PANAAD FESTIVAL
23 towns, cities to
compete in dance tilt

A total of 23 local government units in Negros Occidental will compete in the Best of Festivals Dance Competition during the 2011 Panaad sa Negros Festival to be held April 4, right after the opening ceremony at the Panaad Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, a Capitol press release said.

Among the towns and cities participating in the competition are the Lubay-Lubay Festival of Cauayan; Kali-kalihan Festival of DS Benedicto; Kisi-kisi Festival of Ilog; Bulang-Bulang Festival of San Enrique; Magayon Festival of Moises Padilla; Minuluan Festival of Talisay City; Pagbanaag Festival of Hinobaan;

Pabalhas sa Tablas of Candoni; Pintaflores Festival of San Carlos City; Tinabuay Festival of Murcia; Pasalamat Festival of La Carlota City; Salapan Festival of Pulupandan; Lilas Pandan Festival of Calatrava; Sinulog Festival of Kabankalan City; Sinigayan Festival of Sagay City; Manlambus Festival of Escalante City;

 Babaylan Festival of Bago City; Pasundayag Festival of Valladolid; Sag-ahan Festival of Toboso; Ugyunan Festival of EB Magalona; Kalag-Kalag Festival of Isabela; Bailes de Luces of La Castellana and Manang Pula Festival of Manapla.  

Event coordinator, Rudy Reveche, said the concept or theme for costume and performance of the participants must depict the unique character of their locality/festival; performing group must have a minimum of 20 members and a maximum of 50 members including props men on stage, whether in costume or not; the group may use canned or live music suitable to the concept of theme of their presentation; only appropriate hand props shall be used for the performance and huge/massive structures or use of pyrotechnics and slaughtering of live animals are not allowed; performance shall be limited to a maximum of five minutes, excluding entrance and exit and for every minute excess of the allowable time, a deduction of one point from the final score shall be imposed, the press release said.  

Best of Festival Dance competition winners will receive P70,000 cash and trophy for the first prize; P50,000 cash plus trophy for the second prize and P30,000 cash and trophy for the third prize, the press release added.*

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TESDA assessment,
certification scheduled

Skilled workers, trainers and technical vocational education and training graduates are expected to benefit from the first National TVET Competency Assessment and Certification, which will be held on three separate dates this year across the country, a press release from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority said.

The first assessment will be held from March 28 to April 1 in TESDA Technology Institutes and selected venues in the country.

Director Yolanda Porschwitz said one primary objective of the synchronized assessment is to increase the number of certified Filipino workers and TVET graduates, so they can be qualified for good paying jobs, the press release said.

In Negros Occidental, the free assessment will be in the following qualifications: Construction (Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC III, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II, Plumbing NC II), ICT (Visual Graphics NC III, Programming NC IV, Computer Hardware Servicing NC II), Electronics (Consumer Electronics Servicing NC II, Automotive and Land Transport (Automotive Servicing NC II and Driving NC III).

Those who wish to apply may secure the assessment application form from the TESDA Provincial Office, Talisay City, Negros Occidental. The form may also be downloaded from the TESDA website at www.tesda.gov.ph, the press release added.*

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Float competition set

Fourteen towns and cities have confirmed their participation in the float competition during the opening of the weeklong celebration of the 18th Panaad sa Negros Festival, April 4 at 3 p.m. from the Provincial Capitol Grounds, to the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, a Capitol press release said.

These local government units are Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, San Carlos, Silay, and Victorias cities, and the towns of Cauayan, EB Magalona, Hinigaran, Hinoba-an, Murcia, La Castellana and Pulupandan.

The mechanics of the competition are float design and concept of participating LGUs must be based on the competition’s theme, “Kapistahan sa Negros” and the Negros First program of the provincial government; LGU floats should be represented by their Lin-ay sang Negros candidate; float clearance should not exceed 11 feet from the ground, the press release said.

Two main awards will be given for this event. They are the Best in City Float and Best in Municipal Float wherein each will receive P20,000 cash and trophy, the press release said.

Other special awards include Best in Concept Design with a cash prize of P10,000 plus trophy, Most Festive Float with a cash prize of P10,000 and a trophy, and for corporate sponsors, the Best Corporate Float will be given a trophy, the press release added.*

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Museum needs sponsors

The Negros Museum in Bacolod City recently launched its online Sponsor-A-Student Project for its 15th Summer Arts Workshops, a press release from the museum said.

Recipients of scholarships will be handpicked students from public schools who cannot afford the workshop fees, the press release said.

For more information on the workshops, interested parties may call The Negros Museum at (034) 708-5080 / 433-4764 / 0933-9603627 / 0921-3307861, or email us at negros_museum96@yahoo.com, the press release added.*