CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Magical wonderland. That was the weekend just past as SM Supermalls officially ushered in the Christmas season with varied interpretations of the same theme: the joy of Christmas for children and the young at heart.
SM City Pampanga – the country’s longest mall – launched Friday its “Turtle Tidings” featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which latest screen adaptation is premiering in December. Rock band Sponge Cola levelled up the event further with swinging, swaying, sashaying beat.
It was SM City San Fernando Downtown’s turn Saturday with its Ice Age theme, featuring the animated movie’s character, luckless but loveable Skrat, ever in pursuit of its acorn. Angelic Jillian Ward of GMA 7 was such joy hitting high notes as effortlessly as lows that she was mobbed by both kids and their elders alike after her short performance.
City of San Fernando Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin who opened both launches lauded SM Megamalls as much for the economic benefits its two malls here have generated for the city, as for its corporate social responsibility translated to various socio-civic projects in the local communities.
A part of the season launch in all SM malls around the country is SM Cares’ “Christmas Bears of Hope” project aimed to spread the joy of the Yuletide Season to various charities of SM Foundation. Under the project, mall shoppers can buy for P200 two teddy bears, one to keep and one to be given to selected beneficiaries, such as the day care pupils of Barangay San Jose for both SM City Pampanga and SM SF Downtown.
SM Assistant Vice President for Operations Rheybie Nipas and mall managers Junias Eusebio and Lana Erroba joined Lazatin in handing out gift packages to the delighted children. On Sunday, Princesses Elsa and Anna shared center stage with lovable snowman Olaf at SM City Clark with the movie Frozen as its theme for the season.
The Angeles University Concert Chorus regaled the Sunday shoppers with the hit songs from the movie, notably ‘Let it go.” Gift packages were handed out to 50 children of the Operation Help for Peace Foundation by Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan and wife Herminia, Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting, Mabalacat City Vice Mayor Christian Halili, SM Clark Manager Ana Datu, and Nipas.
Bulacan malls Similarly Ice Agethemed is SM City Marilao. SM City Baliwag kicked off Sunday its cheery and sweet Christmas inspired with “Barbie and the Secret Door” theme. The local governments of Baliwag, Bustos and San Rafael, and representatives of Zonta, Rotary Club and Sampaka doing the launching honors.
Some 100 kids in fairy, princess, dwarf and elf costumes participated in the grand parade inside the mall.
Performances were provided by SM Little Star finalists and Conception Children’s Choir. Differently abled from AKAPIN and different schools also joined the event. Beyond shopping Unarguably the country’s premier shopping meccas, SM malls during the season find greater meaning than simple profit.
In the words of SM Supermalls President Anne Garcia, SM “is celebrating the holidays by remembering all the things that make Christmas merry: Music, laughter, indulgence, gift-giving and the spirit of sharing.” That sharing most manifest through SM Cares, its charitable arm, whereby SM is engaged in building 1,000 disaster- proof homes in five areas devastated by Supertyphoon Yolanda.
–With SM-PR reports
