ABCOLLEGE CELEBRATES ‘FOUNDER’S DAY’

 
With the  theme, a “Tribute to His Contribution to the Education of the Youth” Andres Bonifacio College celebrates the 112^th Birth Anniversary of its Founder Amando Borja Amatong last February 6.

As a prelude for its two-week long celebration the ABC Actors’ Clinic  presented a back-to-back comedies.

Audience composed of ABCollege students and students from other Dipolog-based colleges flocked to the Amando Borja Amatong Civic Center (it is considered to be the largest gym in Northern Mindanao) to watch the two comedies. Both plays a “Marriage Proposal” (by Anton Chekov and translated into English by Joachim Neugroschel) and “Ang PEKE” (by Buenaventura Rodriguez translated by Don Pagasura from Tagalog to Cebuano)

On the 6^th day of February, a series of activities were conducted: a departmental floral offering in the Dipolog Catholic Cemetery where the remains of the late Founder is laid; a Holy Mass followed at the ABA Civic Center with Reverend Father Cesar Tinga as the officiating priest.

Right after the mass, an Open House of the Simulation and Clerical Training Room located beside the ABC’s General Services Office was held

The commemoration for the Colleges Founder was highlighted with the Madri Gras Festival (See separate article for more details).

A program followed wherein Sancho S Amatong, in his welcome remarks elaborated his gratifications and expectations for the students and faculty of Andres Bonifacio College.

Engineer Camilo G. Gudmalin Director IV from the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Social  Welfare and Development in Quezon City was this year’s gust speaker.

ANDRES BONIFACIO COLLEGE MARDI GRAS

TO ATTRACT LOCAL AND FOREIGN TOURISTS
DIPOLOG MADRI GRAS FESTIVAL ENDORSED TO DOT

They say coming to Dipolog’s Madri Gras is just like being able to watch and enjoy other  festivals from other places in just one place!

Zamboanga del Norte’s Provincial designate Tourism Officer and this year’s Chairman of the Board of Judges Edwin Bation, made an announcement that brought  wide smiles to the faces of former Congressman Ernesto S. Amatong, the Chairman of the Board of  Trustees and Sancho S Amatong, the president and Chief Executive Officer of the Andres Bonifacio College when prior to the announcement of this year winners of the College’s Madri Gras may be included in the Department of Tourism’s Calendar of Annual Activities. The provincial endorsement would mean a tremendous boost for the tourism industry of the city for this would mean the event initiated by the College will be utilized to attract tourists both domestic and foreign.

The Mardi gras, which is on its second year, was initiated and created by the College was at first simply to commemorate formally the birth anniversary of its founder of one of the educational institution of this province. However, it did not foresee the success and the impact it created when it was held for the first time last year. What made Madri Gras of Dipolog City different from other festivals held from other places in the Philippines and probably the whole world is that it is a showcase of different festivals held in other places as conducted last year. For this year, it portrayed least known but colorful local festivals conducted in different places around the country.

In their unique ad theme-inspired costumes, the ABCollege’s students, faculty members and administration had a grand street dancing parade around the main streets in Dipolog City.

For this year’s contests, the performers from the School of Commerce emerged as the champion and were able to receive ‘furniture’ trophy from DOT (Department of Tourism) Region 10 office  and P10,000 cash for their breathtaking Bench Festival of Pangasinan while the School of Education emerged as the second and got P7,000 cash for its funny performance of their interpretation of the Monkey Dance Festival and the High School Department got the third place for the Pakupak Festival interpretation.

This year’s Madri Gras include Higante (Giant) Festival performed by the student-performers of the School of Engineering; the Sardines and Mango Festival of Zamboanga Peninsula of the Elementary Department; the Salep Dance or the Sarakiki Festival of the School of Criminology; the Bird Dance of the School of Law; the Saet War Dance Festival of the Maobo Tribe; the Pakopak Festival of the High School Department; the Sagingan (Banana) Festival of the Coee of Arts and Sciences; the Rice Dance Festival of the School of Law; Bangkakaw Festival of the  newly-created School of  Nursing.

Onlookers of  the Dipolog’s Madri Gras cannot wait to see next year’s festival.. hmm… what it is going to be? Don’t you wish to be here then…

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