16 August 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert congratulated a ballet troupe from the Philippines for reaping new honors for the country and people by winning numerous awards in the 6th Asia-Pacific Dance Competition held at the Overseas School Auditorium at Paterson Road in Singapore last July.

“I laud the efforts put in by the members of the Philippine delegation,” Secretary Albert said. “Their victories are a triumph for their parents who sacrificed time and money to send and accompany their little girls to Singapore to compete. This is surely an experience that would inspire them to better their craft and further bring honor to their families and their country.”

The 71-strong Philippine delegation came from the Shirley Halili Cruz School of Ballet and was in Singapore from 23 to 26 July 2004. The yearly competition is organized by the Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing and was participated in by various schools of ballet in Asia, namely: the Altitude Performing Arts Studio, Ci Yuan Community Center, Crestar School of Dance, Dance Spectrum International, Dance Synergy NUS Center for the Arts, Elli Zhou Ballet Studio from Kuala Lumpur, Hai Yang Cultural and Development Center, JCT Dance Workshop, Kebun Baru Community Club, LASALLE-ASIA College of Arts, Singapore Ballet Academy, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, the Classic Company.

The Philippine Delegation won a total of sixty-three (63) awards in various categories: solo, duos or trios, group and ensemble. Their repertoire included traditional Filipino dances like binasuan, bulaklakan, la jota and even tinikling.

The youngest member of the delegation, Eya Navarro, who is only six years old, won first prize in programmes, the Classical Solo and Demo Character Solo. The other dancers comprising the ballet dance troupe are Gladys Baybayan, Cheka Cabreza, Maan de Guzman, Christine Lansang, Nikki Vera Cruz, Murielle Albania, Adceline Amilhamja, Melissa Amad, Andrea Bo, Charlene Brilliantes, Marydith Eusebio, Jacky Fermo, Chesca Hernandez, Jolina Leonardo, Louisse Lopez, Sharra Martin, Bianca Nobleza, Alex Obispo, Biannah Peji-Palm, Karmela Peneyra, Anna Santos, Vinz Sermonia, Patricia Siochi, Rayne Sulaik, Selena Ty, Bea Uy, Sharmaine Valeroso, Kaila Arce-Ignacio, Janine Baldonado, Rizza de Jesus, Merry Joyce de la Torre, Denise de Leon, Patricia Degollado, Lourdes Estrada, Lee Filoteo, Marielle Filoteo, Kiselle Garcia, Ann Go, Lorainne Lopez, Regine Magbitang,  Martina Manalo, Lia Mazo, Jessica Milner, Patricia Pacheco, Yvette Perez, Denise Sales and Kathleen Sy. The Philippine delegation was the biggest and was given a special award by the organizers for their active and enthusiastic participation.

Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen F. Anota handed out awards to the winners of the competition. – END