Category: Week 07

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In keeping with the celebration of Founding Los Banos, bands from CALABARZON joined the Himigsikan battle of the bands held on September 20, 2019, at 7:00 PM at Paciano Park Brgy Baybayin Los Baños Laguna, corresponding the 404th Foundation Anniversary of LB. 

Consist of Eight bands joined the competition including, Piratang Panda, Pentatonica, Ricochet, Rebolusyonaryo, Musika Rizal, Kuya J, Maria Band, and FTMT.

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The Maria Band, who hails from the city San Pablo, bested 7 other finalists through their rendition of OPM’s and Pop songs making the cheering crowd gone wild the venue.

The same band also won the Best Original Composition award and received Php 30,000 in total cash and a trophy.

The band didn’t expect the awards, according to Mikkael Biglete, Lead singer of Maria Band

“We only had one week for practice and we also had the incidence of technical problems with our keyboardist,” said Biglete.

Meanwhile, Musika Rizal won as first runner-up, followed by, FTMS which has 4man band members.

Los Banos Municipal Councilor and Tourism Committee Dex Concio expressed his gratefulness for the success of the event.

“The event is the venue for promoting the municipality and foremost for entertainment,” he added,

PNP personnel of LBMPS led by PLTCOL LOUIE D DIONGLAY, ACOP together with the OJT/FTP of LBMPS provided area security during the program.

The event was ended at about midnight.

Melodies of rich heritage resonated the Multi-Purpose Center as students and teachers of Los Baños gracefully performed different cultural presentations during the “KASskwela: Kultura, Awit, at Sayaw pampa-Kuwela ng mga Estudyante” last September 20, in line with the celebration of the 18th Bañamos Festival.

Twenty-one (21) schools from Elementary to Senior High showcased their talents through various acts of traditional dances and songs – Pandanggo, Singkil, and Jota Batangueña to name a few – highlighting the rich Philippine culture.

Franco del Castillo, Head Organizer of the program, said in an interview, “Sa panahon ngayon medyo bihira ang ganitong pagtatanghal, layunin ng Department of Education (DepEd) na maimulat ang mga estudyante [sa mga okasyong] nagpapakita ng kulturang Pilipino… para malaman nila ang ating kulturang pinagmulan.” Castillo also described that students engaged in providing cultural presentations enabled them to relive the past.

In an interview with Maria Luisa Mojado, DepEd Representative from the Los Baños district office, she stated that the program helps students and the youth to become aware of the Philippine culture. Mojado added that the nation’s culture is important and that it should not be forgotten, rather it be promoted.

One student from Los Baños National High School emphasized the importance of knowing our local and national culture as a reflection of our history and how it has shaped Filipino identity. “Sa kasaysayan niya man, mula noon hanggang ngayon, ang kultura ang nagsilbing paraan upang tayo ay makilala bilang ‘diverse’ na bansa,” he stated. “May iba’t-iba tayong kultura na nagpapakita ng mga kayamanan ng pinanggalingan nila.”

The program is one of the activities conducted in this year’s Bañamos Festival which commemorates the establishment of the municipality; exhibiting its history and defining itself as “The Science and Nature City”.

Colorful displays, innovative products, and informative designs- these are what citizens and visitors of Los Baños, Laguna can see in the annual Bañamos Barangay Booth Fair.

The 14 barangays of the municipal exerted their time and effort in preparing their respective booths with each of them having their own theme and motif. Some focused on their barangay’s history and geographic location while others focused on their livelihood programs and products.

Altogether, these fourteen booths showcase the life of Los Baños as one community- moving forward with their own resources and innovations, as well as living together in harmony and diversity.

by Zen Igaya, Vanessa Martinez and Cruzette Mejia

Los Baños – Bañamos festival held its annual Himigsikan battle of the bands event on September 20, 2019 at the General Paciano Park Gymnasium. The competition was between 8 bands, duking it out on the stage with over P25,000 on the line.

Out of the 8 bands, each had three songs and twenty minutes allotted to them, some of Laguna’s finest bands from different walks of life incorporated different styles of music and harmonies to create a festive event for the people of Los Baños.

