Loud music playing. Colorful banderitas hanging. People cheering.

These are signs of piyestang bayan (festival) celebrated in municipalities and provinces. For the Southernmost part of Oriental Mindoro, Bulalacao, their festival this year brought a new flavor to their municipality.

The Panginhas Festival of Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro started some 20 years ago, but was never celebrated tremendously in the succeeding years. Taken from the same name of the shell that is also found in the municipality, the celebration aims to offer a festive mood to its citizens. Known as a third class municipality, it is not in the grandeur of performances but with the participation of the people.

With the Pantawid Pamilya taking part in almost every activity in the municipality, the field staff took an initiative and actively recommended to take part in the program of the festival through street dancing.

Barangay Poblacion with over 200 beneficiaries formed eight groups of 10 to 20 members. The eight groups performed their dances to the tune of “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” by Angeline Quinto. Before the proper competition in the gymnasium, the groups paraded around the barangay as an invitation to join them in their jovial mood.

With the theme, “Empowering Pantawid Pamilya Beneficiaries Thru Community Participation,” the groups were judged on their props, costume, dance steps and relativity to the theme. The performances brought loud cheers from the audiences. Officials of the municipality from the police, army, barangay, neighboring municipalities and even one from the Pantawid Pamilya staff judged the presentations. Before announcing the winners, one of the judges, a councilor in Roxas said in his speech, “Your festival may not be as grand compared to other municipalities or provinces but I can feel the unity and joy in the participants and the audiences as well. May you continue the harmony your community projects for the coming activities.” The participants received cash prizes and plaque of recognition.

Moreover, prior to the street dancing, Mutya ng Panginhas was held the night before. Here, seven contestants vie for the top spot. Two of the seven are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who took home the first and second runner-up crowns. It goes to show that difficulties in life cannot be a hindrance to achieve what you want.

The field staff of Pantawid Pamilya continue to be active members of the community by doing their jobs first and going beyond such as taking part in festival celebrations and making sure that everyone gets to enjoy. It is not only the implementation of the program that makes a difference to the lives of its beneficiaries, but also the people behind the program and doing more of what is required from them.