August 31, 2003
Wara pa Septembre pero tapos na an TUKLAS �03, one of the major fiesta attractions of Borongan. Sugad-sugad hin temprano la yana ini nga competition. Mas mamadamo konta an maaabot ngan malilingaw kon niyan ini buhata han harani na an patron. In fact, listening closely to the emcees, I sensed that they preferred it this way, but�
It was a different Tuklas experience for the Borongue�os. It was more colorful than the song-and-dance competitions in the past years. A big improvement was the addition of EX MEN �TO. Ano ba ini?
The show started about an hour late but the audience didn�t complain. They were busy watching some music video clips being projected to a giant screen at the left side (stage right) of the Borongan Cultural Stage. It was a bonus attraction before the main event started. The Information Technology Department of Eastern Samar State College provided the projector. The musical extravaganza was broadcast �live� thru Reliance Cable TV of Rolly Olog.
It was a beautiful night of songs and dances as the witty emcees, Cora Basada and Manny Arago called the contestants one by one to show off their skills. There were ten finalists in the adult category of the singing contest, and the children�s category had five talented kids. Most contestants in the adult category were Estehanons. One was from Pampanga, but married to an Estehanon, and another was an �ukay-ukay� trader from Catbalogan, Western Samar. The kids were all Estehanons. All the five competing groups in the popular dance contest were Borongue�os, except for a group from San Julian town.
Ano naman itong EX MEN �TO?
The emcees hinted that the title is something like a competition of �exceptional men with fabulous and outrageous costumes.� But where are the men? What we saw were colorfully garbed gays - some looked like mutant characters from the hit movie X-Men 2. There! So, this is a lampoon of this movie. And if we look closely at the title and the characters of the competition, we will come to appreciate the title concept. Sino ba ang gumawa ng title na ito. Saludo ako! EX MEN �TO - Ibig sabihun, Ex Men ito o mga dating lalaki ito�ngayon mga ano na�whatever!
Aside from the X-Men characters, mayda pa Spider Woman, Cat Woman, Darna, and a bagong Darna (daw!) with a blue tin foil costume with a flowing cape. Mas maganda raw siya sa ibang mga contestants. Another character who prefers to be called Gumamela Zobel aka Ms. Mystika was asked for her, err..his�her reaction to the �mas maganda raw siya� challenge of the Blue Darna, quickly quipped, �I never dream to go down her level!�
Emcee Manny Arago had a grand time with the Ex Men. He asked Ms. Catwoman to spell her name. �Diri ma ak maaram mag-ispil,� was the quick response. Manny was very candid with his interviewees and he jokingly commented, �Sa lahat ng Catwoman, ikaw ang mukhang �yatot,�� Manny was giggling this time in jest. Wara naman, malooy, dinulo.
A participant garbed like an Egyptian and called Cleopatra, �Queen of the Night� won all the awards: Miss Talent, Best in Costume, and the Grand Prize of five grand and a GMA presidential trophy. She revealed her name as Danika Estil. She owns and manages Freestyle by Danika beauty saloon in Baybay 3, Borongan
Honestly, I enjoyed the Ex Men segment and the whole of Tuklas �03. The organizers really did their best to have a successful and a better show this year. The audience was huge and their reaction was fantastic. Mabuhay an mga organizers han competition headed by Atty. Norman Bocar, chairman.
No doubt, it was a total entertainer pero kadam-an la han naka-witness hadto mga Boronganon kay wara pa man mga dumuroong�maiha pa man an patron.
Tapos na an TUKLAS �03 bisan kon diri pa Septembre. - Byron Bugtas |
