Monday, October 16, 2006 Bigger Inasal show for Talisay
DESPITE a limited budget, the Talisay City Halad-Inasal festival went smoothly yesterday with bigger participation from different sectors that demonstrated resilience and unity among the Talisaynons.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, the festivity’s special guest, hailed the annual event as a uniting factor among the Talisay residents.
“This great city and great people have shown once again an indomitable will to rise above the rest...congrats Talisay,” said Garcia in her brief speech.
Councilor Shirley Belleza, the festival chairperson, described the festivity as bigger than that of last year’s, citing the participation of more than 60 private establishments, schools and government offices in the Halad dance and Inasal floats.
Kart racing
Except for the apprehension of two “pocket bikes,” a mini motorcycle designed for kart racing, traffic enforcers had no problem dealing with motorists.
Also, traffic flow at the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR), a main artery to Cebu City, remained normal as only one side of the highway was closed to vehicles.
“The traffic is manageable except in Barangay Poblacion because of the presence of trisikads and sidewalk vendors,” said Supt. Romeo Perigo, Talisay City Police Station chief.
Lawnmen, traffic volunteers and tanods also managed well the spectators that crowded the Sta. Teresa de Avila Church in Poblacion and lined up along three-kilometer parade route.
The PNP did not take lightly threats from lawless elements as Armalite-toting special reaction unit personnel from the Cebu Provincial Police Office were deployed in strategic areas.
The eight Halad contingents, most of them from private and public schools, went ahead of the colorful and fully decorated Inasal floats in going to the New Talisay City Hall in Barangay Lawaan I.
Stalled
But Belleza said they might change the parade arrangement next year by placing the Inasal floats ahead of the Halad dancers.
Belleza noted that several Inasal floats got stalled along the parade route after the Halad dancers began performing at the City Hall lobby.
The Halad presentation was stopped midway just to give way to the Inasal floats that passed by the City Hall grounds where Garcia, Provincial Board Member Juan Bolo, Mayor Socrates Fernandez and local officials watched on their seats.
A lechon aided with dextrose, oxygen and on a mobile hospital bed of the Talisay City District Hospital was the most applauded among the participating Inasal floats.
Other lechons were depicted as driver of heavy equipment, scuba diver and Mt. Everest climber. Some were carried on a carabao-drawn cart, sheltered in a hut and flatbed truck.
The City will give P5,000 cash for most creative, relevant and colorful floats, respectively. Results were not available at press time.
The Inasal sa Talisay jingle participants will also get P5,000 for the first prize, P3,000 and P2,000 for the second and third prizes, apiece.
Cancel
Belleza pledged to continue the Inasal Festival, saying it has already become part of the Provincial Government’s Cebu island festival promotion.
The City Government decided to cancel some major events during the two-week fiesta activities because of budgetary constraints.
The City Hall earmarked only P200,000 for the Inasal festival that highlighted the City’s annual fiesta celebration.
The festivity’s programs began with a 10 a.m. concelebrated mass at the Sta. Teresa de Avila Parish Church with Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal as the main celebrant.
A brief fireworks display at the Talisay City Hall capped the affairs yesterday around 6 p.m. (GC)
