CAVITE CITY: The local government here on Thursday, February 29, held a poetry competition meant to revive the Chavacano dialect, a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in this province, notably in Ternate and in this city, as well as in Zamboanga City.

The local government said holding competitions such as this First Chavacano de Cavite Spoken Poetry Competition is one way to revive the dialect, which only 6 percent of the city's population knows, according to data from the Cavite Tourism Office.

"The local government is fully supporting this project so that we don't lose our own dialect," said Cavite City Mayor Denver Chua in an interview. "Our city still has programs lined up for this with the help of Councilor Nash Aguas, Chairman of Tourism."

The said contest is a step toward ensuring that the dialect inherited from the Spanish ancestors, called Spanish creole, will not disappear.

So on February 29, at the Montano Gymnasium, students from nine schools competed in the field of pronunciation of their own dialect as part of the celebration of National Arts Month.

Among the schools that took part in the elementary division were Bagumbuhay Elementary School, Dalahican Elementary School, Garita Elementary School, Julian Felipe Elementary School, San Lorenzo Elementary School, St. Joseph College of Cavite Inc. and Sta. Cruz Elementary School.

Those that competed in the high school division were Cavite National High School, Sangley Point National High School and St. Joseph College of Cavite Inc.

For the senior high school and college division, the participants were Cavite National High School, Sangley Point National High School and St. Joseph College of Cavite Inc.

Shan Christian Garcia of Garita Elementary School won 1st place in the elementary division, Rielle Mariz Guevarra of Joseph College of Cavite took 2nd place, while Maria Ava Verniz of Julian Felipe Elementary School settled for 3rd place.

In junior high division, the winners were Yohan Fernandez of Cavite National High School, 1st place; Celestine Reyes of St. Joseph College, 2nd place; and Jordan Lee Gaviola of Sangley Point National High School at 3rd place.

Xyrell de Guzman of Sangley Point National High clinched first place in senior high and college division, Jul Sim Tebangin of Cavite National High School settled for 2nd place while Justine Pierre Corra from St. Joseph College finished 3rd.

The winning students received cash prize and plaque from the local government unit.