Out of the eight, three bands would make a smashing podium finish. The first of them would be the 2^nd runner up, FTMT took home a respectable 10,000 php in cash. Their proficiency in classic rock and funk rock made their performance a great closer as the eighth performer of the night. With their kinetic rendition of ‘Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo’, they rocked the stage and the audiences hearts.

Coming in close in the 1^st runner up spot, Musika RIzal that brought a unique twist with their sound by incorporating jazz rock through a saxophone and a synthesizer. Their fusions of r&b, reggae, and jazz rock were crowd pleasers as well as their bombastic stage presence. Each and every one of their members did not hesitate to show personality through their playing and through their expressions on stage.

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But in the end, the one to bring home the bacon would be the Maria Band, brandishing jazz sounds with brass instruments, funky bass and a melodic guitar. They were out in their uniform clothing and their energy exploded through the roof once their final song was nearing its end. Their energy, stage presence, sound and cohesion were the best of the night.

The annual Bañamos Festival opened last September 16 with a thanksgiving mass succeded by the opening of Barangay Booth Fair at Paciano Rizal Park, Los Banos . The fair showed the livelihood programs that empower different sectors and the products they can offer. Fourteen barangays came up with each diversed and well thought out booths and together they line up near the shore of Laguna de Bay for the celebration of their town.

Barangay Tuntungin-Putho filled their space with products from their livelihood programs. Most of their products were made out of recycled materials, one of this is the “Bag for Life” from scratched papers and stickers, newspapers, and magazines made by the women of their barangay, anoher one is the flower beads made by the students in order to help their parents in their schooling, not only these but there are many recycled materials the barangay has thought off. Hon. Captain Ronald Oñate said that there is no need to buy if they can make one. He strongly believed that there is no such thing as waste, that it can be used in other form and be a source of income to many. Their project’s goal is reduce waste in their barangay while helping their people to earn and that was made true and fulfilled as seen in their booth.

Barangay Bagong Silang, on the other hand, being in the foot of Mt. Makiling showcased their their agricultural products. The booth was filled with various fruits and vegatables as Hon. Captain Marcelo C. Navarez talked about how they need focus on oragnic farming to preserve the environment in their community and this was also seen and fulfilled as seen in their booth.

Barangay Tadlac with their crocodile lake exhibited their future plans to it to promote tourism while Barangay Bambang showed the Aguas Santa Resort that is the point of discovery of Los Baños and their livelihood project of stitched products.

These are just four out of fourteen barangays and the rest surely did presented their booths splendidly. According to councilors Janos Lapiz and Benny Alborida, the booths presented the characteristics of each barangays and highlighted their products. They also stressed that in the unity and foundation of each citizen, you can see what really is Los Baños and the life in it, and that the booth fair just reflects on how through the diversity of each barangay, they are still one for the good of their town.

To sum up, even with a heavy rain and cold breeze of the lake, the citizens welcomed the opening of the Barangay Booth Fair warmly. Every “Elbi people” came to visit the booths joyfully.

By Dane Christian Morena, Eunice Dianne Algar, and Mark Vincent Mercene

On the night of September 19, people filled the General Paciano Rizal Park to witness this year’s Bailamos Dance Contest: Make Your Move, one of the features in the week-long annual celebration of the 18^th Bañamos Festival.

10 teams qualified to compete for the championship title, namely: King of Buck, South Style Flava, Hybrid Buck, Next Attraction, Squammies, Street Kings, NGDC Vengeance, Nazty Boys, G7, and Scammaz.

The participants were judged by Jayson Lagrada, a municipal youth development officer; Jocelyn Ann Luna, an adviser of UPLB Street Jazz Dance Company, and Pinch Araneta based on the criteria of overall choreography, synchronization, originality, and audience impact.

Three teams dominated the dance floor and owned the major awards of the competition. Nazty Boys came second and received a cash prize of Php 10,000.00; Scammaz placed first and obtained Php 15,000.00 in cash and was also hailed as dancer of the year. Topping all of them, is G7 who went home with the championship and a reward of Php 20,000.00.

Lemuel Millena, a member of G7, said that unity and faith to the Lord paved way for their award-winning performance.

