Sandugo 'mardi gras' 2011 slated on July 31

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  — The Sandugo festivities this year will culminate tomorrow Sunday, July 31, with colorful street-dancing competition participated in by eight contingents with Senator Loren Legarda as guest of honor, according to Carmen Gatal, chair of the street-dancing committee.

Mariano Uy, chairman of the Bohol Sandugo Foundation, Inc. that runs the entire affair, said prizes for this year's contest are: P250,000 for grand winner; P175,000 for 2nd placer and P125,000 for 3rd. The Best in Street Dancing winner will receive P30,000 and for consolation prizes at P5,000 each.

The participants for this year are lesser than in previous years because no street-dancing groups from outside Bohol were invited.

The towns of Antequera, Balilihan, Catigbian, Carmen, Dauis and San Miguel and Holy Name University and Bohol Island State University will be competing in the mardi gras this year.

Before the contest proper, the participating groups will take the streets for the parade starting at the city tourist port at 11 a.m., to Gallares St., J. S. Torralba St., passing thru Plaza Rizal then to Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, Tamblot St. and finally to the CPG Sports Complex.

Immediately after the parade, the competition will start and fireworks and GMA "Kapuso" show featuring its "come-ons" and artists, as well as a concert of the Sponge Cola band will follow in the evening in the same venue.

Slated to hand over the prizes to the winners are Uy himself, City Mayor Dan Neri Lim and Governor Edgar Chatto, Enriqueta Butalid, provincial head of the Center for Cultural Affairs and Development, Argeo Melisimo, co-chair of street-dance committee, and Farrah Faye Mian, Miss Sandugo 2011 and her court.

Street-dancing has been a regular feature of this annual event since it was officially launched more than 20 years back.

There will be a Sandugo, or Blood Compact reenactment, by the delegation of the Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School.

The Sandugo is a celebration honoring the first treaty of friendship in the 14th century between native chieftain Datu Sikatuna and Spanish governor-general Miguel Lopez de Legaspi.

Sikatuna and Legaspi have been immortalized in life-size icons, created by national artist Napoleon Abueva, put up at Brgy. Bo-ol of the city, which was believed to be the exact place where the Sandugo took place, drawing hundreds of tourists everyday. (FREEMAN)