By Manuel T. Cayon / Mindanao Bureau Chief
DAVAO CITY—Senior citizens and village peacekeepers, called barangay tanod, were feted in a day of games during the annual Bulawan (gold) Festival in gold-rich Compostela Valley.
The special day for them was allotted on March 4, the third day of the festivities, dubbed as Senior Citizens’ and Peacekeepers’ Day.
The elderly pitted talents in a showcase competition called Super Lolo and Super Lola Got Talent and in the Folk Dance Contest.
Eleven performers competed in the talent contest won by a representative from Mabini town, who rendered a doble-kara singing talent. A contestant from Compostela town won second and a Maragusan resident won third place.
Another group of elderly dancers from Mabini romped away with P22,000 in the folk- dance competition, followed by Montevista senior citizens, who took home P17,000, and a team from Nabunturan got P12,000 in third spot.
Eight other entries were handed P5,000 consolation prizes each.
Barangay tanod were given special citation and thanksgiving during a special formation.
Provincial Police chief Supt. Albert Ignatius Ferro said “no matter how much the National Police can do at its level, it is not highly sufficient without the support of local government units and the community, as a whole.”
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority former Chairman and senatorial candidate Francisco Tolentino also lauded the tanod when he spoke as the festivities’ keynote speaker.
“Kung wala po kayo [peacekeepers], kung wala ’yung mga purok leaders, ay hirap siguro ang ating mga barangay captains at hirap po ang ating pamayanan, lalung-lalo na sa pagpanatili ng kapayapaan. Ang mga peacekeepers ay kakampi ng kapulisan,” he said.
Vice Gov. Manuel Zamora also presented the Compostela Valley Peace and Order and Public Safety Plan for three years, from 2016 to 2019, during the program.