CONTINGENTS from Cebu Province emerged victorious during the Sinulog grand parade, ending a five-year reign of out-of-town participants in the event.
This, though, is not the only feat the contingents from Carcar City and the Municipality of Daanbantayan reaped.
Although an established crowd favorite, Carcar City has never won first place in the ritual showdown of the grand parade.
But for the time since joining the contest several years ago, Carcar City Division was hailed as the grand prize winner of the Sinulog-based category yesterday.
With their performance, Carcar did more than show the audience a brewing drama between two aspiring barrio singers. They, too, gave the audience a reflection on how envy brings bitter endings and how faith leads to harmony.
Aside from winning the grand prize in the ritual showdown, Carcar also bagged the best in costume and first place in the musicality awards in the same category.
Carcar’s dancers changed their costumes thrice, starting with a baro’t saya that was replaced with a gold and white dress and then, a rainbow-accented blue gown. The same hues were present in the male dancers’ outfits.
Larry Gabao, chairman of the board of judges for the Sinulog-based category, said Carcar was grounded on the heart of the celebration, which was venerating the Señor Sto. Niño.
“Carcar, for me, is a seasoned participant but this is their first time winning as champion in the grand parade. I have seen their growth and their choreographer Cathy Estenzo is a consistent thinker of good concepts. It had a very Filipino concept... It also showed how Filipinos are music lovers,” he said.
Gabao also attributed Carcar’s success to their finesse and smooth transitions. He commended them for “expressively” portraying their adoration of the Child Jesus by making all female dancers carry the image of the Sto. Niño, instead of just having the festival queen do it alone.
Carcar and Daanbantayan both won P1 million each for the top spots of the ritual showdown of the Sinulog-based and free interpretation categories.
Other winners in the Sinulog-based ritual showdown were Banay Labangon, Cebu City in second place with P700,000; Talisay City Central School in third place with P500,000; Municipality of Tuburan in fourth place with P300,000; and Kulturang Panglaoanon of the Municipality of Panglao, Bohol in fifth place with P200,000.
In the free interpretation category, Tribu Kandaya of Daanbantayan town won as grand champion, nearly 20 years since it last dominated the Sinulog grand parade.
They also won best costume for the category. The dancers wore a golden tribal ensemble with hints of metallic blues, earthy greens and ebony feathers. Daanbantayan’s dance showed how man and nature can live in peace, through the intercession of Sto. Niño.
Nestor Jardin, the chairman of the board of judges for the free interpretation category, said that Tribu Kandaya had a cohesive performance that highlighted their choreography.
“The production elements contributed to the overall impact of the dance. The focal point of the performance was the dance itself, not the props or music. The costumes were really on point,” he said.
Other winners in the category’s ritual showdown were Tribu Buyuganon of Abuyog town, Leyte (second place), Tribu Katbalaugan of Catbalogan City, Samar (third place), Lumad Basakanon of Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City (fourth place) and Tribu Kalivungan of North Cotabato (fifth place).
A finale showcasing the Bus Rapid Transit, Call Center City at the South Road Properties and Cebu-Cordova Link Express, followed by a five-minute fireworks display, capped the event.