Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Sinulog out-of-towners: ‘We will be back’
By Linette C. Ramos
CEBU CITY -- Joining the Sinulog grand parade proved too expensive for some of the out-of-town contingents, but knowing that it was both a pilgrimage and a way to gain popularity for their locality more than made up for all the millions spent.
Four contingents from Northern Mindanao placed in the top three of both the free interpretation and the Sinulog-based categories.
Lumad Basakanon-Tribu Magdadaro of Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City, however, was dismayed as officials complained of unfair treatment from the judges.
Lumad Basakanon choreographers and dancers were morose after they learned they were not among the five winners in the free interpretation category.
Former Cebu City Councilor George Rama, head of the contingent, said it was okay to lose in the competition, but they have reservations on the reasons of their defeat.
"Just because our carabao (props) had little wheels 20 points were deducted from us? Okay ra kung napildi mi apan lupigon gyud mi sa fifth place tungod ra sa gamay na ligid?" he said.
The contingent's officials said they will not bother to file a formal complaint before the organizers. They just vowed to do better and follow all rules next year.
Sinulog Foundation Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros explained the contingent insisted on using rollers for their props when it was agreed that these are prohibited.
Dennis Navarro, one of the choreographers, said it was too late by the time the organizers announced the rules on the use of wheels last Friday, since their props and costumes were already done.
He said they also could not remove the wheels where the carabao was mounted since it was too heavy for the dancers to carry.
"I told our dancers that we will try to win all the awards. But in the end we did not even make it to fifth place because of those wheels. Magdadaro gud mi, kung way kabaw, way daro," he said.
He also said that two contingents from out of town did not use the Sinulog beat yet still finished in the top five.
The City Government wants to help visiting contingents get their money's worth in joining the Sinulog.
Some out-of-town dancing groups did not take part in this year's event because of financial constraints.
Lumad Basakanon, last year's champion in the free interpretation, went home with a total of P450,000 cash prize after getting the best in costume award, best musicality and second place in the street dancing category.
For consistent winner Tribu Sinanduloy of Tangub City, it's not about bringing home the P1 million cash they won for the first place award in both the Sinulog-based category and street-dancing category, Tangub Mayor Jennifer Wee Tan said.
The Tangub City Government spent some P2.5 million for the colorful props and costumes and the boat fare of its 180-member delegation.
"This is more of a pilgrimage for us...It's not the prize but the media mileage that we get from joining and most importantly, it's for our faith in the Sto. Niño. Dili gyud nato butangan og presyo atong pagtuo niya, otherwise, mawa gyud ang pagtuo (We shouldn't put a price tag on our faith in him, otherwise, we will lose our faith)," she said during the awarding ceremony Monday.
Along with their props and costumes, dancers representing Camiguin Province had to bring firewood, vegetables, chicken and meat products to limit their expenses in joining the Sinulog.
Camiguin Gov. Pedro Romualdo assured the Cebuanos they will keep coming back for the Sinulog, no matter what the cost.
"It's our religious obligation to be with the Sto. Niño every year. We've learned to cut cost like bringing our own provisions just to be here," he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Camiguin, which bagged the first prize in the free interpretation category, spent some P1 million for their contingent.
Aside from their P500,000 cash prize for landing in the first place, they also took home P100,000 for placing third in the street dancing category.
It was Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz's first time to watch the Sinulog, and after seeing the many opportunities it gave the other local government units to promote their places through local and foreign media, there is no doubt they will be here every year, he said.
"We did not regret joining even if we went down from second last year to third this year. We spent P400,000, but we were able to project our city so it was really worth it," he said.
"There is so much revelry and pageantry here and that makes Sinulog the biggest, liveliest and most colorful festival in the country. Definitely we'll be back next year and all the others better be prepared," he added in jest. (Sun.Star Cebu)
(January 17, 2006 issue)
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