Bonok-Bonok festival a means in fighting poverty
Former governor and Chairman of Bonok-Bonok Culture and Arts Foundation, Inc. (BCAFI) Robert Lyndon Barbers said that Bonok-Bonok is one strategy in solving the problem of poverty. He said that since the local government has successfully marketed the festival for many years now, its continued celebration attracted local and foreign tourists which in turn increased the income of local entrepreneurs and added vitality to the economy.
He added that if a farmer/fisherman sells his products to the market before and during the height of the festival, his sales outweigh his investments.
Aside from that, Chairman Lyndon disclosed that they added P50,000.00 more to the cash prizes for this year's Bonok-Bonok Maradjaw Karadjaw Festival for a more festive showdown of the ritual dances.
He said that the winners have more to gain in joining the Bonok-Bonok 2008 as compared to last year, in addition to their high spirits and increasing popularity.
Chairman Lyndon added that there were eight contingents coming from Gingoog City, Butuan City, Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, General Luna, Surigao del Norte, Surigao West Central Elementary School, Saint Jude Thaddeus Institute of Technology and Surigao Norte National High School.
He also said that Karilagan Dance Society, a guest performer all the way from Canada joined the festival and added color to the Bonok-Bonok 2008 held at Surigao City National High School quadrangle.
The former governor explained that the word "Bonok-Bonok" means heavy rainfall. He said the festival came about two years after the 1984 super typhoon that brought destruction to the province.
The festival is an offering and a thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest expressed thru dancing in respect to the Patron Saint San Nicolas de Tolentino, which later adopted as a reflection of Surigao's rich cultural heritage, Gov. Lyndon added.
Chairman Lyndon also said, coincidentally since the start of the Bonok-Bonok, no super typhoons have hit Surigao del Norte.
In a related event, Surigao West Central Elementary School emerged as the overall champion out of the eight competing contingents and bagged the cash prize worth P250,000.00 plus trophy.
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Oh common let us be realistic the truth is only a few tourists came to watch Bonok-Bonok (actually enough for my fingers to count as you see I lost two of my fingers so you can just imagined how many tourists actually came).
The truth is Bonok-Bonok is just an ornament in the eye and candy lollipop to the many and hundreds if not thousands jobless of Surigao and temporary relief of diaspora of Caraganons to escape poverty.
It’s like drugs a for temporary high that will erase difficulties in our minds while supply lasts.
This is a challenged to Surigao media now, on how will they project these things. But knowing our mental capabilities, I don't know if they knew this. Tsk..Tsk Tsk
Amazingly this is first time in history that a street dancing like Bonok-Bonok helps fight poverty. Pardon me but this is really my firs…
Also, as long as a Barbers is in charge, I will doubt anything will ever get done.
What is the difference between Barbers, Romarate, Matugas, Boy Ruaya, Mayor Mangacop of Placer and other Caraga politicians combined?
At fault is, nobody in Caraga Region stood for what is right, for principled politics, we allow ourselves to be used. Our people, the mass voters are corrupt too or even worst. They don't only go to highest bidder but are selling the future of their children even their souls.
The reason the vicious cycle of poverty, why because our foundation in politics is that of money politics ergo political dynasties rule as like hell.
The Ming dynasty is not the dynasty I am referring. Worst is the kind of dynasty we had in our midst that monopolizes modern world killing us with a smile softly for their selfish vested patriarchal interests.
The bible says, "It takes good, righteous men to do nothing for evil to succeed
BENG ALAPAG