Students Sing, Write, Orate, Declaim for Peace

Zamboanga City – AT THE end of the day, we ask ourselves this question, “Have we done something to contribute to peace?”

This was the query thrown to the audience by Margie Antonette Quitoy, a senior high school student of Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU), that got the nod of the judges to win for her the first prize in the oratorical division of the Literary Peace Festival held last December 3-4 at Western Mindanao State University, this city.

“This foundation of peace is already inherent in each of us,” she said, adding, “The invitation, then, is to coax it out and not to be afraid to spark the flame that would bring together other sparks to fuel this yearning for union and harmony.”

As she concluded her piece, she urged: “Let each one of us continue to build this bridge for peace,” referring to this year’s theme of the Mindanao Week of Peace celebration of “Building Bridges of Peace.” The literary festival was part of the weeklong activities.

Other winners was second-placer Joanna Mae Christine P. Silao of St. Joseph School; Kathreena Anne C. Mojica of Arturo Eustaquio Memorial Scince High School (AEMSHS); and, Romulo S. Balagan, Jr. of Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST), who tied at third place.

Another literary event was the essay writing was well as a declamation contest among elementary pupils in the afternoon of December 3. The jingle contest among college students was held last December 4.

Winners for the essay writing included first placer Quennie Chritina G. Chua of St. Joseph School, second placer Amina Solaiman of Zamboanga Sto. Niño Village School, and AEMSHS’s Hazel Anne P. Etiong and ZSCMST’s Ruby Jean C. Banagudos, who tied at the third place.

For declamation contest, winners were led by Pilar College ’s Charmaine Key Aurea at the top, followed by St. Joseph School ’s Sheena Mae Alcala and Kristal Jane A. Torino of Immaculate Conception Archdiocesan School, at second and third places, respectively.

Declamation contestants were using a common piece entitled “A Vision of Hope,” penned by Guiwan Elementary School teacher Virginia C. Mas, who won the declamation essay writing contest, held prior to the literary peace festival proper. Mas was awarded a cash prize and certificate of recognition.

For jingle, the College of Science and Mathematics students of WMSU garnered the highest points against other participating groups, for which they took the P5,000 grand prize and a trophy and certificate. Second placer was Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology with a P3,000 cash prize and a certificate; placing third with P2,000 and certificate was Immaculate Conception Archdiocesan School.

The literary peace festival was sponsored by Peace Advocates Zamboanga in colloboration with the Interreligious Solidarity Movement for Peace, WMSU-Center for Peace and Development, the Department of Education (DepEd), WMSU-College of Education, and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

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