Cebu troupe wins Aliwan grand prize

Festival dancers from Cebu City continued to dominate their counterparts from all over the country when the Lumad Basakanon on Cebu City won the grand prize yesterday in the Aliwan Festival 2008 held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

This is the third straight year that the multi-awarded Lumad Basakanon troupe from barangay Basak San Nicolos won the Aliwan grand prize, having also emerged champion in 2006 and 2007.

Adding glory to Cebu was the third place finish of the Sinulog contingent from Carmen town.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena said he was very happy with the achievement of the youngsters from Basak San Nicolas.

“ No one else won it before for three consecutive years. I am very happy for them and they deserve congratulations from all of us, “ Osmena said.

The mayor said the city government has appropriated P867,190  in financial assistance to the group to cover the food and transportation expenses of 130 dancers, 40 instrumentalists, and 30 props men.

Osmena said it had not been easy on Lumad Basakanon to defend the title as some contingents copied both their dance steps as well as their costumes.“ Everybody seems to copy their costumes. The biggest opponent they faced was themselves. “

This is the same troupe that won the free interpretation category in this year’s Sinulog held earlier in January.

Sandwiched between the Cebuanos at second place was the Tribu Iloganon Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City.

For their feat, the Lumad Basakanon dancers bagged the P1 million grand prize plus the championship trophy.

The Carmen dancers, for their part, won P250,000.

The Aliwan Festival was held over three days, from May 1 to 3, with the winners announced at 1 a.m. Sunday.

Now on its fifth year, the Aliwan Festival is a nationwide competition where regional contingents showcase the different festivals celebrated in their respective regions.

A total of 25 contingents from all over the country participated in the festival.

Aside from Lumad Basakanon of Cebu City and the Sinulog dancers of Carmen, the other contingents were Pakalog of Pasig; Pangisdaan of Navotas; Panagbenga of Baguio; Lang-ay of Bontoc, Mountain Province; Pamulinawen of Laoag City; Gakit of Angadanan, Isabela; Desposorio of Hagonoy, Bulacan; Boling-Boling of Catanauan, Quezon; Penafrancia Voyadores and Pilgrims Festival of Naga; Pintaflores of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; Saad of Leganes, Iloilo; Halad of Midsayap, North Cotabato; Alikaraw of Hilongos, Leyte; Buyogan of Abuyog, Leyte; Bakhawan of Zamboanga Sibugay; Shariff Kabunsuan Festival of Cotabato City; Meguyaya of Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan; Kang Gelal of Sultan Kudarat; Buklod of Parang, Maguindanao; Kalilintad of Mamasapano, Maguindanao; Lami-Lamihan Festival of Lamitan, Basilan; and Kadayawan of Davao City.

Lumad Basakanon choreographer Norman Navarro said their participation in the annual “ Festival of All Festivals ” is both an offering to the Santo Nino and a way of promoting Cebu City and the Sinulog.

Basak San Nicolas barangay captain George Rama did not accompany the contingent, esplaining “ Ma-tense ko kung i-announce na unya. ”

Only Cebu City councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa and Sinulog Foundation officers Ricky Ballesteros and Dolly Suzara accompanied the contingent.

Abellanosa said Lumad Basakanon can still join next year as the Aliwan Festival organizing committee has not laid down any guidelines covering grand slam winners. 

As for Carmen, that town’s vice mayor, Sonia Pua, said the people of Carmen are happy and proud to have won third place in a festival of such magnitude, despite it being their first time to join.

Pua said the municipal government appropriated more than a million pesos for the costumes, fare and honorariums of the dancers.

She said they will again be joining next year’s competition provided there will be funds to cover expenses.

This year’s Aliwan Festival competition drew more than 3,000 performers. (/JST)