New Read-a-thon categories in English were showcased during the Division Festival of Talents last Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Luray II National High School.
The top-performing learners, selected from the Cluster Festival of Talents, competed to represent the Toledo City Division in the upcoming Regional Festival of Talents (RFOT).
Grade 3 learners participated in the story retelling category, Grade 6 learners took on the story resolution challenge, and Grade 10 learners competed in the Pecha Kucha category.
Mariella Nandie Esquillo of De La Salle Andres Soriano Memorial College, representing Toledo Association of Private Schools (TAPS), was awarded 1st place in the story retelling category. When asked how she prepared for the competition, she shared, “I kept reading books and practicing at home. I love reading Science and Technology books.”
Jeff Diego Nicolas Baria of North City Central School, representing West 2, secured 2nd place, while Amary Roanne Cereño of Bato Elementary School, representing the South district, bagged 3rd place.
On the other hand, the story resolution challenge for Grade 6 posed a challenging task for the participants, as they had to create their own ending for the assigned story. The learners had to be creative to convince the judges that their ending was the best while incorporating a lesson on it.
The participants took on the challenge courageously, and each of them showcased impressive ideas.
Sofia Blair Suficienia of De La Salle Andres Soriano Memorial College bested seven competitors, grabbing 1st place. She described her win as a humbling experience, acknowledging that all participants were also competitive and well-prepared. “I thank God for this, and I believe this is His will for me—to be able to represent our division at RFOT.”
When asked about her experience, she emphasized that she aimed to deliver her piece not just for the judges but as if she were addressing children.
Juliene Reese Rom of Don Andres Soriano Elementary School, representing East Cluster 2, won 2nd place, while Abigail Galve of Awihao Elementary School, representing the South district, secured a podium finish.
For the Grade 10 contest, Pecha Kucha, which was introduced in the last Cluster FOT, offered a thrilling challenge. With time constraints and limited images on their laptops—without the aid of the internet—participants had to create a PowerPoint presentation and deliver a speech related to the given topic and fact sheets.
Noarym Juely Arriesgado of Don Andres Soriano National High School, representing Secondary Cluster 2, secured 1st place despite having limited time to practice with her coach.
According to her coach, Ms. Jetiel Abella, they focused on symbolism and speech delivery. “We will have to prepare for the upcoming RFOT. We will find time and make sure we represent our division well,” she added.
Kent Narciso Empas of De La Salle Andres Soriano Memorial College, representing TAPS, took 2nd place, while Francis Del Poloyapoy of Awihao National High School, representing Secondary Cluster 1, finished in 3rd place.
Chairman of the Board of Judges, Ms. Orchid Jane Quindao, an Early Childhood Education and Development graduate, emphasized the importance of teaching learners, especially the younger ones, to deliver their speeches as if they were speaking directly to their peers.
First-place winners from the division level will advance to the 2025 Regional Festival of Talents (RFOT) in Talisay City on March 24-28, 2025.

✏️📷Cris Lanie D. Delos Reyes
Teacher I-Bato National High School