BONTOC. Dr. Josephine Magkachi-Ngodcho, 67, a composer-singer, of Chackong, Bontoc Ili, Bontoc, Mountain Province, was the winner of the Barangay Bontoc Ili hymn contest held on December 19, 2017 at the Bontoc Ili Barangay Hall, Foyayeng, Bontoc, Mountain Province. As earlier published, the contest started on October 29, 2017 with deadline of entries on December 15, 2017. Judging coincided with the regular meeting of the Bontoc Ili officials and staff with the different committee representatives who composed the Board of Judges.
Dr. Ngodcho was the only composer-contestant who was able to comply with the criteria: lyrics – 50%, melody (with notes) – 40%, and performance – 10%, following the guidelines set by the Bontoc Ili Sangguniang Barangay. Her winning piece was adopted as the official hymn of Barangay Bontoc Ili by the Bontoc Ili Sangguniang Barangay chaired by Hon. Alexander N. Fana-ang during the said regular meeting. This makes Bontoc Ili the first barangay of Bontoc Municipality to have an official barangay hymn.
The composer-winner is a retired Professor VI and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC). She also served as the OIC-Office of the President for almost eight months and was described as “the singing OIC” for, in most occasions, she delivered her Messages/Speeches by singing them. While she was in the government service, she won in different musical composition competitions. She composed the MPSPC Hymn with her as lyricist and Rev. Daniel P. Cariño as musician. She won second prize in the Bontoc Hymn Contest. She also won first prize in two regional hymn contests: Cooperative Development Authority (CAR) Hymn Competition and the Song Writing Composition Competition with her musical piece “Act Now for Better Health” conducted by the Women’s Health and Safe Motherhood Project-Partnerships Component.
Her other adopted hymns were the MPSPC-Education Department Hymn, the XCMPI Hymn (XiJEN College of Mountain Province, Inc.), and the MP POC Hymn (Mountain Province Peace and Order Council). She has composed many songs and poems that have been performed by different groups during community programs. For these and other creative works, she was awarded as “Creative Writer of the Year” by the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College and as a “Gantimpala Agad Awardee” by the Civil Service Commission – CAR. Her creative works are compiled in the book “Songs and Poems for MPSPC and Others”.
An Igorot composer, this retired professor has been composing indigenous songs and other songs plus poems, and has been writing articles on Bontoc and the Bontoks.
A government service retiree, she is the composer-winner of the Ut-utan Elementary School Hymn aside from the Barangay Bontoc Ili Hymn. It can be recalled that she donated her cash prize to the Ut-utan Elementary School. She is an active officer-member of the Bontoc Ili Senior Citizens Organization, the Catholic Women’s League-Sta. Rita Unit, and the Association of Retired Mentors.
As the Barangay Bontoc Ili Hymn composer-winner, Grandma Jo said, “I am very much thankful to the Almighty God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – for my musical talent. ‘To God be the glory!’ I am also thankful to our Mother of Perpetual Help and to Sta. Rita de Cascia.”
Her prize will be awarded during the Barangay 1st General Assembly 2018 in March 2018.
By Nelia S. Fokleg
