The husband and wife team Edil Bliss Castillo and Albert Buaquen have been appointed as Bago Youth Coordinators. Their appointment was announced at the Bago National Cultural Society of the Philippines meeting in Pugo, La Union last May. During the meeting, it was also planned that the 4th Bago Congress will be held in Bagabag Vizcaya next April 2009.
The photos below were taken during the meeting in Pugo last May (courtesy of Edil):
Edil and Albert are organizing the Bago youth to create a website in order to inform all Bagos in the Philippines and abroad of the activities and projects of the Bago youth and the tribe as a whole. Among many upcoming projects where the Bago youth will be involved is the first Begnas Ilocos on October 28 to be held in Candon, Ilocos Sur. It will be a grand, three day affair spearheaded by the Bagos and everyone is invited. More importantly, all Bago youth are invited to get involved in the organization. There are plenty of projects in the works and every helping hand will be welcomed.
If you would like to get involved and join the Bago Youth, contact the coordinators at the address below:
Edil Bliss Castillo
Albert Buaquen
#23 Lower Engineer’s Hill
Baguio City
2600 Philippines
This is a video message of the President of the Bago National Cultural Society of the Philippines Inc. (BNCSPI), Geoffrey S. Tilan, Ph.D Engr. Orlando Balloguing who, according to Irene Culbengan (see correction in comments section of this post), is also the ex-mayor of Pugo, La Union. On the video below, Engr. Balloguing mentions that he is from Saitan. In addition, he talks about how bagos have been discriminated upon and discusses his personal experiences and plans to promote the Bago traditions and heritage.
BAGO NATIONAL CULTURAL SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.
Engr. Orlando Balloguing
President & Chairman of the Board
c/o NCIP Regional Office I Martinez Bldg., Quezon Ave., City of San Fernando, La Union
The Regional Director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) - Region I is Director Hover M. Ciriaco, Jr. from G. del Pilar, Ilocos Sur.
Visit Bill Bilig’s website, From the Boondocks for a video of kids and women dancing the “Poggapog” dance to the tune of Lourdes Gomeyac Fangki’s Ili Mi’d Kaigorotan.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Do you want to earn and be a popular writer? Ok, even just for fun, let known your expertise in ILOCANO-BAGO dialect by typing your wonderful stories or poems, or chants, or songs in my new yahoogroup site, the coolestbagotibe at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coolestbagotribe/
I am currently researching for texts and materials about the Bago, and will soon administer instruments to study the Bago Literature. This attempt to revive the Bago descendants’ interest on their tradition should yield some relevant information for me and my research. I’m into Linguistics, and so any valuable help and UTTERANCES you share in a nice form or casual/informal/formal ways shall be greatly appreciated.
Other Ifugao/Kankanaey dialects are accepted if you have the facility in them. Kindly include a footnote/vocabulary meanings for the difficult words please.
Any contribution from 500 to 1,500-word piece of work may receive a 100-peso (more contribution, more tokens!) gratuity token to be handed to you or your recipient/ scholarship/ family in the Philippines. I know, there are lots of beautiful pieces uploaded here already, and I’m dying to hear more. I wish I could have the regular Bago writers here at SaguntoStar join the yahoogroup and be regular contributors to the site. YOU too can share at anytime, so please, Join now. SPEAK YOUR HERITAGE! LET SHINE YOUR BAGO ROOTS in your veins!
Saguntonians, don’t forget to send your donations for the tribal council’s request for gongs, tambor and costumes. They are doing their part by promoting and learning more about the tribal culture, let’s do our part by helping them achieve their goals.
Following are Emily’s personal insights about the seminar and more photos:
