Pinoy trivia challenge kicks off in Australia

The Learning Filipino Together (LFT), a non-profit community organization that operates the Filipino Language School of Canberra, conducted last August 24 an adaptation of the typical Trivia Nights staged in many parts of Australia to benefit a charitable cause or organization. 

Called the "Tribyang Pinoy Challenge," the three-hour event with participants numbering to 80,  covered topics on Philippine history, movies and music, national artists, heroes, celebrities, landmarks, food and riddles. The youngest students from the school also showcased their ability to master and sing Filipino children’s songs.
 
A major part of the program was the "balagtasan" by some Filipino radio broadcasters from the Radyo Filipino Canberra. "Balagtasan" is a form of debate between two opposing parties who deliver their arguments in an artistic, rhythmic and entertaining fashion.  

Another highlight was the personal appearance and special participation of one famous radio announcer/DJ who recently migrated to Canberra—Joe d’ Mango!

Joe d' Mango, or Rolando Sulit, came to Australia as a skilled computer science graduate specializing in electronics and robotics. During the "Tribyang Pinoy Challenge" he gamely played the role of the game master in one category, which endeared the audience especially those who used to listen to his radio programs in the 1990s until this time.
 
The event successfully evoked strong participation from the trivia participants that all 8 groups still managed to create bahay kubos (traditional Filipino huts) in between trivia categories. Being a practicing interior designer in the Philippines, Sulit was a perfect judge in selecting the winners for the bahay kubo creation. And to make the event truly Filipino, traditional food like lechon, puto, dinuguan, kutchinta, biko, pilipit, crinkles, mammon, siopao, kwek-kwek, turon were on sale.
 
LFT has since received positive and generous feedback from participants about how much the event had allowed them to remember and appreciate a great deal of their culture and art.  It also encouraged the participants to learn more about and feel more connected to the present issues and events back in the Philippines.  Most all, participants could not ignore the 'fun' part during the duration of the games.  Clamor for the event to be conducted annually keeps coming and LFT is seriously considering it as a regular activity each year.

The "Tribyang Pinoy Challenge" was held at the Mother Teresa Primary School in Harrison in the month of August coinciding the Philippine’s annual celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (language month). Back in the country, this year’s theme is "Wika Natin ang Daang Matuwid."

The article is a press release from Learning Filipino Together.