Hugpong Dayaw, a series of online competition organized by the Negros Cultural Foundation Inc., in partnership with the provincial government of Negros Occidental and the Negros Museum, has recently launched to crowdsource social media content aimed at promoting the many facets of the Negrense heritage.

There are three skills-based competitions open for the Negrense public to explore. They are “Kanta Cover” (Song Cover Competition), “Hangkat Bayle” (Dance Cover Challenge), and “Pitik Sulat” (Photo-Essay Competition).

During the 2021 Year End Tourism Assessment of the Negros Occidental Tourism Division held at the provincial capitol in January, organizers from the Negros Cultural Foundation, Inc. shared that they recognize the growing social media creator community in Negros and they see it as a muscle that can build cultural awareness among online users domestically and even overseas.

“There’s so much potential from the youth today. We see them show-off artistic talents almost everyday via TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook. Why not use them for the good of our community?” said Negros Cultural Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Tanya Lopez.

The creator competitions aim to attract young people from across Negros Occidental. Its guidelines prescribe that interested participants as young as 15 years old can gain entry.

“Hugpong Dayaw is not just a series of competitions. It is a platform that incubates young Negrense talents for the development and preservation of our local culture, traditions, and heritage,” Lopez added.

A panel of judges will name three winning entries from each competition. The champion will receive a cash prize of P15,000, while the second and third runners up will take home P5,000 each. A special award and prize will also be given to the entry with the most Facebook engagements.

Guidelines and instructions on how to join Hugpong Dayaw are posted on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hugpongdayaw. The online creator competitions will remain open until March 6, 2022./WDJ