THE Famatad sa Paraisong Baybay group of the fifth clustered barangay is the grand champion of this year’s Saot para sa Dunang Manggad street dance competition of the Sinigayan Festival 2019 held at the Sagay City Public Plaza on Tuesday, March 19.
The cluster composed of Barangays Fabrica, Paraiso, Malubon, Tadlong and Himogaan Baybay performed their way toward the championship with corals as their conservation icon.
The group also grabbed four special awards.
Cluster 5 bested other four clustered barangays and went home with P50,000 grand prize and P40,000 worth of special awards. These include best street dancing costume, best Saot sa Dunang Manggad choreography, best designer and best props.
The group’s Hara Ashley Mervin Cuesta and Jerah Dorio were also crowned winners and swept the special awards for best in costume. Both of them brought home P8,000 each.
Meanwhile, Cluster 2 or the Mar Max Keda Joy group of Barangays Poblacion 2, Poblacion 1, Taba-ao and Old Sagay was the first runner-up and received P40,000 and P22,000 from four special awards including best in endurance, best props, best headdress and best banner.
Finishing as second runner-up was Cluster 3 or the Vimolan Del Bario composed of Barangays Bulanon, Vito, Molocaboc, Andres Bonifacio, Rafaela Barrera and Plaridel. They received P30,000 and P5,000 from special award on best recycled accessories.
During the Saot para sa Dunang Manggad, every contingent wore costumes made mostly from recycled materials and inspired by marine plants and animals like mangroves, sea turtles, shells, corals and seahorses or the city’s five conservation icons.
Cluster 2 took endangered shells as its conservation icon, while Cluster 3 had sea turtles.
Cluster 1 or Tribu Pagatpat group composed of Barangays Puey, Maquiling, Lopez Jaena, Rizal and General Luna danced with mangroves, while Cluster 4 or Agat Dikub composed of Barangays Bato, Colonia Divina, Baviera and Sewahon 1 performed with seahorse.
The judges of this year’s street dance competition were Rudy Reveche, Ramon Emmanuel, Betsy Gazo, Olive Seruelo, Edwin Benitez, Ruffy Hinojales, Ruel Calansingin, Andrew Altejeros, Kenneth Benignos, Ronnie Baldonado, Jojo Vito and Mark Garcia.
The event also served as the closing event of the weeklong Sinigayan Festival.
During the awarding ceremony, the Sagay City Government also recognized Bulanon Barangay Captain Wilfredo Villacastin Sr. as the Community Champion of the Environment.
The Saot para sa Dunang Manggad capped with a unity dance to highlight the message of environment conservation. (PR)