by Benice Angelique Battreal
Nine junior and senior high school students from various schools located at Los Baños (LB), Laguna competed in a poster-making contest that was held on March 6 as part of the municipal’s Rabies Awareness Month celebration.
The theme of this month’s celebration was “Barangay Kaagapay, Alis Rabies Tagumpay”. The event took place in the multi-purpose hall at the Municipal office of Los Baños and was spearheaded by the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist.
The contest was held to involve creative high school students from LB-based schools, both public and private, in the municipal’s movement to raise awareness about rabies. According to Cheryll L. Gonzales, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, their goal is to completely eradicate rabies cases in LB by year 2020. This is the first time a competition like this was held as part of the rabies awareness month celebration. Gonzales added that this even was a team effort of the whole office.
Invitation letters were sent out to all high schools in LB. Maximum of two representatives were allowed per school: one from junior high school and one from senior high school. The participants’ coaches were present with them during the competition. Mariano N. Leron III, coach of the participant from Mayondon National Highschool, informed that they received the invitation letter last month and held a mini poster-making contest of their own to determine who to send as representative of their school. It was assumed by Gonzales that the small number of participants was a probable effect of the exam week schedule of high school institutions.
On their ½ illustration boards, the participants used pencils, markers and pastel crayons to make art relevant to the contest’s theme “Alagang hayop ay mahalin, pabakunahan at iparehistro na din; ang barangay na may malusog at masayang alaga, rabies ay mawawala.”. Photo by KTRojas.
They were given approximately three hours until the participants submitted their works. The artworks will be judged by three individuals; two of which are municipal artists, one still tentative. The prizes are Php 2,000, Php 1,000, and Php 500 for the first, second and third placers respectively. Certification of participation are also given out to the contestants. However, winners are to be called and announced on March 23, at the culminating activity officially ending the Rabies Awareness Month celebration.
Other activities in line with the Rabies Awareness Month celebration are free spay and castration for cats and dogs on March 20, 8 AM to 5 PM, and the Dogs and Cats Show on March 23, 8 to 11 AM.