“Ang Bailamos ay for modern na sayaw for group of friends, mga magkaka mag-anak, magka-klase, na nagsasama, nagbuo para magkaisa na magbigay ng entertainment sa people of Los Baños to celebrate Bañamos 2019”, said Jonathan Natividad, the officer-in-charge of Los Baños Tourism, emphasizing the objective of the program.

The name of the event, Bailamos, is a Spanish word which means “let’s dance”.

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by: Mia Bueta, Christine Casido, and Catherine Uy

Amidst the gloomy weather, the General Paciano Rizal Park was still jam-packed with people on the night of September 19 at 6:00 in the evening. The people were patiently waiting for the annual Bailamos Dance Contest: Make Your Move, which is one of the most awaited activities in the known Bañamos Festival, in celebration of its 18^th year anniversary, held in Los Baños, Laguna.

The main goal of Bailamos is to showcase the different talents not just of Los Baños locals but also other towns around Laguna as well. However, this year most of the contestants were from Calamba and Los Baños only. Top priority of this event said by Mr. Jonathan Natividad, OIC in Los Banos Tourism, is the safety of the contestants, so as much as possible death defying stunts are prohibited.

The group should have at most 15 members with the age range of 16 years old and above. Each group should not exceed to five minutes and must showcase street style, hip hop, locking, etc. Dangerous stunts are strictly prohibited. Moreover, dance, steps, body movements, choice of music are signs of morality and good conduct, stated by Mr. Natividad.

This year’s set of judges are Mr. Pinch Araneta, Mr. Jayson Lagrada and Mrs. Jocelyn Ann Luna. Expectations from this year’s contestants are higher as Mrs. Luna said, “Last year judge rin ako dito, so dapat mas level up ang performance nila”, and the contestants did not disappoint.

There are a total of 10 contestants who joined this year’s competition. But among the groups, only three have met beyond the judges’ expectations, namely: Nazty Boys (2^nd runner-up), Scammaz (1^st runner-up), and G7 (Champion).

Having the least number of members, G7 still managed to win the judges’ heart through strictly following the criteria. Clean dance moves, safe stunts and facial expressions are what made them stand out. Bringing home 20,000 cash prize and certificate, half of this will be given to their parents to give back as being their inspiration, stated by Mark Justine Likayman, one of the members of G7. Their win was unexpected for they are just newly formed last March and it was their first time joining the dance battle.

After all the performances, a unity dance was presented showcasing the 10 groups in one dance number. A special award was given to Scammaz, the group who won 1st runner up, as the Dancer of The Year.

In celebration of the 404th founding anniversary of Los Baños Laguna, the annual Bailamos Dance Contest is a great opportunity for the youth to showcase their talents in dancing as stated by Mr. Natividad. The event has highlighted the culture of the people of Los Baños as their supportiveness and loud cheers were evident throughout the evident.

Bañamos festival ends its 2nd day of the weeklong celebration with “Barangay Night” at the Municipal Hall along with the participation of all the barangays of Los Baños.

The Barangay Night has been a long-term program for every celebration of Bañamos festival wherein the 14 barangays of Los Baños gather to celebrate, have activities and showcase their talents.

The 2019 Barangay Night is scheduled on September 17 and to start at 6 PM. The program officially proceeded around 7:30 PM and began with the convocation. Following the convocation are the opening speeches from important guests such as ABC President Kapitana Arlene Delos Santos, Konsehal Janus Lapis, Konsehal Mark Lester Dizon, Konsehala Josephine Evangelista, Konsehal Marlo Alipon and Congresswoman Ruth Hernandez.

2nd District of Laguna Representative Ruth Hernandez included in her speech several important bits of future plans for the town of Los Baños. She explained the possible plans to solve the problem of traffic in Los Baños such that by building a road that would route from Calamba circling the shorline to Bae. She also adds information about the plan for the national sports training center. “Nandun palang sa initial stage ng pagpupulong, kausap na po naten ang chancellor ng UPLB ano po, si Sir Sanchez, kasi finofloat naten ang idea na dito po ilagay sa UPLB ang National Sports Training Center” Congresswoman Hernandez says.

