Muntinlupa student wins gold medal at Asian Music Games in Indonesia
The Muntinlupa City government congratulated a student for winning a gold medal at the Asian Music Games 2023 held in East Java, Indonesia.
Mhico Aish Cortel, a resident of Barangay Poblacion and a senior high school student at Tunasan National High School in Muntinlupa, emerged as champion in the Individual Solo Color Guard Senior Class (Male) of the Asian Music Games. 

Mhico Aish Cortel showing his gold medal at the Asian Music Games in Indonesia (Photos from Ador Querubin's Facebook account)
Cortel is also a member of Saint Joseph Band 98, Flag Arts, and Sandugo Drum & Lyre Corps.
He said starting in 2016, he became a member of a band using lyre or xylophone and eventually trombone. He became interested in becoming a color guard during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The color guard is essentially a visual interpretation of the music played by the band. To accomplish this interpretation, members use flags and other props, a variety of dance styles and sweeping marching formations that can span the entire football field,” according to the Musical Expert website.
“Nag-start po ako mahilig sa pag-color guard nung nag-pandemic, yung kaibigan ko na color guard ay tinuruan ako lalo wala kaming magawa sa bahay since lockdown (I started becoming interested in color guard during the pandemic, my friend who is a color guard taught me especially since we could not do anything at home because of the lockdown),” he said, according to the Muntinlupa City government.
Cortel said he could not believe that he would compete as a color guard in other countries and represent the Philippines.
The Asian Music Games is the flagship event of the Asian Marching Band Confederation, which is one of the biggest music and visual competition in Asia.