UB Architecture student upstages veterans in DoH paint contest

October 21, 2017 Community Billboard

A University of Baguio architecture student who missed a slot in an on the spot contest last month upstaged veteran artists to win the Department of Health on the spot competition Thursday at the DoH regional office here.
There is no denying Jonathan Villalobos this time as he edged more experienced artists to take home the P15,000 top purse and a seat in the national competition on Oct. 25.
Last Sept. 20, Villalobos phoned in late in the National Police Commission’s competition that forfeited his slot despite pre-registering.
The open category of said competition was won by classmate, Jessie Marie Esteban, who took home the P5,000 top purse. It was also the second time UB architecture students winning a painting contest over veteran artists.
With a smile, the new member of the Pasa-Kalye Arts Society shrugged off his earlier frustration with the top podium finish and bigger bounty. Now he is eyeing a much bigger fish – try to win the nationals.
“It’s just that I can’t believe that I won,” said the recent winner of the Petron regional painting competition.
“My focus now is for the national competition,” said Villalobos, who later treated his classmates, who also joined the contest, and some of the Pasa-Kalye artists to dinner.
Villalobos registered 92.2 percent, which is a mere 0.8 points off Pasa-Kalye external president Joseph Domirez Jr. who took home P10,000 for his effort.
The soft spoken Domirez, the eldest of three artist brothers from Itogon, meekly accepted his reward with a smile. “This is a surprise, I was not expecting anything,” said the father of one, who competed with one of his siblings, Richard, the middle brother.
Pasa-Kalye’s Gladys Ann Laciste-Labsan wound up third for the P5,000 purse as she expressed also disbelief when she was among the only three of the 10 participants whose name was not yet announced.
“I was expecting to go to the grocery with the consolation of P1,000 for a diaper and milk for my baby, but now I could go and buy more items for my kids,” said the online editor who is mother to three girls, the youngest just a year old.
Laciste-Labsan is also one of the newer Pasa-Kalye artists who started painting on canvas only this year. She used to paint rocks for Bookends owner and Pasa-Kalye president Maricar Docyogen to augment her income.
“I appreciate ma’am Maricar’s encouragement to paint on canvas,” said Laciste-Labsan as she has become one of the more sought after Pasa-Kalye artists now.
Meanwhile, the Pasa-Kalye Teens will be launched on Saturday, Oct. 28 as a culmination activity for the Baguio City High School Senior High Arts Track at the Pasa-Kalye Alley at Bookends.
A day long activity including on the spot painting, busking, dances will be staged to mark the end of apprenticeship for some 20 students from BCHS. PML / ABN