The highlight of the night is the competition where each of the 14 barangays showcase their talents and their unity. Presentations include dancing, singing and even acting. In between the dinner and program proper, there were raffle draws for the participants. Prizes are also expected by the end of the night which are to be rewarded to the winners. ₱10,000 for the 3rd place, ₱15,000 for the second place and ₱25,000 for the 1st place. The barangays who would not land a place will still leave with ₱5,000 each as consolation plus additional ₱10,000 for each barangay coming from the sponsors. The hosts mentioned the primary sponsors for making the program possible whom were Rodel Pabalate who donated with ₱100,000, Mayor Caesar Perez with₱40,000, Gov. Ramil Hernandez who sponsored the raffle giveaways and Ruth Hernandez with ₱20,000.

Undersecretary Martin Diño was also present and gave his personal greetings and speech for the barangay. His speech included important news and announcements relevant to barangay governance.

“Inilabas na ng Senado ang kanilang desisyon sa extension ng barangay official, kaya ngayon hindi na kayo mangangampanya next year. Extended kayo hanggang 2023, yan ay ayon sa desisyon ng Senado” Diño says.

He also mentioned the proposal of salary increase and benefits for barangay level officials.

“the barangay official shall consider as regular government employee with big salary,insurance, dental and medical coverage, and retirement benefits”

He ends his speech by emphasizing the importance and role of the barangay unit in helping national governance. “Tandaan niyo ang barangay ang first line of defense ng gobyerno na to. Lahat ng utos ibinababa sa barangay. Magmula sa kampanya ng illegal drugs. Ang gobyerno na to ay umaasa sa barangay, kaya napaka laki ng tulong ng ating mga barangay officials when it comes to peace and order.”

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Department of Education (DepEd) Los Baños spearheaded this year’s “KASskwela: Kultura, Awit, Sayaw pampakwela ng mga eskwelahan” to celebrate various cultures in the Bañamos Festival at General Paciano Rizal Park.

Public Schools District Supervisor Dr. Allan Hostalero stated that this cultural show served as a culminating activity as part of DepEd’s curriculum in preserving arts, culture, and literature.

“This event [also] intends to exhibit different talents of our students,” Dr. Hostalero added.

The show started with an opening prayer, followed by the singing of the national anthem and Los Baños hymn by the Los Baños Brass Band. Dr. Hostalero, along with several government officials, then, formally opened the program.

Different talents such as playing rondalla instruments and folk dancing were showcased by participating schools from the municipality.  The schools were as follows along with their respective cultural performances:

• Tuntungin-Putho Integrated National High School – Piliin mo ang Pilipinas
• Bagong Silang Elementary School – La Jota Moncadena
• Bambang ES – Curacha
• Bayog ES – Pandanggo sa Sta. Clara
• B.N. Clara ES – Konan
• Lalakay ES – Sinisiki
• Lopez ES – Gaway-gaway
• Los Baños Central ES – Saguin Saguin
• Maahas ES – Pandanggo Rinconada
• Malinta ES – Malong Malong
• Mayondon ES – Alcamfour
• Paciano Rizal ES – Polkabal
• San Antonio ES – Lapay Bantique
• Tadlac ES – Paseo de Iloilo
• LBNHS Batong Malake – Panderetas
• LBNHS Poblacion – Pandanggo Wasiwas
• Mayondon NHS – Singkil
• B. N. Calara Integrated NHS – Dugso
• Senior High School – Jota Batangueña

Parents also expressed their support to the event by letting their children take part in the cultural presentations of the schools. “Para madevelop ang kultura natin [at] para malaman din nila yun,” Chona Alcana, parent of a performer, explained.

LGUs, MDRRMO, PNP, and DOH together with DepEd systematized the flow of the program and ensured the safety of the attendees of the cultural show.

“Hangga’t nandito ang DepEd, hindi kami lilihis sa pagpromote ng culture and arts,” Dr. Hostalero promised.

In line with their objective, he mentioned that the faculty department will also be displaying Philippine culture in the celebration of the upcoming National Teachers’ Day.

(Kilay on Fleek Girls)(Judica O. Bisnar, Aryandhi A. Almodal, Elysse B. Bejar)