Leyte dancers to represent PHL in ASEAN Children’s Festival

PALO, Leyte, Dec. 8 (PNA) -- A group of young performers from Leyte province will represent the country in the ASEAN Children Festival in Bali, Indonesia on December 15 to 18.

Jan Kairel Guillermo, organizer of Leyte Young Talents and Entrepreneurship (Leyteam) said young dancers will form the Philippine delegation to the four-day international event next week.

“We will continue to champion arts and culture and we are excited to share our culture and learn from the culture of the countries that will be participating in the festival. It is our great honor and pleasure to carry the Philippine Flag in the upcoming ASEAN festival.

The event will gather children aged between nine to 15 from seven ASEAN countries and consist of a series of activities for participants to get an insight into cultures of the bloc and help boost exchanges.

For this upcoming event, participants will tackle sustainable solutions to address global social problems

A music and dance gala will be one of the highlights of the festival with cultural presentations from Leyteam.

The dancers, composed of 18 boys and girls, have been representing the country in various events.

The Region Eight Administrators League (REAL) has raised more than PHP800,000 funds for logistical support of the group in a dinner-for-a-cause event over the weekend. Other recipients are elderly and abandoned children housed at the Pope Francis for the Poor.

REAL President and Department of Budget and Management Regional Director Imelda Laceras said government officials in the region will continue its support to Leyteam.

“Some of our officials in the region are in a better position to support them. We have to help young talents who have been representing the province, region and our country abroad,” Laceras added.

Guillermo said support from top government officials will open more doors to them.

Citing a survey, Leyteam said revealed that only 4.23 percent of the youth in Leyte recognized culture and heritage as a form of art.

REAL is an organization of top regional and provincial officials of government agencies in Eastern Visayas. (PNA)
PGL/Sarwell Q. Meniano & Jushua S. Marga (OJT)