HMUA Myke Legaspi: WORKING FOR THE DIVER’S NIGHT PARTY 2009

By: Jun Reynales

First it was just one crazy plan. Myke Legaspi and I have known each other some few years back. We have common dive buddies and friends so it was not much of a surprise that it was like a reunion of sorts for two friends to meet up. We have been both in separate business industries – me in advertising and marketing while Myke was in events and operations. We have had the same background in advertising so it’s easier to work and communication was not considered the problem.

We started almost three weeks ago this idea in the offing: why don’t we come up with an event that we both are passionate on – scubadiving. We hatched our plan together like a well-oiled machinery of a big shot events company, but the real fact is, its actual just the two of us who thought of and execute this plan. We laid down all our cards on the table. Checked and assessed both our capabilities, connections, skills and expertise. We both agreed that, although our common denominator would be our experiences in our previous stints in the advertising world, we get to slice the operational pie: Myke gets to work on the events & marketing and the likes, while I get to work on the advocacy side of the pie. The formula works! It is a the right timeframe that I just came from our dive exploration in Pola, Oriental Mindoro and wanted to help the programs by this town to help save their coral reefs. What better way to gather the scubadiving community but by having to invite most if not all of them that are based here in Manila to meet up and talk about the project – over a divers night party!

It has been more than three years when the last gathering of the scubadiving community really happened, and it was high time to do it again. We’ve sent out feelers in the different e-groups and got a very good response. Every scubadiver who have heard of our plan for this event started to talked and discussed it on their respective bulletin boards online. Some are even sending us text messages of inquiries whether there would be some prebooking preferences and even asking if there would be entrance fees to be collected. Myke and I agreed that in lieu of charging for entrance fees, we would rather waive it and instead would request that those who would be attending this party pledge their Php100.00 for our advocacy in support of the Pola, Oriental Mindoro Reef Management Program. This pledge money albeit small (we are in a worldwide recession, remember?) would help create a seed of hope to those damaged coral reefs in Pola, Oriental Mindoro. This would enable the volunteers later on to be able to help re-install the former beauty of that side of their underwater paradise.

This pledge (please get a copy of Business Mirror today for your Raffle Coupon, additional Raffle Coupons will be available at the party venue starting 6:00 PM on May 20, 2009, the more pledge you can give, the more you can help revive the coral reefs) would be your ticket to some exciting prizes that we will be raffling off on the duration of the party. From a 3d/2n island cruise for two persons inclusive of full-board buffet meal and accommodation, to overnight accommodation for two persons from our dive resorts sponsors to dive gears, and other novelties. Would it not be a good party wherein you feel that you have helped save our environment and also would get the chance to get these wonderful prizes as rewards? Not only that, we would also be selling the events t-shirts with the logos of all our valued sponsors who believed in our advocacy.

Day by day, the cast has been set, the schedules are doing okay, the deliverables are just on the right time, and the interests of every scubadiver now focused on this wonderful activity. What makes it more special this time around is that we have also opened the doors to non-divers who are also passionate in doing their part in protecting and saving our planet. This DIVER’S NIGHT PARTY will be one fun activity to start 2009 in gathering all those who love our planet – divers and non-divers alike – who are similarly determined and believed in the cause that we want to express.

So this coming May 20, 2009, starting at 8:00pm at one O three Bar in Ortigas Home Depot Complex, Julia Vargas Avenue, Pasig City all those coming and partying with us are those who believes that saving Pola, Oriental Mindoro Reefs would be a fun thing to do. All of you who wanted to join us, we’ll see you there! There would be no entrance fee charge so everybody is welcome! The Php100.00 pledge that you will make would serve as your chance to win all of our exciting prizes, and your unlimited shots from Jagermeister. Let’s all see each other and have fun. Remember, life is good!