Hiyas ng Pilipinas, a motley group of  public school students from the City of Manila,  emerged champions in the Himig ng Pasko Children’s Choir Competitions for the second straight year,    In the Open category, Coro de Manila, comprised mostly of students from the Ramon Magsaysay High School, won the P100,000 grand prize.   Winners in MBC's  Ilaw ng Pasko lantern-making competition were also awarded their prizes that evening, in a fun-filled programme hosted by Alex Gonzaga and 90.7 Love Radio's Chris Tsuper.

 Conducted by Nick Infante with Lemuel de la Cruz as vocal coach, Hiyas ng Pilioinas beat NAMCYA finalist Juan Luna Elementary School  in a contest that supported the clamor to strengthen arts education in local schools.  Pasig Catholic College copped third place, with Bagong Silangan Elementary School of Quezon City coming in fourth.  Earning the unabashed admiration of the SRO crowds as well as the more accomplished adult choirs present, Hiyas hopes to take part in the World Choir Games in 2010, and of possibly debuting at the Concorso Polifonico in Arezzo, Italy.

 In the Open category, Coro de Manila, conducted by Michael de la Pena, took this year’s coveted championship over a sterling roster of entries that included the Music and Praise Chorale from the Immaculate Conception Basilica in Pasig, the DILG Voice Group, and the University of Makati Chorale.   Counting among its members alumni from the Ramon Magsaysay High School Chorale which won the NAMCYA finals in 2005, the group delivered an impeccable line-up of songs that got the nod of the judging panel comprised of world-class conductors Jonathan Velasco, Nonoy Diestro, and Ed Manguiat.

In the Ilaw ng Pasko lantern-making competition, Estrella Carpio won the P100,000 grand prize with her traditional star-shaped parol made of discarded cigarette packs and bamboo sticks from old window shades.  Felicito Sentones copped second place, depicting a star with 10 rays, surrounded by carollers -- all made from colorful candy wrappers and pakpak lawin leaves.  In third place was Elena Wong, who used an array of waste items such as egg shells, fish bones, an N.F.A. sack, plastic spoons and forks, straw, scraps of wood and old newspapers.  

 

 

Runner-up honors went to Edwin Estudillo (using tahong shells, dried coconut, palapa, and corn husks), Ricardo Maturan (using scrap wood and bamboo, cornhusks, pineapple, coconut, and dried roots), Joselito Maningat (using assorted plastic bottles and caps), Gaspar Cruz (using old compact discs and Styrofoam cut-outs), Leo Pablo Salenga (using plastic bottles, styro cups, olds magazines, and milk cans) , Elizabeth Saquido (using various parts of the coconut tree mixed with dried banana leaves, mahogany fruit, and lubi-lubi), and Joseph Cristobal (using discarded packaging for pancit bihon, cartons, and pieces of bamboo). 

The myriad array of lanterns, which drew the admiration of contest judges Rachy Cuna, Fr Albert Flores, and National Museum Director Cora Alvina for their craftsmanship and innovation, measure up to 10 ft in height and are now proudly displayed along the façade of Star City until the end of the Christmas season.