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Over 600 gathered, James
Bond-style, to help raise $5
million for surgery at
Surrey Memorial Hospital
On February 23rd, more than
600 of Surrey’s luminaries joined the
Surrey Hospital Foundation for an
evening of martinis, music and may-
hem. The 2019 Celebration of Care
Gala kicked off a major fundraising
campaign for surgery, 007-style. By
the time the sold-out event was over,
the Foundation was half-way to its
$10 million goal.
The Foundation is investing $5
million toward the renewal of 10 op-
erating rooms, partnering with Fraser
Health to transform Surrey Memo-
rial Hospital’s surgery centre, which
is used by almost seventy surgeons
practicing ten surgical specialties. An
additional $5 million will secure the
most innovative surgical equipment
to help recruit and retain top surgeons
to Surrey.
“Once again, our community
has answered the call to give, by sup-
porting our surgery campaign with a
strong kick-off,” says Jane Adams,
President & CEO, Surrey Hospital
Foundation. “Making this investment
to renew the surgical centre at Surrey
Memorial will not only assist our out-
standing surgical team, it will also at-
tract even more great talent to Surrey,
and entice them to settle in here.”
Presented by The Berezan
Group and EllisDon, the James Bond-
themed gala was co-emceed by Sur-
rey’s own Dr. James Bond, Fred Lee
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY February 16 - 28, 2019
of Fred About Town and Nira Arora,
morning radio host on 94.5 FM Virgin
Radio.
The Aria Convention Centre was
transformed into the world of James
Bond, complete with movie charac-
ters celebrating Bond through the
ages. Gala guests enjoyed an exqui-
site meal by Four Seasons Vancouver,
premier wines and signature cock-
tails by celebrity bartender Christos
Kalaitzis, along with delightful Bond-
themed live entertainment, dancing,
and exciting auctions.
The community has opened
their hearts with generous donations
to kick off this campaign, including
a $500,000 gift from Westland Insur-
ance, $200,000 from The Berezan
Group, $50,000 from the Surrey Me-
morial Hospital Auxiliary and $20,000
from Surrey’s Chief of Surgery, Dr. Cal
Andreou.
Surrey Hospital Foundation
wishes to thank their valued event
partners: 99 Nursery & Florist, Arterra
Wines Canada, Berezan Hospitality
Group, Central City Brewers + Distill-
ers, Great Canadian Gaming Corpora-
tion, Guildford Town Centre, Harold’s
Custom Equipment Rentals, Paladin
Security, Print Advantage.
For more information, or to do-
nate to the surgical campaign, please
visit surreyhospitalfoundation.com or
call 604.588.3371.
GMA Network investing P1b
for ‘digitization’
GMA Network Inc. said it is in-
vesting over P1 billion to complete the
second phase of its digitization proj-
ect.
The broadcasting network said
the second phase encompasses the
production, post-production, content
management and distribution of GMA
and GMA News TV’s programs.
It starts with the commissioning
of the digital terrestrial transmitters
that now provide superior digital TV
signal reach, enabling the viewership
of the station’s programs through
digital-enabled TV sets and set-top
boxes in various areas in the country,
including Mega Manila, North Central
Luzon, Cebu and Davao.
GMA is also scheduled to com-
plete the upgrade of its electronic
field production capabilities to further
improve its high definition image cap-
ture to full 2K/4K HD, elevating GMA
Network’s output to true global stan-
dards.
“All these state-of-the-art up-
grades are part of GMA Network’s
ongoing digitization project to bring
world class programming to our
viewers here and abroad,” said GMA
chairman and chief executive Felipe
Gozon.
The requisite enhancements to
the network’s media asset manage-
ment and broadcast automation Sys-
tems have already been completed.
Post production is likewise im-
plementing full equipment and soft-
ware upgrades coupled with increased
storage and color grading capabilities
to optimally process high-end 2K and
4K HD formats.
GMA’s field news gathering ca-
pabilities are being similarly upgraded
to enable the transmission and deliv-
ery of HD-captured remote live events
to GMA Network’s technical opera-
tions center as they happen.
In parallel with the upgrade to
the MAMS is the commissioning of
a new news automation system de-
signed to provide the news organiza-
tion with greater speed and agility in
bringing viewers up-to-date news and
information through the Nnetwork’s
eight news programs.(D.G. Amojelar,
MS)
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