.