'Halad Sa Kabataan' on Children's Month

“Halad sa Kabataan,” the undertaking that has taken off last year and will be held every October in accordance with the universal celebration of the Children’s Month, goes onstage once again.

The project is initiated by the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children (PCWC) headed by Gov. Gwen Garcia with Board Member Agnes A. Magpale as co-chairperson. The undertaking also serves as the offering of the children of the province to Gov. Gwen as she celebrates her natal day this October.

“Halad sa Kabataan” will be held on Saturday, October 18, at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City from 9 a.m. onwards. It is composed of three separate competitions such as poetry delivery, rondalla playing and the grand finals of the 2nd Children’s Popular Music Festival.

The theme of the celebration this year is “Kabataan Kaabag sa Kalambuan sa Lalawigan” (The Youth: Ally in the Development of the Province).

The children contestants on poetry delivery will dwell on issues and concerns concerning themselves using the Visayan language. Two representatives per district aged 12 to 17 years old are expected to outdo each other in this art discipline. Cash prizes and trophies are at stake for the winners.

At 1 p.m., at least eight rondalla groups from the local government units of Borbon, Sogod, Minglanilla, Dalaguete, Aloguinsan, Oslob, Danao City and Talisay City will outshine each other in playing the contest piece, the Visayan tune ‘Sa Kabukiran’ which was composed by Manuel Velez and arranged for rondalla interpretation by Niño James Bañares. Each group is given the freedom to choose the warm-up piece.

Before the contest proper, all the contestants will play as one group another popular Visayan tune, “Mabuhi,” which was composed by Paul Melendez. Cash prizes and trophies will be given away to the lucky contestants.

At 5 p.m., the 2nd Children’s Popular Music Festival goes underway. Cebuano children aged 12 to 17 who participated in the songwriting workshop organized by the PCWC in July will interpret their outputs themselves.

The finalists are: “Huni sa Paglaum” by Jay Marc Garcia and Vanisa Pearl Abelong of Mandaue City; “Paglaum” by Kristel Daene Clores of San Fernando; “Tudloi Ako” by Leira Rodriguez of Samboan; “Pangandoy Ko, Pangandoy Mo” by Mary Mae Cavalida of Samboan;

“Kaniadto” by Ronald Vasig, Rosalito Carolasan and Richard Teves of Oslob; “Timbang” by Jason Mike Moneva and Lynel Sucalit of Catmon; “Ang Kahayag sa Akong Panaw” by Jose Thaddeus Roble III of Danao City;

“Libre ang Mangandoy” by Eriza Agustien Capuno and Elma Cabreras of Carmen; “Kabataan” by Ava Laureen Arnejo, Marie Christine Maningo and April Lyna Armecen of Sogod; and “Ang Hagit sa Bata” by Cynthgi Guevarra of Malabuyoc.

Big cash prizes, beautiful trophies and plaques are in store for the winners and the other finalists. Provincial officials and those from the local government units are expected to attend. The PCWC has contracted the services of Soundtraxx Production Studio to do the legwork of the competition.

This early, chief executives of the LGUs which failed to send representatives or whose representatives did not figure out in the three contests have vowed to be more active and aggressive next year. This only means that Cebuanos can expect a more colorful and exciting edition of the “Halad sa Kabataan” next year.

The author is a member of the Cebu Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children.