GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/25 April) — The city government will form a youth orchestra with out-of-school youths and former juvenile delinquents or children in conflict with the law (CICL) as members.
Elmer Cequiña, head of the city’s youth affairs and development office, said Tuesday they have started the preparations for the creation of the “Batang may Pangarap” orchestra, which is among the priority interventions set by the local government this year for the CICLs.
He said they initially scheduled a series of auditions for prospective members in coordination with organizers of the four-year-old GenSan Youth Orchestra (GSYO).
“We’re targeting to formally organize the orchestra for the CICLs this summer,” the official said.
Dubbed GenSan Music Scholarship Program, Cequiña said the initiative will be launched during a music camp scheduled on May 15 to 28.
He said the auditions will be conducted during the music camp, an annual activity supported by the city government.
The scholarship is mainly open to out-of-school youths and CICLs “who are less fortunate but are musically inclined.”
GSYO, which was established with support from the city government, has prepared a music aptitude test for free for those who would want to avail of the scholarship.
Under the program, scholars will have an opportunity to learn how to play musical instruments or get voice lessons for an entire year for free.
GSYO and the local government will also send the scholars to school and provide some “freebies to get you going.”
Cequiña said City Mayor Ronnel Rivera and members of the city council or Sangguniang Panlungsod have given their full support to the establishment of the youth orchestra for the CICLs.
He said the mayor committed an initial P1 million to facilitate the purchase of musical instruments for the orchestra. (MindaNews)
