Winners all

BELLISSIMO, Belenismo!, awarding a total of 11,330,000 in cash prizes to the winners of the province-wide belenmaking contest as announced yesterday by Tarlac Heritage Foundation.

Benissimo!, Ateneo de Manila High School, harvesting 140 medals from Yale University’s World Scholars Cup Tournament of Champions, and Immaculate Conception Academy landing in the top ten with 74 medals and six trophies.

The City of Manila is a winner, too, those median islands lighted up with whirligigs spinning above the traffic, from Quiapo to Roxas Blvd, their brilliant colors emphasizing how neighboring Quezon City is so poor it does not have a single parol or star lantern to light the way for travelers. Makati, Global City, towns and cities outside the great city are dressed up in tinsel and sparkle for Christmas, but not QC.

So unlike Belenismo, a gloriously illuminated pageant of Nativity scenes now on its 10th year, each of the 47 tableaux assembled by amateurs, and every Christmas as the spirit (to win) grows, so does their creativeness. Mrs. Isabel Cojuangco Suntay and her daughter and namesake, Dr. Isa, congratulated the winners:

Municipal category, 1st prize, Capas; 2nd, Moncada and Concepcion; 3rd, San Manuel and San Clemente. Grand nonmunicipal: 1st, St. Francis of Assisi and SM Prime Holdings; 2nd, McDonald’s Capas. Monumental: 1st, McDonald’s; 2nd, Tarlac Agricultural University; 3rd, Azaya Garden; 4th, CityMall.

Church: 1st, St. Joseph; 2nd, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel; 3rd, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Community: 1st, Sto. Cristo and Bgy. Health Worker-Tariji; 2nd, Bgy. Balingcanaway and Taguiporo Giants Assn. – Sta. Ignacia; 3rd, Samahan sa Pura and BHF Ligtasan; 4th, Gr8 Multipurpose.

That there were so many ties meant the judging is getting harder each year even as the foundation has to stretch its budget. “It’s well worth it,” Dr. Isa exclaimed, “I wouldn’t exchange it for anything in the world!” See you next year.

Back in Yale U, the tournament was an early gift for Miriam and La Salle also. ICA’s victory was especially precious because the event was not endorsed by higher authorities. How does one argue against victory in a field of 2,200 students from 50 countries? The competitions covered written exams, essay writing, and three rounds of team debates. See you next year.