Bontoc Am-among fest culminates Sept 16, DPWH Sec Singson is guest of honor

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE – The 10th celebration of  Am-among festival  and  106th  founding anniversary of Bontoc  municipality culminates on  September 16  here in this capital  town with Department of  Public Works and Highways  (DPWH) secretary  Rogelio Singson as  guest of  honor, messages delivered by  key officials, cultural presentations  and awarding of prizes.  

The  September 16  activity  is observed with street  dancing and cultural presentations  participated by  delegates from the 16  barangays of the  capital town  followed with messages  delivered by Secretary Singson,  Mountain Province Governor  Leonard  Mayaen, Congressman Maximo Dalog and  Bontoc  Mayor Franklin Odsey.    

The culminating day also witnesses the giving of awards to winning individuals and teams on sports events held

Sept 9  to 16 and search for the lucky visitor.  

Awards for  winners of  indigenous games goes to  juniors and seniors division for the  chepchepap competition,  batbatchoy for young girls, ofonsifato for children, kadang-kadang for  young men and laklakbawi for females.

Awards  also go to winners of  the shootfest  held at  Guinaang  shooting range  and chess  tournament; and to winners of photo booth and X-box competition, bingo and battle of the bands with the sponsorship of Globe telecommunications.

Smart telecommunications also sponsored bingo games;  IFontok got Talent with prizes ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 pesos; billiards tournament with prizes ranging from 800 to 2,500 pesos; and marathon sponsored by Pepsi Cola.

Other activities  saw  the  holding of the   agro industrial fair observed with the turnover of  livelihood assistance  fund and equipment  by  the Cordillera Highland Agricultural  Resource Management Project (CHARMP);  diskwento  caravan  sponsored by  Tiongsan, videoke challenge  and feeding program  and distribution of  school supplies.

The holding of  the Bontoc  town fiesta  saw its enactment  on July 7,  1997 when  Ordinance  Number   35 series of 1997 was legislated by the  Sangguniang Bayan and approved by then Mayor David  Yawan changing the celebration of  Bontoc town fiesta from third  week of  May to September 16. The first celebration of Bontoc ton fiesta was held  September 16, 1997.

Said Ordinance  provides that the  municipal government shall  commemorate the day with “appropriate celebration that should involve all the  barangays  of the municipality, government  agencies and non government organizations  and all  others concerned”.

Am-among in the Bontoc dialect specially refers to a cultural thanksgiving event celebrating bountiful rice harvest.   

 With the celebration of  the twin events,  Odsey   emphasizes the  significance  of the traditional  ‘ato’ (cultural tribunal)  as  a reflection of good governance in this year’s theme, “Championing  good governance as a the key to self-reliance and sustainable development.”

Odsey said,  “since the beginning of Bontoc as a community all the aspects of community life were governed by the 'ato'. The ‘ato’ was run by elders respected for their wisdom, experience, and most especially the love for community. The best interest of the people and the community as a whole took paramount consideration in every decision they made”.

“We champion good governance by living and practising it until it becomes a way of life.  When it becomes a way of life for all of us, as it has for our ancestors, we achieve a community  that is self reliant in its needs and which is able  to accomplish development  that are sustainable  creating a lasting legacy of a better  Bontoc for our children and the generations to come," he added.