AROUND P55 million was shelled out by the Cebu Provincial Government in cash prizes to the winning contingents during the awarding ceremony and repeat performance of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo on Monday night, Aug. 26, 2024, at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
This was already on top of the more than P200 million in subsidies and expenses on the preparations for the Pasigarbo that the Provincial Government has allocated.
Of the P200 million, P150 million was allocated as financial subsidies to be spent on the preparation of the participating contingents, with P3 million for those coming from mainland Cebu and P3.5 million for those coming from island towns.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia led the handover of the checks to the mayors of the Pasigarbo winning contingents.
“They all answered by challenge, nag-level-up gyud sila (they level up) each time. Because that is the only way we can push Cebu for further heights,” Garcia told the reporters after the 2024 Pasigarbo sa Sugbo on early Monday dawn, Aug. 26.
Garcia reiterated that the Provincial Government’s expenses do not only benefit the contingents but also medium, small, and micro enterprises (MSMEs).
She said that this includes expenses in logistics, food, props, costumes, accommodation, and others for the whole duration of the Pasigarbo.
“It is not a waste of money, but actually, it is pouring money into the economy to help the Cebuanos, ilabi na ang mga gagmay nga patigayon because we gave them the opportunity nga makapamaligya (especially the small businesses because we gave them the opportunity to sell),” she added.
Dagitab Festival of Naga City garnered the largest prize of P5 million after being hailed as the grand champion of the Ritual Showdown, besting 50 other contingents from different towns, component cities, and two highly urbanized cities in the province.
The City of Naga, featuring its colorful and vibrant LED lights, dethroned the defending champion Sugat Kabanhawan Festival of Minglanilla, which grabbed second place and won P4 million in cash prizes, while the first-time participant, Garbo sa Lapu-Lapu Festival of Lapu-Lapu City, came in third with a P3 million reward.
Kabkaban Festival of Carcar City received a P2 million cash prize after placing in the Top 4, while it also grabbed the P2 million reward as champion of the Street Dancing Competition in the Pasigarbo 2024.
The Isda Festival of Madridejos ranked fifth and won P1 million in cash prizes, together with the P100,000 award for grabbing the Best in Festival Costumes.
Mandaue City’s Panagtagbo Festival won 6th place with P900,000 reward, followed by Borbon’s Tuba Festival in 7th place with P800,000, and San Fernando’s Sikoy-Sikoy Festival, 8th place with P700,000;
Liloan’s Rosquillos Festival and Toledo City’s Hinulawan Festival tied for 9th place with P600,000 each, while Argao’s La Torta Festival finished in 10th place with P500,000; Moalboal’s Kagasangan Festival—11th place, P450,000; Consolacion’s Sarok Festival, 12th place, P400,000; Tudela’s Katunggan Festival and Que’ Alegre Festival of Alegria, both in 13th place, P350,000 each; Badian’s Banig Festival, 14th place, P300,000; and Sibonga’s Bonga Festival and Tuburan’s Tubod Festival, both in 15th place, P250,000 each.
In the Street Dancing Competition, the Rosquillos Festival of Liloan claimed second place with P1.5 million, followed by the Panumod Festival of Barili in third place and a P1 million reward.
The Sarok Festival of Consolacion and Panagbagat Festival of Poro rounded out the top five, winning P750,000 and P500,000, respectively.
Palawod Festival of Bantayan was hailed as the Best Decorated Carroza, a new addition in the 2024 Pasigarbo, winning P500,000, while Consolacion’s Sarok Festival was named Best Festival Jingle with a P100,000 cash reward.
For the Best Decorated Floats, the Consolacion’s Sarok Festival won first place with a P1 million reward. Following closely behind was the Panagsogod Festival of Sogod in second place with P800,000, and the Sinulog Festival of Carmen in third place with P600,000.
The Palawod Festival of Bantayan and the Lingaw-Sadya Festival of Balamban made the top four and top five, winning P400,000 and P200,000, respectively.
Madridejos Mayor Romeo Villaceran topped the Best Mayor’s Introduction with P500,000, followed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan in second place with a P400,000 reward, and rounding up the top five were Santander Mayor Marites Buscato with P300,000 reward, Samboan Mayor Emerito Calderon, P200,000, and Alegria Mayor Gilberto Magallon, P100,000.
Each winning mayor will receive an additional P100,000 cash prize from Ako Bisaya party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon.
Marie Yasmin Fabian of the Kabkaban Festival of Carcar City is named the 2024 Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival Queen with a P50,000 cash prize.
She was closely followed by runner-ups Sofi Maxim Margareta Grenmo of Garbo sa Lapu-Lapu Festival of Lapu-Lapu City, with a P30,000 cash prize; Kyra Rei Hopkins of Sugat Kabanhawan Festival of Minglanilla, P20,000; Britanny Noynay Verleysen of La Torta Festival of Argao, P15,000; and Qatari Semblante of the Liloan’s Rosquillos Festival, P10,000.
Mary Love Lopez of the Panagbagat Festival of Poro was named Miss Photogenic with a P10,000 prize. The costume designer of Eden Grace Mendez of the Sinulog Festival of Carmen won the Best Festival Queen Costume with a P20,000 cash reward.