Town festival ‘highlights progress’
-A A +ASunday, August 12, 2012
INSIDE the packed gym, five contingents of the 13th Cordova Dinagat Festival wowed the crowd with their colorful costumes and fishing village-inspired performances.
Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy said yesterday’s Dinagat Festival was a success, although there were fewer contingents.
He said they decided to divide the 13 barangays into five clusters to minimize the expenses.
The festival started with a street-dancing competition.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, third district) were present at the gym but left before the dance showdown, as did Las Piñas congresswoman Cynthia Villar.
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Ouano watched some of the performances.
In her speech, Villar urged the officials and residents of Cordova to continue the festival and promote the town’s products.
Winners
The contingent of Barangays Day-as, Buagsong and Bang-bang won both the dance showdown and the street dancing contest. It was also adjudged best in costume and best in Dinagat concept.
The contingent of Barangays Poblacion, Catarman and Gilutungan placed second in the dance showdown, while the contingent of Barangays San Miguel, Dapitan and Pilipog placed third.
Cordova will celebrate its fiesta in honor of its patron saint San Roque on Wednesday and Thursday.
Cristina Sitoy, wife of Provincial Board Member Arleigh Sitoy, said the theme of this year’s festival focused on the progress of Cordova.
She is the founder of the Cordova Dinagat Festival.
“It is important that we don’t lose our culture,” she told reporters.
Attracting tourists, investors
She said the festival is one of the things balikbayans look forward to. The festival, she added, is one way for the town to attract investors and tourists.
Mayor Sitoy said they organized a street party and a fluvial parade for the first time.
He said the Provincial Government, through Board Member Sitoy, subsidized the expenses of the barangays.
He said the public can look forward to a grander festival during the town’s centennial anniversary next year.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 13, 2012.
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