THE celebration of the Handuraw Festival this year kicked off Monday, December 27, with the Anyo Arnis Competition, which is one of the four events of the occasion in Dapitan City.
Dapitan City, known as the Shrine City of the Philippines, holds the Handuraw Festival annually to commemorate the death of Dr. Jose Rizal, one of the country’s national heroes, as well as to promote its tourism industry.
The festival merges historical, cultural, social and economic elements related to the life of Rizal in Dapitan City.
Apple Marie Agolong, Dapitan City tourism officer, said Wednesday, December 29, that the Anyo Arnis competition held at the city’s amphitheater featured five categories and was participated by several teams.
The categories are as follows: Solo Baston under 12 boys; Doble Baston (Double Sticks) senior boys; Doble Baston (Double Sticks) cadet boys; Solo Baston (Single Stick) Cadets girls; and, Espada y Daga (Sword and Dagger) senior girls.
“Arnis was one of the sports Rizal taught to his students during his exile here in Dapitan city,” Agolong said.
Rizal lived the life of a political exile in Dapitan City for a period of four years and 13 days from July 17, 1892 to July 31, 1896.
The winners in the Solo Baston under 12 boys are the following: Riel Anthony, champion; Adrian Francis Dalumpines, 1st runner-up; Arq Nathan Moleta, 2nd runner-up; Angelo Neil Banogon, 3rd runner-up; Darryl Steve Cais, Jr., 4th runner-up; and, Fierce John Jamarolin, 5th runner-up.
The Doble Baston Senior Boys winners are: Maxwell Carson Saldon, champion; Renero Patayon, 1st runner-up; and, Jayson Pacacain, 2nd runner-up.
The winners in the Doble Baston Cadet Boys category are: Jefrave Lander Eroy, champion; Fritz Kenny Maguinsay, 1st runner-up; and, Edward Datoy, 2nd runner-up.
In the Solo Baston Cadet Girls, the winners are the following: Sam Sorronda, champion; Mayumi Macute, 1st runner-up; and, Joelle Cris Aripal, 2nd runner-up.
The Espada y Daga Senior Girls category, the winners are: Allysa Adelle Dalumpines, champion; Jessanae Eroy, 1st runner-up; and, Katherin Calubag, 2nd runner-up.
The second day, December 28, of the Handuraw Festival featured the “Tagisan ng Talinong Rizal” inter-school Junior High School Category quiz competition held at the Rizal Shrine.
“The quiz bowl contest is everything about and related to Rizal’s life and works,” Agolong said.
The winners in the quiz bowl contest were the following: Maria Anaiah Eguia and Josh Hamoy of Jose Rizal Memorial State University (JRMSU) Team 1, champion; Kent Raphael Gabrielle Viadnes and Sabina Bhel Saldon of JRMSU Team 2, 1st runner-up; and, Francine Kaye Acabal and Catherine Minette Cagandahan of Dapitan City National High School, 2nd runner-up.
Agolong said that the winners in the two competitions received cash prizes and plaques of appreciation.
This year’s Handuraw Festival marks the 125th anniversary of the martyrdom of Rizal. It is anchored on the theme “Rizal: For Science, Truth, Life.”
Handuraw is the Cebuano word for “the power to imagine,” “to reminisce,” or “flashback.” (SunStar Zamboanga)