By Neil D. Lopido

Tacloban City (October 17) -- Mr. Joel D. Amistoso of Scandinavian Village II, Tacloban City was adjudged as the grand prize winner of the recently concluded Siday (Poetry) Writing Contest in line with the 65th Leyte Gulf Landings Anniversary Celebration with the theme, "A Salute to the Valor of Our Last Living Heroes."

Of the almost 100 siday entries that were submitted by the 45 siday writers who participated in the contest regionwide, Amistoso's "VETERANO" Buhi nga Bayani was the judges' top choice while Mr. Edwin Tomines Briones' "Saludo" and Mr. Jun Margate's "Tinu-od nga Pagkilala" landed second place and third place, respectively. Mr. Briones is from Bito, Abuyog, Leyte while Mr. Margate is from Tacloban City.

Amistoso, being the champion, will receive a cash prize of Php5,000.00 while Briones and Margate will receive Php3,000.00 and Php1,500.00, respectively, during the Liberation Fiesta Leyteña Awarding Ceremony on October 19, 2009 at Bethel International School, Palo, Leyte. All the three winners will receive also certificates of recognition courtesy of the provincial government of Leyte through Governor Carlos Jericho L. Petilla.

The contest started its airing of the 18 daily winners from October 1-18, 2009 over station DYVL Aksyon Radyo with a daily cash prize of Php500.00 courtesy also of Governor Petilla. A separate awarding ceremony will be accorded to these daily winners on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at the Philippine Information Agency, Regional Office 8, Tacloban City.

The members of the board of judges was composed of young writers in Eastern Visayas which include Mr. Voltaire Q. Oyzon from the Leyte Normal University, Tacloban City ; Mr. Efmer Agustin from the University of the Philipines, Tacloban City ; and Mr. Leonilo D. Lopido of the Philippine Information Agency, Tacloban City.