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Monday, May 08, 2006
Surigao del Norte wins big
By Cleofe Marie M. Faelnar
UP Cebu Mass Comm Intern
The contingent from Surigao del Norte was the big winner in yesterday’s Mantawi Festival, grabbing the grand prizes for the street dancing competition and ritual showdown as well as three special awards.
In all, the Surigao group earned P460,000 in prize money as it also took the best in musicality, best in costume and best in andas awards.
The participants from the municipality of Consolacion, Cebu placed second in the ritual showdown and third in street dancing. It also won best in choreography for its Sarok festival performance.
The group went home with P200,000 in cash prize.
Tribu Guardo of Barangay Sambag 1, Cebu took the second prize for street dancing and the third prize for the ritual showdown. It got P150,000 in prize money.
Thousands gathered at the Cebu Board Walk in Mandaue City starting at noon to watch the fourth Mantawi Festival in honor of their patron saint, St. Joseph the Worker.
Its theme “Taking Roots, Soaring High with Asean” took inspiration from Cebu’s hosting the Asean summit in December.
This year, the Mantawi Foundation Inc. was also put up, with Mayor Thadeo Ouano as the chairman of the board and former councilor Alfonso Albaño as the managing director.
The foundation aims to manage and maintain the high standard of the festival, which drew at least nine competing contingents this year.
“The Mantawi Festival is unique compared with the others because it is historical,” Ouano said in his welcome address.
More than 200 policemen patrolled the area, with the help of a hundred Tedman enforcers to direct traffic.
A police assistance center was also set up.
According to Jojo Dizon, police, fire and penology consultant, the preparations for yesterday’s event were made a week before.
Mobile police cars, a fire truck and an ambulance were also stand by in case of any emergencies.
The festival started with a performance by the Mandaue City School for the Arts, after which Ouano performed a ceremonial handshake with Datu Lambuzzan portrayed by Rey Martinez.
The dancing then kicked off with a performance by the Mantawi Integrated Dance Company, choreographed by Jun Oliver Figueroa.
Some employees of the Mandaue City Hall also performed.
Guest performers came from Daanbantayan town in northern Cebu, Bacolod City and Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon S. Barbers were among the government officials who graced the event.
A fireworks display capped of the festival, which ended about 7 p.m.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 8, 2006 issue)
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