• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Students from the University of St. La Salle (USLS) – Integrated School and La Consolacion College (LCC) in Bacolod City dominated the 8th VMC Interschool Art Contest 2023 in the elementary and secondary schools category, respectively, with 62 semifinalists from more than 130 registrants.
Kris Edward Belaguas of USLS-IS was champion in the elementary school category, while Jhodie May Salomon of LCC emerged the winner in the secondary school category.
Other winners were (elementary): Heart Sta. Maria of Silay South Elementary – first runner-up; Zhyenaiah Tonogbanua of Shiloh Christian School – 2nd runner-up; and consolation prize winners were Sophia Emerald Caminong of Gil Lopez Elementary School, and Sheena Rain Reyes of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos.
Other winners for the secondary category were Stephen Jay Gallano of La Castellana National High School – 1st runner-up; Erin Ysabelle Dosayla of LCC – 2nd runner-up, while consolation prize winners were Bear Jay Bermeo of LCC, and Adrian Andrade of Enrique B. Magalona National High School.
The winners received cash prizes, certification from VMC, and a trophy made by Talisay artist Ramon Delos Santos, while the schools represented by the champions in the elementary and secondary schools category will each receive a 24-inch flatscreen TV from VMC.
Anne Tiongco, VMC Foundation executive director, said VMC and the VMC Foundation remain committed to promoting the artistic and cultural development of the youth through this annual Interschool Art Contest. No other competition in the Philippines offers such an opportunity to the young in the field of visual arts.
This year, our theme is “My Role in Society,” which aims to drive the value of growth and development among our youth and what they think their role should be in their community, our society and in nation-building in general, she said.
VMC president Linley Retirado said one of the thrusts of VMC and the VMC Foundation through its various programs is to promote youth development, from providing educational scholarships through the Miguel Ossorio Scholarship Grant, augmenting schools and students’ educational needs through the Brigada Eskwela, to fostering cultural awareness and expression through the arts.
“Arts and culture is at the core of our projects because situated in the VMC compound is one of the most treasured cultural properties in the country — the St. Joseph the Worker Chapel. This drives our pursuit of art and cultural excellence in the region, recognizing the role that the arts can play in defining our identity as a nation. Arts is part of our cultural heritage and we have a duty to preserve it,” he said.
Through this annual Interschool Art Contest, we believe that engaging the youth in arts at an early age helps develop their creativity, identity, culture and imagination. This also impacts positively on their confidence, self-esteem, personal, social, emotional development, and behavioral health, Retirafo added.*
