Mandaue holds Christmas tableau, St. Anne Learning Center wins plum

CEBU, Philippines -  The Mandaue City government yesterday held its annual Christmas tableau inter-school contest with St. Anne Learning Center in Paknaan emerging as the winner, private school category.

Conceptualized by Madame Sarah Walker-Cortes, wife of Mayor Jonas Cortes, tableau is a re-enactment on stage of the first Christmas, the Nativity of Jesus Christ based on accounts in the Bible.

This is a way of paying homage to Jesus Christ,  aimed at strengthening one’s faith, Madame Sarah said.

The contest, private school category, held at the city hall grounds at 8 p.m. was participated by St. Anne Learning School, Mandaue Ebenezer Alliance Academy, and the University of the Visayas-Mandaue.

St. Anne Learning Center, the winner, received P30,000 as prize followed by UV-Mandaue, second and a prize of P20,000, and Mandaue Ebenezer Alliance Academy, third with P15,000 as prize. Luke Christian Institute, Inc. backed out of competition.

Criteria included, creativity and originality of interpretation, 30 percent; performance and continuity, 40 percent; costumes and props, 15 percent and; audience impact, 15 percent.

The judges included Frelyn Mabanag, city council secretary and Orlando Staneda-Diola, retired bank officer, balikbayan, photographer and water colorist.

“I felt overwhelmed, its God’s grace,” reacted Isah Dano, stage director of the 10-member cast of St. Anne Learning Center.

Dano, an elementary teacher of the school and a member of a theatre group in Christ the King Parish said their almost a month of preparation and teamwork paid off.

The school’s administration will have to decide what to do with their prize, she said.

Another contest, involving six public schools, was also held last night.  (FREEMAN)