The first Christmas Tree of the Holiday Season lit up in Abreeza Mall. Why it's shining brighter? While it pays tribute to the Davaoeño's resilience, it also embraces a community -- the Matigsalug Tribe.
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| Leading the lighting ceremony are Department of Tourism XI regional director Tanya Rabat-Tan, mall manager Janice Parreño, DTI city director Rachel Remetrio, Bai Mercy, head of IP Women Matigsalog group. |
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| Abreeza mall manager Janice Parreño |
This 2022, Ayala Malls Abreeza works on "Resilience" as its theme as tribute to the Davaoeño spirit. The bamboo, the best symbol for the trait, is utilized as the main component of the holiday decor, including the 24-foot Christmas tree, the star of the show.
Signifying strength. the "Tree of Hope'' body is formed by grouping bamboo poles of different lengths, cut to a diagonal with the visible inner part painted in red and formed into a pyramid. As embellishments, a single strand of wide ribbon-like amakan strip wraps the tree; multi-pointed stars of abaca-wrapped steel and bunches of inverted handwoven bamboo baskets lit from its interior serve as ornaments.
The mall decor was conceptuallized and executed by T'nalak Home.
This Christmas, Ayala Malls Abreeza collaborated with the Matigsalug Tribe in Malagos District for the production of the handwoven baskets. Led by Bae Antonina, who saw to the basket weaving process from the harvesting bagtok bamboo to weaving, a team of 20 women weavers were able to fabricate 1,500 baskets by hand.
Bamboo, when formed into strips is pliable, which makes it perfect for weaving. The process is tedious and involves dividing, splitting, stripping, shaving, to achieve a desired strip with the right thickness and smoothness.
Giving back to the Matigsalug community, Ayala Malls Abreeza will mount a fundraising campaign. Available from November 5, Matigsalug basket-accented bags (dual-function as bread basket or shopping bag) will be given to donors of Php 250.00 (minimum). All proceeds will go to the Matigsalug community for the renovation and furnishing of the IP Women Building.
The mall's Christmas project is undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Trade & Industry, Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation, Inc., and T'nalak Home.
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| Ayala Malls Abreeza team with the reperesentatives from the Department of Trade & Industry, Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation, Inc., T'nalak Home and Department of Tourism. |
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| Christmas Carols performed by the University of Mindanao Chorale |
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