Campy and colorful. We would not have had this year’s September huddle any other way. Although, with a theme like Diversifiesta, it’s to be expected. This September, HGS capped off the month with a fiesta-themed huddle across all offices; from Taguig to Cebu, it was a festive mood!
The HGS team truly outdid themselves for this huddle. You can see how the theme was close to their hearts. It became a celebration of our culture, and the things that make being Filipino truly an honor. What age-old Filipino tradition did the team uphold this year? Getting down and throwing a great party.
What is a Fiesta in the Philippines?
Almost every Filipino remembers being a child during a fiesta. They would wake up to a colorful street lined with streamers and other decorations. Their whole community would smell like their favorite food, usually a mix of sweet spaghetti and lumpia. By late afternoon, plastic chairs and tables line the streets, and the party begins.
There is always at least one festival every month in the Philippines. Each region or city has their own which celebrates everything from a good harvest season or their patron saint. Despite the spiritual background, fiestas are anything but dull and contemplative. It is a vibrant scene of performance and games. It even takes months to prepare as everyone in the community chips in. Tourists and locals alike are welcome to partake in this tradition, and will leave well fed, with aching feet, and an incredible memory.
So, when the September huddle’s theme was announced, a wave of nostalgia hit all of our senses.
Filipino Themed Fiesta
With colorful streamers as they played bopping Filipino music, it wasn’t hard not to get hyped up when entering the break room. You could feel the electric energy as everyone huddled together in the different offices. Each HGS site outdid one another with their own twist on popular games or (palaro). And what’s a fiesta without the great games that get the crowd jumping to root for their winners?
Twenty-Five Seven’s huddle kicked off with a message from HGS’ very own Pushkar Misra for his first-ever HGS huddle. He commended the Filipino spirit of celebration and the air of family in HGS. As Pushkar said, “these fiestas are extremely important, we should celebrate every moment of life.”
Let the Huddle Games Begin!
Twenty-Five Seven challenged their staff with an eating contest of various local kakanin (glutinous rice cakes). It also didn’t help that they were smeared with savory condiments like vegemite and mustard! On the 10th floor, a lively game of bingo had HGS on the edge of their seats. You’ve never seen a bingo crowd so enthusiastically hanging onto the host’s every word. They even chanted “one more, one more” to keep the party going!
Over at HGS’s The Curve office we see the huddle star Monday the unicorn! The staff passed the stuffed mascot around to see who will answer the fiesta-themed questions and earn a sweet prize. They also capped off the day with a round of charades. It was hard knowing who won when everyone was excitedly proclaiming their answer. But boy, was it fun!
This September, we also had the first ever management team huddle at Twenty-Four Seven. The HGS management team tested out their flexibility through a game of Chinese Garter with a Limbo twist. Sounds hard? Definitely was! But nothing says a great time like watching people chant in support of getting through a really low limbo. We also saw our coworkers hop on each other’s backs in the newspaper dance game. We’re glad everyone made it through with no major injuries, just smiling faces.
And lastly, the party only gets better as the sun goes down. The night shift at Twenty-Four Seven showed off Filipiñana made from recycled materials. They also heated up the party with Face the Cookie and a Longest Line game! Rumor has it some of our HGS staff even showcased their talent with a rendition of Lean on Me by Bill Withers. Magaling, magaling! (Good job, good job!)
Onward to Spooky Month Huddle
Diversifiesta was a spectacular way to kick off the “-ber” months. Huddles like these cement HGS as a culture of warmth and welcome. We are united by our love for our heritage and the celebrations that come with it. Hey, even the quiet ones in the office let out their wild side when it came to the event. But of course, this is only the start of “-ber” months. You didn’t think it was over, did you? After all, the Philippines has one of the longest holiday seasons in the world. It’s only been a week since Diversifiesta but we all cannot wait for the October huddle. Spooks and costumes, here we come!
