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Monday, January 22, 2007
Guv to dance Sinulog every year
CEBU CITY -- Dancing for Sto. Niño is "fully satisfying," said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who plans to make it an annual activity.
For three consecutive years now, Garcia danced during the opening of the Sinulog grand parade Sunday after the performance of Cebu City Government dancers. She also danced in the closing ceremony that capped the parade.
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"I felt nervous but what sustained me was the thought that this was my offering for the Sto. Niño," she said.
It was her way of thanking the heavens for the peaceful Association of Southeast Asian summit here and the timely completion of the Cebu International Convention Center.
These were her wishes when she joined the Sinulog street dancing last year.
"But I continue to pray for more progress and development in Cebu," she said.
Garcia did not wear the traditional Sinulog terno Sunday.
Instead, Cary Santiago made for her a gown with a design that combined that of a Maranao and Egyptian queen, and Garcia's favorite character, Aeda, queen of Nubia.
"I wanted her to be different from all other festival queens. She loves that character so much, and I love to dress her up," said Santiago.
Garcia chose Santiago, a designer well known in Beirut, Middle East's fashion capital. Santiago's design was also named the best in the recent Miss Cebu pageant.
All department heads of the Capitol danced with Garcia Sunday. They were with the Haladaya Festival dancers of Daanbantayan.
She would have danced in the Sinulog route again, but her son Paulo insisted that she shouldn't, citing security threats.
Meanwhile, capitalists and politicians continued to take advantage of Sunday's gathering of thousands in Cebu City.
From real estate to the latest personal computers, flyers and leaflets advertising the latest products in the market have practically littered the parade route Sunday.
There were flyers bearing employment opportunities and announcing the latest electronic gadgets to hit stores in Cebu.
As a float sponsored by a transport company moved by, persons connected with the company were seen distributing flyers featuring the company's latest mode of transport.
"Di ko ani 'day. Kanang tinuod ang akong gusto," joked an onlooker who was given a flyer bearing the picture of a car (I prefer a real car).
There were also fans promoting liquor and bath soaps promoting beauty products.
Fans and calendars bearing politicians' faces were also given out to the crowd who braved the heat.
Seen along the parade route were fans bearing the face of Sen. Manuel Villar and calendars of sportsman Jonathan Guardo, who has announced his bid for a congressional seat in this May's elections.
While thousands braved the heat along the parade route, many families trooped to the vacant lot behind the Colegio Inmaculada Concepcion to have picnics.
They chose to sit under the shade of trees near an area where a helicopter would land and take off every few minutes to give spectators an aerial view of the grand parade.
Lumad Basakanon of Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City was the sole contingent the spectators applauded from start to finish.
Apparently expecting an exciting performance, the crowd started cheering when the group was called to perform.
The people did not cheer for all of the contingents; and except for Basakanon and Lungsod sa Jumbo-Compostela National High School, they applauded mostly the out-of-town contingents.
In the free interpretation category, participants were especially warned to emphasize the concept of prayer and dance. They, however, were given the freedom to come up with their own concept, based on their own interpretation of what is relevant to the Sinulog.
And in the Sinulog-based category, the dance entry must depict Filipino culture and tradition.
First to present at the grandstand were the Cebu City and Provincial Government contingents as guest performers followed by the 52 Sinulog-based and free interpretation contingents, including five guest groups.
Participants to the higante and puppeteer categories also had their chance to go up the stage, while different floats passed before the judges at the grandstand.
Dancesport members, singers like Maria Donna, Rizza Navales, Eva Santos, Jimmy Marquez and Boyet Lim performed during the lunch break.
Commercial models wearing resort collections of local designers and Miss Cebu 2007 Loise Angelique Tan of Velez College and members of her court also sashayed onstage.
Following the finale dance with Cebu City first lady Margot Osmeña and the City Dancesport team, an eight-minute fireworks display sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office that drew oohs and aahs from the spectators capped the parade. (JPM, AAG & RHM of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (January 22, 2007 issue)
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