Barangay Day manifests unity; showcases products and talents

(August 6, 2012) In Tacurong, there is unity in diversity. The city hall grounds were filled with hundreds of Tacurongnons during the City’s 11^th Barangay Day on August 3, 2012. Locals of twenty barangays were united by the event themed Paigtingin ang Adhikain, Patatagin ang Pamayanan, Panatilihing Malakas ang Takbo ng Kaunlaran. The celebration also marked the culmination of the 3^rd SULONG Tacurong Business Week. The opening ceremony of this year’s Barangay Day was graced by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who stressed on the importance of the community and government’s active involvement in driving progress.

Meanwhile, the city government sponsored various activities that allowed barangays to show their unity and even local talents. The activities include a weeklong Agro-Industrial Fair, Larong Pinoy, Komposo competition, and Pinaka contest. Some activities were also simultaneously conducted in cooperation with DTI for the culmination of the Business Week. These include: Pangasius culinary competition, hat-making, and souvenir-making competition.

The week-long Agro-Industrial Fair was also conducted in celebration of the City’s 3^rd Business Week. The Fair featured each barangay’s craft and creativity. Barangay Grino bagged the Best Booth Award with their Talakudong-adorned exhibit and local products. Brgy. Upper Katungal and New Passi came in second and third, repectively.

DTI also awarded the Sultan Kudarat Entrepreneurs’ Association and Notre Dame of Tacurong College as top sellers during the said week-long fair.

Brgy. Kalandagan bagged the gold in the Komposo or song-writing competition, while Barangays Poblacion and Lancheta won second and third, respectively. Winners of the culinary competition were the Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) for the professional category and STI for the amateur category. The Tri-People Women’s Organization won both hat-making and souvenir-making competition.  

The Pinoy games or Larong Pinoy involved children, mothers, and even barangay workers and officials. Indeed, all barangays enjoyed healthy competition under the heat of the sun. The festivities stretched until dusk as a mobile network sponsored more fun activities for the locals.   

Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) President Silvestre Llanto emphasized the significance of this event. According to him, “ang Barangay Day ay pagkakataong maipakita natin ang ating pagkakaisa, ang pagsasamahan walang iwanan, respeto sa bawat isa at pagtutulungang walang kapantay.”  He also stressed that the competitions between local talents and even products were staged to show that all communities in Tacurong are working towards one goal. That is, sustainable development.

August 3 was the Tacurong’s founding anniversary as a municipality. It was later on dubbed as Barangay Day when Tacurong turned into a city in September 2000. (Jezereel Louise C. Billano)