Santiago City's Pattaraday Festival

CEBU, Philippines - Pattaraday is an ethnic Gaddang word which means unity. Santiago City's "Luntiang Pattaraday para sa Kalikasan" (Green Unity for Nature) presented a series of activities honed to celebrate preservation of their natural environment during its Founding Anniversary week.

Santiago City is a part of Isabela, Region II, and takes pride as the Best Tourism Event Hall of Famer.

One of its main crowd drawers is the Pattaraday Festival last May 5, a presentation of ethnic tribes from the locality or neighboring towns showing diverse themes that celebrate life, love, nature and other human interests.              

Contestants from San Manuel, Isabela, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Aritao, Nueva Viscaya, Angandanan, Isabela, Nagtipunan, Quirino, Alicia, Isabela, IJMS, Santiago City, San Mateo and Aurora, Isabela, were joined by visiting guest performers from Kapayan, Benguet, Dinagyang of Ilo-Ilo, Ibon-Ebon of Candaba, Pampanga, Caloocan City, Gilon-Gilon Street Dancers and Buyogan Street Dancers with the special participation of the Gran Batalla performing troupe of Santiago City. In a nutshell, the event was a dance congress joined by contingents from as far as Tuguegarao and Ilo-Ilo.

Judges Louise A. Borbon and Noel C. Silang of Batangas City, Prof. Antonio R. Li of Aklan, Allan E. Samonte of Tuguegarao and this writer graced the occasion. The panel was graciously received by Mayor Amelita S. Navarro and Street Dance Committee Chairperson Dr. Mila R. Ancheta.

The event was star-studded with the inclusion of the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross Hon. Richard J. Gordon.

Congratulations to Tribu Aritao of Nueva Viscaya for winning the competition two times in a row. (FREEMAN)