BY EVELYN OPILAS –
The Australia Philippines Services League’s picnic 27 November turned into lunch indoors as heavy rain pummelled Sydney in what would have been the group’s Thanksgiving 2021 event.
Fully-vaxxed and ready to socialise after several months in NSW’s lockdown, APSL members gathered instead at Doonside to give thanks and simply chill.
“It was a pot luck get-together of APSL and other ex-service men and families at the residence of Rudy and Mila Romerosa,” said APSL president Chris Pilao, adding that the hosts also prepared several dishes to mark their birthdays that coincided with the occasion.
Talk was light and focused on “the long lockdown, life after lockdown, and that now we’re starting to enjoy our freedom,” according to the APSL head. Eventually, they shifted their topic to Philippine politics and the presidential election in 2022, he said.
APSL officer Nida Boado reiterated that, “Walang napag-usapan tungkol sa APSL; normal na kuwentuhan ng mga magka-kaibigan na nagkita-kita (We didn’t talk about APSL; it was simply a conversation among friends who got together).” Rain may have sidelined the APSL picnic but there was still much for the group to be grateful about, including members’ overall good health and well-being, the successful 12 June Independence Day dinner-concert with over 300 guests attending, and joining the RSL Rooty Hill Sub-Branch’s Remembrance Day commemoration 11 November.