CALBAYOG CITY – “Kusog han Kumunidad,” a song composed by Herminigildo Sanchez, a known poet from Catbalogan City was adjudged as the winner of “Kamurayaw Song Festival” held in this city.
The composition tells the story of people’s dark experiences and mending the tale of the past. The song also emphasizes the importance of the family and creating its strength by providing resilient coping capacity, said Kalahi- CIDSS regional program coordinator Natividad Sequito who served as one of the judges of the singing competition held last February 1. “Kamurayaw Song Festival” is a project of the Kalahi-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan– Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) poverty alleviation program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in partnership with the Pamana (PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn) of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
The competition aims to highlight the milestones and benefits of the program’s Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach in peace, people and community empowerment and development, its achievement in poverty reduction and in improving local governance implemented in six provinces in the region, now considered the poorest in the country after it was hit by supertyphoon “Yolanda. The music festival was supposed to be done in December 2015 but was moved due to typhoon “Nona” that hit Northern Samar. Emilda Calagos-Bonifacio, Pamana -Samar area manager described the event as commendable after it tapped composers and singers to share their craft in advocating peace.
Pamana is a partner of Kalahi-CIDSS since 2012 by providing peace and development fund for every villages where the anti-poverty program is implemented and where there is a problem on peace and security. Other winners were “Gising na Pinoy” composed by 18-year old Glynis Gozo who also performed her composition that bagged 2nd place; “Kalahi” by Rufina Mullon from Biliran province, 3rd place while “Damhin Mo” by Alex Tero, fourth place. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
