27 barangays to join Mandaue’s “Panagtagbo”

CEBU, Philippines - Seven contingents from 27 barangays will join the “Panagtagbo Festival” in Mandaue City on Jan. 17, a day before the Traslacion or the meeting of the images of the Holy Family takes place.

The festival, now on its second year, is an offering to the images of the members of the Holy Family, which will converge in Mandaue from Cebu City  through a “Traslacion,” before the Blessed  Sto. Niño and the Virgen sa Guadalupe are taken back to Cebu City through a fluvial parade the following day.

Prizes await this year’s winners of the “Panagtagbo Festival” street dancing contest.

The street dancing on S.B. Cabahug will start at 5 p.m. and will be followed by a showdown of the contingents in front of the city hall.

The 27 barangays are grouped in sevens, each contingent having a maximum of 50 dancers.

A “core group” composed of dancers of the Mandaue City School for the Arts will also perform.

Clarence Sanchez, the vice president of the Taga Mandaue Inc. which launched the festival last year said that last year was more of a demonstration of the song and the basic steps.

Sanchez said the organizers have invited Miss Tourism International 2012 Rizzini Alexis Gomez, who earlier paid Mayor Jonas Cortes a courtesy visit.

The City has set aside P2 million for the festival, he said.

Sanchez said the city launched the festival to honor a religious activity that is unique in Mandaue: the meeting of the images of the Holy Family.

The Traffic Enforcement Management of Mandaue will mobilize about 170 traffic personnel to manage the traffic during the Traslacion on Jan. 18.

The “Traslacion” is a traditional prelude of the annual feast of the Sto. Niño and the Sinulog celebration.

The annual religious activity will start with a mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño at 7 p.m.  (FREEMAN)