Attention-grabbing costumes and high energy performances characterized the Nutri-Jingle 2017 Competition organized for local elementary students by the Municipal Nutrition Office on July 27 at the Events Center.

Category A contestants, Emmanuel’s Way Educational Institution, Bongato East Elementary School and Bayambang Central School, performed jingles with original lyrics and original melody, which means that the schools’ own talents in both composition and choreography were showcased. The kids sang and danced while dressed up as fruits and vegetables, the lyrics emphasizing the importance of eating healthy.

Pupils from Category B incorporated their own lyrics to the beat of famous local and international songs. Their costumes, props and performances indicated that the students came in prepared for the contest. Category B was participated in by 12 schools, namely Buayaen Central School, Pangdel ES, Sunbeam Methodist Christian School, Bical ES Cluster 6, Malimpec ES, Cluster 2 (Tambac, Tamaro, Nalsian, Buenlag, Sapang ES), Warding ES, Tococ East and West ES, Saint Vincent Catholic School, Hermoza ES, Liahona Learning Center, and San Gabriel 2nd ES.

Performers were given three to five minutes to showcase their talents while persuading the audience to choose to eat nutritious foods over junk foods. Members of the audience incessantly clapped and took pictures and videos during the performance of the schools they were cheering for.

The Category A winner, Bayambang Central School, garnered 92.97%, while Bongato East Elementary School and Emmanuel’s Way Educational Institution won 1st and 2nd runners-up, with the score of 92% and 87.80% respectively. For Category B, Hermoza Elementary School and Malimpec Elementary School secured the second and third place, with respective scores of 86.70% and 86.37%, while San Gabriel 2nd Elementary School emerged victorious with the score of 89.33%. The winners were given trophies, while the rest of the participants received consolation prizes.

The panel of judges was composed of distinguished academic Dr. Leticia Ursua and respected music artists Oscar Ora and Melanie Romero-Junio.

Jingles are written with the hope that the lyrics and melody would stick to the listeners’ minds, making them an effective way of convincing children to eat nutritious foods and live a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the event is to creatively impart knowledge of the benefits of eating healthy foods to help reduce the number of malnourished children in the town.

In his speech, Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao said, “We should promote proper nutrition and observe a healthy environment.” He added that parents and teachers have a big role in making sure that there are fewer underweight students in schools, but he also asked everyone else to pitch in to stamp out malnutrition in Bayambang for good.