Silhig festival takes flight in Bry. Paknaan

RAIN poured as festival dancers performed on the streets. During the showdown, they danced barefoot in the mud.

Despite the downpour, about 6,000 people watched the second Silhig Festival in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City yesterday afternoon. The event was held a day after the barangay observed the feast of the Sto. Niño, its patron saint.

Seven contingents from the barangay’s 15 sitios competed in the street dancing contest, which lasted three hours, and the grand showdown.

The contingent of Zones Kalbasa, Sikwa and Okra won the showdown, taking home P25,000.

Zones Kamatis and Sibuyas took the second prize, but they won the street dancing competition and were adjudged best in costume, choreography and andas or the presentation of the Sto. Niño image.

Zones Kamansi and Kangkong placed third. The contingent’s 20-year-old lead dancer, Apple Alesna, was crowned Silhig Festival Queen 2013.

Fame

John Ervin Demape, 24, choreographer of the winning contingent, said they wanted to show, in the presentation, that Paknaan’s broom-making industry is becoming famous worldwide.

Their dancers wore costumes in red, yellow and green. These are the colors of brooms produced in Paknaan.

“The dance steps we used reflect the basic steps in the making of silhig (broom),” Demape said.

Mayor Jonas Cortes, Vice Mayor Glen Bercede, Provincial Board Member Arleigh Sitoy and city councilors watched the showdown, which was held in an open ground near the barangay hall.

“Ang Silhig simbolo sa kakugi (The broom is a symbol of diligence),” said Cortes in a speech.

Better

Paknaan Barangay Captain Malaquias Soco said he saw great improvement in the festival, since its launching last year.

“The crowd was bigger compared to last year’s,” he said in an interview, adding that the event, which ended with a fireworks display, went without any untoward incident.

Soco said they launched the festival to promote the barangay’s broom-making industry, and to attract investors.

Broom-making is a source of income for about 35 percent of the barangay’s population.

“We want to elevate the living conditions of the people of Paknaan, especially those who depend on broom-making for livelihood,” Soco said.