One of the most well-known music artists in the Alimodian community is Ronnie Tacal.

He sings
and plays different instruments like the rondalla, flute, drums, and other instruments in a band. He was
born in the western lands of the Negroes. Ronnie Tacal's life in Negros Occidentals was extremely
difficult due to his family's inability to manage the cost of living there. His residence is far from his school,
and his parents are not financially stable enough to provide for him, so they chose to transfer him to
Alimodian. He is 51 years old and the father of four children. He is living happily with his wife, whose
name is Alma Tacal. He met his wife in Alimodian, where he now dwells.

He managed his time between his family and his career. He ensures that all of his loved ones and
his job are balanced. Before making a move, he will plan it first to balance his priorities in life. If there is
an activity in school during weekdays and he can't spend time with his family, he will spend it on
weekends, Saturdays, and Sundays. He began his artistic career because of his uncle, who encouraged
him to pursue a career in music and art. Since his family did not have the financial stability necessary to
put him through college, his uncle advised him, "If you want to graduate from college, you need to be
prepared to be a scholar in college." Ronnie Tacal is determined to finish his studies because he
believes that one of a student's achievements is to pursue a degree and get a job someday. Half of his
life is spent working because after he graduated; he went straight to work as a teacher while continuing
to study for his licensure exam to become a teacher. He began his career at Alimodian National
Comprehensive High School, where he became a band member. He then continued his education at the
University of San Agustin, where he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education in
1992 as a scholar. Currently, he holds a license to teach, specializing in mathematics, but he excels
more in music. In addition, he has been instructing band and rondalla for the past 30 years. He now has
43 students in a music band and 40 in rondalla at Alimodian National Comprehensive High School. They
have already won awards, including the first runner-up in the National Competitions for Young Artists
(NAMCYA). His previous students also won awards such as Champion in Marching Band in the
Celebration of the Cry of Sta. Barbara year 2009, and Champion in Dinagyang marching band year
2010. Also, in 2005, he was recognized as the division's outstanding teacher in music. He was the head
of the MAPEH department and wanted to instill the idea of using music to succeed in life. As the head of
the MAPEH department, he believes, "When you perform, it is not just dance or music; there is a
synopsis to it."

When his students perform, they are more disciplined, they modestly display their abilities, and
they have a solid basis from which to build, allowing them to quickly identify their work. Ronnie Tacal
motivates his pupils to study hard in college and make the most of their gifts to help others and make a
living as musicians. In his leisure time, Ronnie Tacal volunteers at a workshop in Iloilo City, where he
instructs young students, and he's been performing on various occasions to showcase his musical
abilities. Social media and several organizations are their tools for connections and constant
communication. Tacal promotes some Alimodian songs such as "Bulak sang Alimodian and Nadula nga
Bulak." In promoting, they do not advertise; instead, they perform to promote Rondalla. They let their
audience promote them and the songs after they performed.

Despite the good performances and teamwork, challenges are still present. The biggest challenge
for them is the time they invest in preparation. Sometimes, Ronnie Tacal has to give extra time beyond
school hours and days to gather, prepare, and practice. In an individual’s life, problems arise. When he
had school concerns, he used to discuss them with higher authorities. When it comes to private matters,
he only discusses them with his other colleagues. Based on his experience, problems affect him as an
artist, but he needs to be flexible to cope with the issues and changes in his life. Not only must he be
adaptable, but he must also be able to reflect on and evaluate his actions during a crisis.

PART II.

Ronnie Tacal is very significant to the world of music and the arts. He has many achievements in life that
we can’t imagine. Upon interviewing and answering all the questions, I’ve learned that he has a lot of
potential, skills, and is very confident too. Discovering this regional artist provides opportunities to reflect
on society and the issues that are important to us. He also taught me that being a musician and singer is
not easy since we must balance our other life priorities. 

After learning about his life, I felt mixed emotions, such as empathy, amazement, happiness, and many
others. At first, I felt unhappy because his parents are not financially stable enough to provide for his
needs as a student, person, and son. However, despite his difficulties in life, he still succeeds and
becomes a licensed teacher in mathematics. Not just that, he also became the head of the MAPEH
department. I am amazed by the sudden changes in his life and happy at the same time since he is very
talented and still manages to cope with his surroundings and the people around him.

To further promote their music from the region, we encourage citizens to watch their performances to
gather insights about them and the purpose of their songs. They are not just some music artists
performing to have some fun; instead, they are musicians and singers who promote the importance of
music in our lives. They are artists who are dedicated to their works and inspire young adults to be
optimistic in the face of adversity by listening to music. In contrast, most people use social media to
promote or advertise different products or services, so I will use media platforms to spread their other
creations to the world so that their hard work will be honored and paid off. Not just that, doing some live
streams featuring some of their well-known music that can have a significant economic impact is also
the best way. I will also create an educational video and post it on YouTube of various musicians and
singers promoting and distributing their songs. Not only can I earn money from YouTube, but if my video
is successful, it will spread like wildfire on social media. And in this way, I can better explain to all
individuals why they make such music; artists can get more exposure and give them a better idea of the
artist.