Dagupan students show love for city through paintings
DAGUPAN CITY— Students of Dagupan City National High School (DCNHS) showed their love for their city and one of its National Artists through their paintings during a competition for the Edades Day celebration at the City Museum last Dec. 23.
A Grade 10 student of DCNHS Special Program in the Arts and Arts and Design Track, LJ Jimenez, won the first search for “Batang Edades” for his art work ‘Home Along.’
The search is in honor of the city’s first national artist Victorio Edades from Barangay Bolosan on his birthday, Dec. 23, which is being proposed to be declared by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) as Edades Day.
Jimenez won P10,000 cash prize and plaque for his art work.
Gem Castillo, also a Grade 10 student of DCNHS, won second place for his painting of Edades while Ivanne Drehx Escobar, a Grade nine student of DCNHS, won 3rd place. They both received P7,000 and P5,000 plus plaque, respectively.
Five more students of the school were awarded consolation prizes of P500 each for their artworks. They are Winona Bautista, Jon Chris Lim, Rosalyn Gipa, Jannine Vargas and Jimenez.
Jesusa Edades, a second generation of the Edades clan, gave her testimonies on how Victorio lived during the time she was with the national artist for two years in Manila.
Mayor Belen Fernandez, who led the awarding ceremony, said the talents of the students inspired her to construct a building for them and the next generation of artists at DCNHS.
Fernandez was joined by Schools Division superintendent Froserfina Bravo, assistant schools division superintendent Lourdes Servito, 2016 city fiesta executive chairman Epee Rafanan, culture and arts officer Zenaida Sinlao and Dagupan Hymn composer Rex Catubig.
Architect Alex Villaflor, one of the judges in the competition, told The STAR in an interview that he was surprised at the talent of the young students shown in their artwork.
“For their age, they have something to say and I’m happy with the result. It was Okay,” Villaflor said.