SIX barangays emerged as top winners in two "Sigabong sang mga Kanyon" competitions during the highlights of the 124th Al Cinco de Noviembre celebration in Bago City over the weekend.
Barangays Pacol, Sagasa and Bagroy composing the Cluster 5 bagged the championship award in the "Sigabong sang mga Kanyon" Cannon Competition.
Cluster 7 composed of Barangays Taloc, Calumangan and Sampinit won first runner-up followed by Cluster 4 (Barangays Dulao, Abuanan and Atipuluan) - second runner-up; and Cluster 6 (Barangays Poblacion, Lag-asan and Tabunan) - third runner-up.
The "Sigabong sang mga Kanyon" Cannon Competition was held during the Civic Military Parade in major city streets going to the Bantayan Park.
For the Dance Drama Competition themed "Amakan kag Nipa sa Kasaysayan sang Negros," Cluster 6 composed of Barangays Poblacion, Lag-asan and Tabunan was adjuged as champion.
The group also won the Best in Storyline award.
First runner-up was Cluster 1 (Barangays Ilijan, Don Jorge and Bacong) followed by Cluster 5 (Barangays Pacol, Sagasa and Bagroy) as second runner-up and Cluster 8 (Barangays Ma-ao, Mailum and Binubuhan) as third runner-up.
The competitions were participated by all 24 barangays of the city clustered into eight groups and witnessed by thousands of Bagonhons and other revelers.
These were just among the many activities held for the comeback of the physical Al Cinco de Noviembre celebration this year after two years due to the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Al Cinco de Noviembre, also known as Negros Day, is celebrated every November 5 to commemorate the Negrenses’ revolt against the Spanish colonizers in 1898.
It was declared as a non-working holiday in the province by virtue of Republic Act 6709.
Mae Ann Furtos, senior tourism operations officer of Bago City, earlier said that Al Cinco de Noviembre, especially the "Sigabong sang mga Kanyon” is physically back this 2022 which the city had celebrated virtually in the last two years.
Furtos said that despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the city government continues to preserve its heritage through the Al Cinco de Noviembre commemoration.
“Its [Al Cinco de Noviembre] very essence is the ingenuity and bravery of the valiant hero, General Juan Araneta, and his Bagonhon troops together with the forces from the north led by General Aniceto Lacson,” she said, adding that this is also called as a historical bluff as Bagonhon troops used nipa (coconut fronds) as “rifles” and amakan (rolled bamboo mats) as “cannon” that seemed to be believable from a far that led to the surrender of the Spaniards.
Furtos stressed that “it was a bloodless revolt, and through which, Negrenses were freed from the 300-year Spanish tyranny.”
Prior to the "Sigabong sang mga Kanyon," local officials, representatives of different government agencies and department heads along with the descendants of General Araneta led the wreath-laying ceremony at the local hero's monument.
Fourth District Board Member Andrew Torres, in his message, said Bagonhons are commemorating with great pride such a historic event.
"It's a celebration of the ingenuity and gallantry of the Bagonhons," he said, adding that through the Al Cinco de Noviembre celebration, they hoped to uphold the sense of pride and patriotism of our forebears to the younger generation.*