Field demo on Chinese dances draws attention from the crowd

by: Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY, January 23 (PIA) – Students from eighteen (18)  elementary schools and two (2) secondary schools from the city division here were very much inspired in participating the Chinese New Year Festival thru field demonstration on Sunday despite the scoarching heat.

Dressed in colorful Chinese costumes, the estimated more than a thousand elementary and high school students with the support of their teacher-trainors performed non-stop Chinese dances for more than 4-hours at Plaza Luz, the regular venue of Chinese New Year celebration.

”Bisan ug dili namo kultura ang pagsayaw sa sayaw sa mga Instik apan nakat-onan namo ang kinasingkasing nga pagsayaw niini tungod kay gimandoan kami sa among mga magtutudlo pagkakat-on sa maong sayaw ilabi na panahon sa kasaulugan sa Bag-ong tuig sa mga instik(Even if it is not our culture to perform Chinese dances but we have learned to execute these dances especially during Chinese New Year celebration), said Aizel May Andaas, grade 3 pupil from San Jose elementary school who participated the field demonstration for 3 consecutive years.

Education supervisor for Science Erlinda Dayonot, field demonstration coordinator said even if the DepEd has received the invitation lately due to the various activities launched by the city government on  the 8^th ‘Paskuhan’ and annual parochial fiesta on December last year and this month of January, respectively, yet she anticipated that students from public schools will still be invited to perform in the Chinese New Year celebration. 

“ I have informed in advance the different school principals to let their students practice Chinese dances so that they can have excellent performance during the field demo,” Dayonot said. “I am very happy that the students were able to perform Chinese dances admirably, she added.

Meanwhile, city schools division superintendent Victorina Perez in her message delivered by education supervisor Isagani Cabahug said Chinese New Year, the biggest and longest festival of Chinese community was religiously observed throughout the country, and Pagadian City is one of among the very few cities who celebrated and marked the significance of Chinese New Year with fitting ceremony.

Perez also acknowledge the significant involvement of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. who is actively responding the needs of DepEd especially in the construction of school buildings. 

Among those who witnessed the event were Pagadian city tourism council chairperson Dicky Fernandez, city officials, DepEd officials, heads of offices, teachers and parents. (JPA/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian)