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Saturday, December 17, 2005
Christmas villages for Baby Jesus' birth
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
WAY before Lady's Choice came up with its "Christmasterpiece", a nationwide Christmas decoration contest intended to involve barangay residents was launched this year in Davao City.
Residents were made to come up with the colorful Christmas concepts as means of ensuring that villages feel the spirit of Christmas.
Arches, nativity sets, and Christmas trees are among the things one would see in several villages in the city this Christmas season.
In the Dayan-dayan sa Barangay, villages and subdivisions are festively decorated to exude a Christmas village atmosphere.
The contest is under the Pahiyas category of the Pasko Fiesta sa Dabaw 2005, which is a city initiative activity through the City Tourism Office (CTO).
Technical Assistant Richard Dian Belar said despite the economic problems faced today by the local government and the Dabawenyos, the city would still celebrate the season with public involvement.
"We still have these activities in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ," Belar said.
It is through the contest that all ages show their never fading creativity and resourcefulness, added Belar.
Like all community activities, the Dayan-dayan is transforming itself into some activity for fellowship among residents and a learning experience in community involvement for the youth as experienced by the different barangays.
Barangay 76-A, Purok 26, under Barangay Captain Celso A. Tizon is already busy preparing their Christmas village placed at the island of a street in Times Beach for the contest.
Last year, the barangay won fourth place in the contest.
"Last year, abstract type of artistry ang sa amin, nasa box, ngayon may form na talaga," Gloria Alcantara, coordinator of the barangay's Christmas village.
In their entry this year, they are using charole plastic, something they saw used in other places in the Philippines. Their nativity scene this year is also life-sized.
"Dati, mga basic characters lang din ang nasa belen, si Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the three kings, ngayon, may mga animals na din," she added.
Alcantara said she is hoping that joining the Dayan-dayan sa Barangay would be a yearly tradition for their barangay.
"Bonus lang kasi yang award, it's more on our passion in this contest and happiness that we give to the people," she said.
This year, she said their entry is more of a Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban and youth initiative, headed by the youth organization President Mac Aster
Chavez.
"Our objective really is to bring back the youth to the church activities and so far, maayo ang response, instead tambay, lakaw-lakaw lang sila, ngayon active
sa work sa community," Alcantara, also the parish over-all coordinator, said.
Tizon for his part said, "Of course we would like to be the first. But because of our present situation, we have just settled our problem in the barangay, I am very thankful for the initiative shown by the people."
Tizon added that he is hoping that through the Dayan-dayan contest, the barangay would recover from its previous image of being among the city's most blighted place to a peaceful one, especially during the Christmas season.
The barangay is using their last year's cash prize in funding the Christmas village with the help of some sponsors.
Meanwhile in Barangay Ubalde, Bamba Bacalla, the barangay secretary who is also in charge of concept and design of the Christmas village, said that they are recycling newspapers to economize on the expenses for their entry this year.
Bacalla said that last year their Christmas tree was made of materials from coconut trees. This time, they're using newspapers, which is much cheaper.
According to her, last year's entry took them three weeks to prepare but this year's preparation only took them two days.
"Hindi kami nanalo last year, pero we really made sure na meron kaming representation sa barangay even this year," Bacalla said.
Bacalla said what is more important is the peace and cooperation among the people in the barangay.
Other barangay's that have joined the Christmas village contest are Barangay Tibungco, Sasa, Lasang, Dumoy, Marilog, Mintal, Matina Pangi and many others.
First prize winner will get P200,000, second prize P150,000, third prize P100,000, fourth prize P50,000 and fifth prize with P30,000.
There will also be 10 consolation prizes of P15,000 and citation prizes for best belen, best arch and best Christmas tree, all for P10,000.
(December 17, 2005 issue)
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