20 Caraga artists honored in inaugural festival
Source: MindaNews
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 22 February) -- Twenty artists from the Caraga Region were honored on Tuesday in the inaugural Creative Caraga Festival aimed to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding creatives who originate from and are based in the region across diverse fields within the creative industries.
Named the Creative Caraga Awards, this is a component of the festival organized by the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-Caraga), which recognizes achievements in different creative fields like film, performing arts, visual arts, publishing, print media, design, and traditional cultural expressions.
Among the awardees is Laurice Guillen, born in Butuan City, a prominent figure in Philippine cinema, acknowledged for her roles as an actress, as well as her contributions as a film and television director.
Guillen, who is also the keynote speaker, delivered a message through a video in which she stated that the festival initiative could serve as a window of opportunity, not just to honor those from Caraga who have excelled in their fields, but also as a breeding ground for emerging talents.
"Perhaps we can engage Caraga's youth and introduce them to film and its related arts, encouraging them to dream differently and understand the realities faced by fellow Filipinos in the provinces," Guillen said.
Jossette Campo-Atayde -- popularly known as Sylvia Sanchez, an award-winning Filipina actress born in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte -- is also an awardee in the film category. She was represented by her mother, who became emotional as she read her daughter's message at the awarding ceremony.
"Madami-dami na din po tayong nasungkit na mga awards pero sa totoo lang iba ang kurot sa puso ko dito sa award na ito dahil galing po ito sa inyo, sa aking mga kababayan dito sa Mindanao" (We've won quite a few awards, but honestly, this one feels special in my heart because it comes from you, my fellow Mindanaoans), the message reads.
The actress also said that she will forever cherish her roots in Barangay Punta in Nasipit as it is the place where her dreams took shape.
Like Sanchez, Bayang Barrios of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, a multi-awarded singer and songwriter known for a genre that fuses folk-pop music with Mindanao's Lumad influences, expressed emotional sentiments upon receiving her first recognition for performing arts from the region.
"Mahirap i-please ang sarili mong lugar; hindi ka makikilala hangga't hindi ka makakagawa ng pangalan sa ibang bansa o ibang lugar. Napaka-emosyonal din para sa akin nitong award dahil marami na akong natanggap na awards, pero ito yung first time na dito mismo sa lupang sinilangan" (Pleasing your own place is challenging; you won't be recognized until you make a name in another country or elsewhere. I'm quite emotional about this because, despite receiving numerous awards, this is the first time I am being recognized right here in the land where I was born), Barrios said.
DTI-Caraga Regional Director Gay Tidalgo stated that the award is a celebration of the "extraordinary achievements and remarkable contributions of Caraga Region's most talented creatives across a spectrum of artistic disciplines and entrepreneurial ventures."
"Each of the 20 awardees has demonstrated a remarkable level of innovation, ingenuity, and artistic excellence within their respective field, making us all proud as they inspire future generations of creatives," Tidalgo said.
According to Brenda Corvera, assistant regional director of DTI-Caraga, the awards consider the following five criteria for the selection: creativity and innovation, outstanding achievement in respective creative endeavors, impact and influence in the community, sustainability and entrepreneurship, and community engagement.
The 20 recipients of the Creative Caraga Awards are as follows:
The Creative Caraga Festival, a three-day event at Robinsons Place Butuan running until February 22, features various activities such as a fair exhibit, cultural and musical nights, creative industry talks, a fashion parade, and a stakeholder workshop.
Originally scheduled for December 5-7, 2023, the festival was postponed a day before the event due to a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the region on December 2, followed by several aftershocks. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao / MindaNews)