CITY OF MALOLOS—Officials and residents continue to live up and strengthen Malolos historic significance through this year’s “Iskulimpcs,” a national and local history and culture quiz bee that are demonstrated through sports abilities including showcase of talents on arts, declamation, music and pageant.
Some 2,000 secondary students in eight senior high schools–Marcelo H. del Pilar National High School, City of Malolos Senior High School CMIS-Atlag, Pamarawan Senior High, Pres. Corazon Cojuangco Aquino Memorial National High School, (PCCAMNH) Bulihan National High School,City of Malolos Integrated School (CMIS)-Sto. and Rosario Senior High and fifteen junior high schools–Marcelo H. del Pilar, CMIS-Catmon, CMIS-Sto.Rosario, CMIS- Atlag, Pamarawan High School, Bulihan High School, City of Malolos High School (CMHS)-Canalate, CMHS- Bungahan, Look 2nd Integrated School (IS), CMIS-Babatnin, Cong. Teodulo C. Natividad High School (HS), CMHS- Stma. Trinidad and PCCAMNH attended the opening of the Iskulimpics at the Malolos Sports and Convention Center on Feb. 21.
Selected students represented all the 23 senior and junior high schools in the “Bakbakan sa Kasaysayan,” “Kasaysayawan,” “Sigaw ng Demokrasya” Sabayang Bugkas,” at “Republikawitan” competitions.
The Iskulimpics is part of the “Febpublica 2025” celebration of the city government of Malolos which aims to enhance and deepen the youth and the student’s knowledge of the rich national and Malolos and the province of Bulacan’s local culture and history through sports, arts and music competitions with the theme, “Pagpapatuloy ng Kasaysayan, Kahusayan at Kadakilaan”.
Feboublika is a part of the January 23 Fiesta Republica celebration of Malolos.
Mayor Christian Natividad said the Iskulimpics not only tested the capabilities of the youth and students of Malolos in many aspects and fields but more so of their familiarization of our country’s rich culture and history including that of the city and the province. The Iskulimpics also enabled the youth to explore and demonstrate their talents and capabilities in arts, music and interpretative performances about our country’s freedom.
The categories and types of the competitions–Bakbakan sa Kasaysayan, Kasaysayawan, Sigaw ng Demokrasya, Sabayang Bigkas at Republikawitan competitions presented by the competing schools and students highlighted the Philippine Spanish Revolution, World War II and even contemporary major political events in the country.
Leilanie Cunanan, City of Malolos Schools Division Superintendent said the performances not only proved the knowledge of the students about the country’s hard-fought battle in achieving our country’s freedom but also served as a strong reminder to each and every student of the responsibility of each Filipino to protecting and preserving the country’s independence.
Both challenging the physical strength and stamina and the knowledge of local history, the contestants also participated in “Karera ng Kasaysayan”.
The students underwent one station to another manner of answering the questions wherein they needed to answer questions about all the major historical destinations in the city one at a time. Not until they answer the question in one particular historical site, they cannot run and move to the next historical destination.
The questions delved about the Malolos Cathedral, Barasoain Church, Casa Real and the old houses in Kamestisuhan Street in Barangay Sto. Nino that were used as national government offices during the First Philippine Republic under then President Emilio Aguinaldo.
Marcelo H. Del Pilar National High School Senior High School won the first prize. Marcelo H. Del Pilar National High School Junior High School as second and the City of Malolos Integrated School Santisima Trinidad as third.
The Islulimpics is only one of the highlights of this year’s Febpublika, a city government project that is connected to the Jan. 23 First Philippine Republic to remind the people of the value of the country’s freedom achieved during the
Malolos and the whole province of Bulacan observed as a non-working holiday the annual Jan. 23 First Philippine Republic The First Philippine Republic where the Malolos Constitution was ratified Jan. 23, 1899.
The January 23, 1899 First Philippine Republic Day which is the ratification of the Malolos Constitution is an annual major celebration in Malolos in honor and recognition of its significance in the country’s own democracy and freedom.
“Ang Iskulimpics ay isa lamang sa maraming aktibidad ng Febpublika na naglalayong ipaalala sa mga Maloleño lalo na sa mga kabataan at gayundin sa buong bansa ang kahalagahan ng ating kalayaan. Sa pamamagitan ng mga ganitong programa, patuloy na magsisilbing tanglaw ang kasaysayan sa pagtahak ng bawat Pilipino sa landas ng tunay na kalayaan at pag-unlad,” Natividad added.
For one, the officials and students continue to keep alive and in high spirit this year’s 39th year commemoration of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution.
They held up the lessons and values of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution as one of the difficult questions in the secondary education level Bakbakan sa Kasaysayan. The question directly referred to the Philippine phenomenal peaceful power revolt almost 40 years ago.
“Naging pandaigdigang pangalan ang kaganapang ito para sa mapayapang pag-agaw ng kapangyarihan ng pamahalaan at mula sa halimbawa ng tinatawag na Pag-aalsang EDSA noong 1986. Ang buong pangyayari ay isang malawakang pagkilos sa mga paraang hindi gumagamit ng dahas at humantong sa pagpapatalsik kay Pangulong Ferdinand E. Marcos at pagbabalik ng mga demokratikong institusyong pampolitika,” (A world-known event for a peaceful grab of power from the government similar to Edsa Revolution In 1986. The whole event is a nationwide move to oust then President Ferdinand Marcos without the use of force but which resulted in the return to a democratic political institution). The answer, “People Power”.
Asked as a related topic but asked in the multiple choice easy category, was about the Edsa highway. “Ano ang unang pangalan ng Epifanio de los Santos Avenue o mas kilala bilang EDSA? Highway 54, Avenida Rizal, Kalye Manila, Maharlika Highway”. (What is the first name of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or the most commonly known as EDSA?) The answer is “Highway 54”.
