The Philippine delegation is composed of Maria Cristina Orante, 23; Don Jason Marco Hilotina, 26; Kurt Alalag, 19; and Edgar Sabang, 25. They represent the different ethnic groups of the Philippines. Two are from the Cordilleras in Luzon Island, while one is Maguindanao and the another, a T’boli, both from Mindanao. They will be headed by Gian Mari Gianan.
ABOUT 40 youths from all over Southeast Asia will converge to celebrate traditional music, values and traditions at the ASEAN Youth Camp (AYC) from November 23 to December 1 in Sagada, Mountain Province.
The camp is funded by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) under the Philippine chairmanship of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the prime government agency for arts and culture headed by its chairman Felipe De Leon Jr. and OIC-executive director Adelina Suemith, through its International Affairs Office.
Following the success of the last Asean Youth Camp—with Singapore as implementer of the 10th installment of the annual activity—the Philippines proposed its revival through a second cycle that will feature traditional instruments common among its co-member states namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
These are gongs and bamboo instruments. As such, the second Asean Youth Camp will bring together a variety of resonance from gongs and bamboo instruments harnessing both ancient and modern repertoires. Both masters and young musicians from Southeast Asia will also be able interact and create integrated renditions in a culminating concert.
Each member state will also field about four young musicians of gongs and/or bamboo musical instruments, aged 18 to 30 years old, and a former AYC delegate for music (traditional music instrument player) who will act as the adult leader/head of delegation.
For the Philippines, the delegation is composed of Maria Cristina Orante, 23; Don Jason Marco Hilotina, 26; Kurt Alalag, 19; and Edgar Sabang, 25. They play different traditional instruments like the kulintang, paldong, tongali, gangsa, kulitong, bongos, nose flutes, dizi flute, gongs, kumbing, sludoy (bamboo zither), sloli (flute) and hegelung (two-stringed lute).
This year’s camp director will be one of the Philippines’ National Artists for music, Dr. Ramon Santos.