Bantayan grabs first prize in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo

CEBU, Philippines - The Palawod Festival of the Bantayan Island has once again won the 3rd Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival of Festivals 2010 held at the Cebu International Convention Center last Saturday evening, which was participated by 32 festivals from all over the province.

The first prize winner in the ritual showdown depicts fishing which is the main source of livelihood in Bantayan. The locals celebrate palawod, or the fishermen’s toil, through street dancing, music and visual arts that capture the island town’s unique fishing rituals.

The Palawod was followed by Sibonga town’s Bonga Festival, which means “fruit” in English. The second prize winner from southern Cebu danced in a form of thanksgiving for the blessings and graces the people of Sibonga received from their patron saints, Sta. Filomena and Our Lady of Pilar.

The Kabkaban Festival of Carcar City placed third followed by Kagasangan Festival of the Moalboal and the Hinulawan Festival of the Toledo City.

The Palawod of Bantayan also won best in costume and best in jingle contest.

The Kabkaban Festival of Carcar City won first place in the street dancing category that took place along the streets in Centro, Mandaue City all the way to Ouano Avenue and to the CICC.

The Kabkaban Festival is a ritual dance believed to be a way of driving away bad spirits.

They were followed by the Minglanilla’s Sugat-Kabanhawan Festival, Bonga Festival of the Sibonga and Soli-Soli Festival of the San Franciso.

The Hinulawan Festival of the Toledo won the first place in the Decorative Audio Van category, followed by the Sibonga, San Francisco, Kaumahan Festival of the Barili, and the Kabkaban Festival of Carcar.

Carmen’s Sinamay Festival won the Best Andas followed by the Barili, Sibonga, Bantayan, and San Franciso.

The event ended with a fireworks display followed by a one-hour live band show entertaining thousands of people from Cebu’s urban centers, the towns and the even islands.

The awarding of winners will be done today. (THE FREEMAN)