BNHS students showcase Mandarin proficiency, Chinese culture in festival

STUDENTS and teachers of Bataan National High School (BNHS) under the Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL)-Mandarin showcased their skills in the Chinese Culture and Art Festival at the school auditorium on April 18, 2024.

Led by Department of Education (DepEd) teacher Catherine Labrador, who had a Mandarin language immersion at Fujian Normal University in Fuzhou, Fujian, China, the festival was a happy occasion for students in displaying their proficiency of the Chinese Mandarin language in the singing and dramatic portions and their skills in cultural dance performances as well.

Journalists from Manila, who included Joseph Albert Gamboa, Marlo Dalisay and Arlo Custodio, agreed that the students spoke and sang Mandarin as if they were native speakers themselves and could give cultural and dragon and lion dancers in Binondo a run for their money.

“Splendidly skillful,” they muttered.

Joining Labrador, BNHS principal Dr. Alma Poblete and other faculty and staff were Joel Corpus Yap of Castillejos National High School, Sheila Abellon of Gordon Heights National High School (GHNHS), Raymon Co of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. Bataan chapter and City Councilor Victor Baluyot, among other guests.

A Chinese Language and Culture Quiz Bee and Chinese Mandarin Singing Idol Contest were held on the first day of the festival on April 12 with the winners also recognized on the culminating day.

“As the Chinese Culture and Arts Festival 2024 comes to a close, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the talented students who showcased their skills and creativity. Your performances have truly captivated us and celebrated the rich heritage of Chinese culture,” Labrador said.

Three of the BNHS SPFL alumni acknowledged during the event were Pauline Santos, now a licensed medical technologist; licensed Mechanical engineer Jansel Neil Navarro; and licensed nurse Shaira Mae Gumaru.

According to Labrador, local Mandarin teachers from GHNHS Olongapo City visited BNHS to benchmark the school’s SPFL Chinese Mandarin program.

“With focus on sharing best practices and enhancing learning outcomes, these collaborative efforts aim to elevate standards and enrich educational experiences.

Their insightful observations and constructive feedback further solidify our commitment to excellence in language education,” she said.

BNHS SPFL-Mandarin is now in its 10th year and the festival this year is the eighth edition.

According to DepEd, SPFL is designed to equip graduates of secondary education for meaningful interaction in a linguistically diverse global community.

“It helps prepare learners for a career, for higher education, or for entrepreneurship; thus schools are encouraged to provide lifelong learning opportunities for them through the implementation of this program,” DepEd said in its Manual of Operations.