TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The Pasaka Festival of Tanauan town in Leyte was adjudged overall champion of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals competition held last June 27 in Tacloban City, which organizers described as the biggest cultural extravaganza in Eastern Visayas.
Mayor Remedios Petilla of Palo town in Leyte, concurrent chairperson for the event, told The Freeman that Pasaka Festival defeated four other contingents to take home the P750,000 cash prize as overall champion.
Pasaka Festival also won the special awards for best in dance parade with P100,000 prize, best in festival music (P150,000 prize), and the best in festival costume (P100,000).
Placing second was the Buraburon Festival of Burauen in Leyte, the defending champion, which got P500,000 cash. It was also the Aliwan Festival 2018 grand champion.
In third place was the Sanggutan Festival of Barugo in Leyte, which took P250,000 cash. Sanggutan was the champion of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in 2016.
The top three winners — Pasaka, Buraburon, and Sanggutan — will be the official entries of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in the Aliwan Festival 2019 in Manila, according to Petilla.
The mayor said Pintados-Kasadyaan promoted the rich cultural heritage of Eastern Visayas, and highlighted the fiesta celebrations of Tacloban City on June 30.