Liloan finally wins Pasigarbo sa Sugbo festival

THE Rosquillos Festival of Liloan town, Cebu, which used a Broadway concept in presenting the town’s famous delicacy, bested the 30 contingents in the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival of Festivals last Saturday night at Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Liloan grabbed the first place for the ritual or showdown competition, followed by Carcar City with its Kabkaban Festival, and Madridejos town for its Isda Festival.

Liloan also won the best festival jingle prize.

Mayor Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco said they have been participating for the past five years, and they’re happy they finally placed now.

“I am speechless actually in this win. For the past five years, ni-participate ang Liloan pero karon pa gyud mi naka-place, but not only naka-place, na-top gyud (Liloan did not just earn a place, but first place),” Frasco said.

The Broadway presentation showed the making of the famous rosquillos. The dancers were clad in gold and red, and had a baker mascot.

Frasco said he is overjoyed, knowing that the Pasigarbo winner will join the governor as the official representative of the Province for Sinulog.

Frasco is the husband of lawyer Christina Codilla-Frasco, the governor’s daughter.

“I’m very proud of what Liloan has done. You could also see the focus, participation and paningkamot usab sa Liloan (perseverance of Liloan),” Garcia said.

She said the scores were tabulated by the Sycip Gorres Velayo (SGV) and Co.

The governor believes that this year’s festival is the best and is very grateful for it.

Junjet Primor, executive artistic director of Pasigarbo, said Liloan has a unique presentation and the dance was well presented.

Douglas Nierras, artistic director of Powerdance, said this is the first time that he judged the Pasigarbo, and he is very impressed with the production design of the contingents.

“Ang hinahanap ko yung discipline and refinement of performance. I’m not impressed by too much props,” Nierras said.

Included in the top 12 were the Sarok Festival of Consolacion, Palawod of Bantayan, Halad Inasal of Talisay City, Kagasangan of Moalboal, Dagitab of Naga City, Sugat Kabanhawan of Minglanilla, Ani-anihan of Tabuelan, Hinulawan of Toledo City and Panagtagbo of Mandaue City.

Best

Bantayan won Best in Andas, Best in Decorated Audiovan, Festival Costume and Street Dancing.

Carcar won second place for Street Dancing and Decorated Audio-van and fifth fifth place for Best in Andas.

Included in the top five winners for best in Andas were Mandaue, Carmen and Consolacion.

For street dancing, top five winners include Talisay City, Minglanilla and Sibonga.

The Best Decorated Audio-vans were from Sibonga, Madridejos and Toledo.

Festival Queen

The Talisay City Council gave recognition to the city’s tourism officer and their main contingent for recently winning the Festival Queen pageant during the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo celebration.

In a resolution, the council lauded the efforts of Talisay City Tourism Officer Edgar Mabunay for leading the City to its second year of winning the Pasigarbo sa Sugbu, particularly the Festival Queen tilt.

Aside from Mabunay, Talisay City’s Halad Inasal Queen Keena May Anne Sumido was also commended by the council after she was crowned Pasigarbo sa Sugbu Festival Queen 2012.

Aside from bagging the grand prize, Sumido, 17, also won the Best in Opening Production and Best in Group Production in the same competition.

In his resolution, Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao, who chairs the committee on tourism, said Sumido’s efforts in bagging the crown made the city proud.

Bucao said Sumido’s charm, poise, presence and grace during the competition made her stand out among the 18 candidates.

“She has shown the Province of Cebu the Talisaynon spirit, exquisiteness, excellence and grace and made the City of Talisay proud once again,” Bucao said.

Aside from Sumido, Kimberly Hanika of Moalboal’s Kagasangan Festival won first runner-up, Jenny-Me Reroma of Minglanilla’s Sugat Kabanhawan Festival won second place, Pearl Marie Cañeda of Carmen’s Sinulog sa Carmen Festival won third place and Daisy Salcedo Lopez of Mandaue’s Panagtagbo Festival won fourth place.

Last year, the title was won by 17-year-old Mary Lorens Goyenechea, who also represented Talisay City’s Inasal Festival.

Peaceful

Generally peaceful, the festival went smoothly. Task Force Commander Supt. Julian Entoma said.

Although it affected the traffic, especially the highway near the San Miguel Brewery, the street dancing was a success.

He said parking inside the CICC compound also posed a minor problem, as some VIPs insisted on going inside the compound despite the full parking.

“We just let drivers drop their guests and asked them to just park their vehicles outside,” said Entoma.

Crowd estimate inside CICC was between 5,000 and 7,000, said Entoma.

The Mandaue City Police office secured the situation outside the CICC, while the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) secured the CICC premises and the compound.

Around 1,000 security forces, composed of ROTC volunteers, 78th Infantry Batallion and Special Forces, helped the police.