Together with fellow local officials, Mayor Romeo Dungca Jr. extended his full support to the festivities, which was attended by hundreds of Bacoloreños and Kapampangans in the province and adjacent provinces.
Dungca said the celebrations revolved around one objective -- to entice the people of Bacolor to consider returning home to the town they have deserted years ago when lahar buried the once known as the "Athens of Pampanga."
The festival's activities opened up November 12 through a kick-off run around the town. Participants in the event were sorted in three-kilometer, five-kilometer and 10-kilometer race run among males and females. Amateur and professional runners, including the Runners Confederation of the Philippines (RCP) joined the event.
Winners of the kick-off run were John Ener and Maricel Yambao (3K), Jujet De Asis and Emma Magangao (5K), and Crescencio Sabal and Aileen Tolentino (10K) while the Biggest Delegation was awarded to the Police National Training Institute (PNTI) which had 120 runners joining the contest.
Following the fun run was the "Karerang Iskuter King Baculud." Hundreds of scooter enthusiasts from as far as Nueva Ecija, Zambales and Las Piñas revved up their skills in competition, which heated up until late in the afternoon.
November 14
Traditional Races such as the "Tusukan Singsing/Lulung Damulag" and "Lulung Pati-Pati" were also showcased in the festival. The "Tusukan Singsing/Lulung Damulag" is an old contest where carabao-saddled riders race to insert a small stick into a small ring suspended by a rope a few feet up in the air after which riders would then race to the finish line.
Lulung Pati-Pati, on the other hand, is a race of pigeons heaved high into the air, coursing into a circular flight. The bird must be able to land in the area designated as the finish line. Old and the young alike joined and gathered to watch this long-standing heritage of Kapampangans.
Abet Espiritu, a native of Cabetican, won the carabao race followed by Jeff Aquino and Ricky Aquino both from Barangay Parulog.
The next day, a Tilbury Race or locally called "Lulung Kalising" was staged along the Barangay Cabambangan Boundary and ended in the Crissot Monument. Kutseros and horse owners raced in this 1-Kilometer Road measuring their abilities in harnessing the speed of their steeds. Entries from San Fernando, Guagua and other towns signed up in the race where 15 horse owners were chosen winners.
November 16
A Cultural Production was presented by Bacolor Teachers featuring a Crissotan titled "Dapat Pairalan Ing Kultura O Ali?" Many spectators watched and were entertained by the local debating contest tackling issues on culture and heritage. What makes it more special is that the presentation was performed by homegrown talent with a little competition distinguishing the better debater. Teachers from the Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades (DHVCAT) were recognized by the judges as the best orators of the town's very own Crissotan.
November 17
Students from different public high schools of the town competed for the honor of being chosen as the best among the rest in an afternoon of Academic and Folk Dance Competitions. In the Battle of the Brains, high school students from DHVCAT edged the other schools after being judged as the smart and brightest, while the San Isidro High School (SIHS) stood out in their dance routines besting other contenders in the folk dance competition.
November 18
Featuring the dazzling faces and brains of the Bacoloreñas, the coronation night for the Miss Bacolor 2006 was launched. Twenty-one of Bacolor's most eligible lasses vied to be chosen as the fairest of the municipality. The pre-pageant of the contest was held on November 11 where contenders of the crown performed their talent and skills.
The winners of the contest will represent Bacolor in the Sinukuan Festival's Mutya ning Sinukuan and the prestigious Mutya ning Kapampangan. This year's winners are Precious Diana David of Barangay Parulog, first runner-up Miss Bacolor 2006 and Bacolor's bet for Mutya ning Sinukuan 2006; and Kate Princess Alimurong, Miss Bacolor 2006 and the town's representative for the Mutya ning Kapampangan.
November 19
Every day in the festival, patron saints of each barangay are paraded in religious processions as observed in Catholic Church traditions.
Further, as the third Sunday of November and Feast Day of the Nuestra Senora del Santissimo Rosario, the culminating activity of the La Naval 2006 is the procession of Bacolor's patron saint in the "Paglimbunan" or procession route in the vicinity of the Poblacion at the last day of the festival. Hundreds of Bacoloreños participated in this traditional event, enriching their deep-rooted religious values in the process. After the procession, an Inter-Barangay Amateur Singing Contest was held, ending the festival in merry and cheerful sounds of songs and melodies, a fitting indication of light, joyful attitude of the people of Bacolor. (ABL)
