Thursday, September 1, 2016

Painting contest to highlight Balangiga Encounter Day celebration

BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar, Sept. 1 (PNA) -- A province-wide mural painting competition depicting the heroism of locals here is one of the many lined-up activities in commemoration of the 115th Balangiga Encounter Day 2016 on Sept. 28.

Balangiga, a sleepy town in the province of Eastern Samar with 12,000 population, is the site of the biggest single defeat of the Americans during the Filipino-American War.

There were 54 soldiers killed and 18 wounded in the bloody Balangiga Encounter on Sept. 28, 1901, popularly known as Balangiga massacre. The bolo-wielding Filipino resistant fighters were hiding at the church before they attack the Americans.

In retaliation, an enraged Gen. Jacob Smith sent 180 soldiers to the town and commanded to kill all male 11-years old and above, capable of carrying firearms. His order made the town the howling wilderness, as soldiers killed those in site and burned the communities.

Not contended with the deaths of thousands of Filipinos, the Americans took the Balangiga bells and a 400-year-old British Falcon cannon in the plaza as war booty. The bells were used by the Filipino fighters to signal the attack on the American detachment in Balangiga early morning of September 28.

 The return of the bells remain an outstanding contention related to war.

A life-size diorama depicting the attack of the Filipinos against the soldiers is in the town public plaza designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva.

Cash prize for the mural painting contest is PHP20,000, PHP15,000 and PHP10,000 for the first, second and third placers and a consolation prize of PHP3,000. Other activities lined-up for the three-day event are fun run, zumba, agricultural fair, inter-school secondary folk dance competition, choir contest. Cash prizes also await the winners. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR


No comments:

Post a Comment