No defending champs in this year’s Sinulog

CEBU, Philippines — The absence of the defending champions and some of the crowd favorite contingents from the Sinulog Grand Parade this year will not diminish the grandiosity of the best festival in the country, assured Sinulog Foundation Incorporated executive director Ricky Ballesteros.

Ballesteros said there will be no contingent that will defend its title this year since the two champions last year—Tangub City and Lanao del Norte-- are skipping the Sinulog on Sunday.

“We have quality performances last weekend. Sinulog will still be majestic during Grand Parade on Sunday despite the absence of the perennial winners,” he told The FREEMAN.

Other perennial winners that are also not joining this year are Kulturang Placereño and Tribu Himag-ulaw of Placer Masbate, among others.

There are only four out-of-town contingents that will compete on Sunday--Tribu Katbalaugan from Catbalogan City; Kulturang Panglaoanon from Panglao, Bohol; Tribu Buyoganon from Abuyog, Leyte; and Provincial Government of North Cotabato’s Kalivungan Festival.

Despite the absence of the perennial winners, Ballesteros said there are also big come back for Abuyog, Leyte; Daanbantayan, Cebu; North Cotabato; Panglao, Bohol; among other provinces whose contingents have skipped Sinulog in the previous years.

Ballesteros said that the Daanbantayan contingent opted not to join the Sinulog sa Lalawigan last Saturday to have an “element of surprise” for the grand parade. There will be 32 contingents competing during the 38th year of Sinulog Grand Parade on Sunday. He said they are eyeing to finish the parade at 5 p.m.

“The same criteria ra gihapon. Judges always look for fresh concepts, creative choreography, proper handling of their props nga relevant sa ilang performances, fluidity of the movements, ang color combination and the whole production,” he said.

He said Tangub City has already expressed last year that it will not be joining this year to take a rest after getting 12 trophies as champion in the ritual showdown. The group has been joining Sinulog for the past 20 years and won a total of 12 titles already for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2017.

Ballesteros said Lanao del Norte will have a float during the parade to let their presence felt despite the absence of its contingent.

“Wala silay contingent kay affected pod sila sa Marawi siege, duol raman gud,” he said.

Seeing the performances of the local-based contingents over the weekend will add the grandiosity of this year’s Sinulog Grand Parade, Ballesteros said.

He said there are local-based contingents that are expected to level up their performances during the grand parade such as Carcar City, Talisay City, Lumad Basakanon, among others.

Meanwhile, more than 100 classrooms will be used to house the out-of-town Sinulog contingents.

According to Dr. Bianito Dagatan, Cebu City Schools Division superintendent, the city has prepared five billeting schools to accommodate the participants.

“We are just now waiting for them to arrive kay ready naman ning mga classrooms and para sad sa ila props,” Dagatan told The Freeman.

The billeting schools include Abellana National High School, Cebu City Central School, San Nicolas Elementary School, Labangon Elementary School, and Regino Mercado Elementary School.

Division Night High school coordinator, Gerome Misa, said some of the schools will provide at least 40 classrooms while other bigger public schools will provide 60 classrooms to the out-of-town participants. Each contingent is provided with at least 20 classrooms depending on the number of participants.

“Ang ato gi-allocate is 20 rooms per contingent, but like in some cases na gamay ra ang population nila so ihatag nato sa bigger groups ang extra classrooms,” Misa explained.

He said contingents will be equally distributed to schools, with each accommodating not more than three contingents.

As of yesterday, only the advance party of ‘Tribu Katbalaugan’ of Catbalogan City, Samar has started occupying the classrooms.With the arrival of participants from the neighboring towns and provinces, the DepEd has announced that affected schools will allocate five Saturdays for makeup classes to cover the class suspensions.

“Gabii kasagaran mangabot ang participants . . . so once naa na sila, automatic the next morning suspended na ang classes until mahuman ang Sinulog,” Misa said.

Some of the affected schools have already advanced their makeup classes as early as June last year, said Misa.

“This is a whole day makeup class para sad dili luoy ang mga bata.” Misa said. —Teresa R. Tan (FREEMAN)