TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Department of National Defense (DND) Senior Undersecretary and concurrent Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unification (OPAPRU) was recently adopted as a son of the province during simple adoption rites held at the Kalinga Sports Complex.
Galvez, who as the province’s guest of honor and speaker during the record-setting Awong chi Gangsa, Agtun chi Banga, was given the name ‘Dalutag’ which means strong and brave tribal leader which reflects his reputation as a veteran peacemaker throughout his career as a dedicated military officer.
Earlier, the provincial board passed Resolution No. 2023-036 formally adopting Secretary Galvez as a son of the province and giving him the name ‘Dalutag’ and bestowing upon him the benefits and privileges of the people of Kalinga.
Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang, Gov. James Edduba, Vice Gov. Jocel C. Baac led provincial, city and municipal officials in handing over to Secretary Galvez the traditional Kalinga attire that included a vest and a G- string, a shield and a spear that symbolizes his being a member of the indigenous peoples of Kalinga.
In response, Galvez assured the people and officialdom of Kalinga that he will do his best to help the province in its aspiration for lasting peace, growth and development by striving to link the provincial, city and municipal officials to partners in government for them to be able to access support for the overall progress of the province in the future.
He also lauded the unity, cooperation and teamwork of the people and officialdom of Kalinga that led to the successful record-setting of the Largest Gong Ensemble and the Largest ‘Banga’ or Pot Dance that paved the way for Kalinga to be enshrined in the Guinness Book of World Records for such twin records that were established in a single period.
The ‘Awong chi Gangsa, Agtun chi Banga’ that was in the making over the past 2 years set the record for the Largest Gong ensemble with an adjudicated 3,440 male gong players from the province’s 7 towns, Pinukpuk, Rizal, Tanudan, Pasil, Lubuagan, Balbalan and Tinglayan and the 4 districts of Tabuk City who played their gong simultaneously for the prescribed 5-minute period while it also set the record for the Largest ‘Banga’ or Pot dance with an adjudicated 4,681 female ‘Banga’ dancers who were able to perform their dance simultaneously during the prescribed 5-minute period with high proficiency.
The DND chief also witnessed how the people and officials of the province hurdled the challenges of establishing the two world records during the actual performance of the simultaneous playing of the gongs and the ‘Banga’ dance right in the sports complex even at the height of the several hours of heavy downpour that failed to dampen the successful conduct of the said record setting event.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio was earlier adopted as the province’s daughter and was given the name ‘Lumingay’ which means strong and supportive wife of a tribal leader.
She was also handed over the native Kalinga attire for women that symbolizes her being part of the people of the province.
