All systems go for Mandaue City’s Panagtagbo Festival this Friday

CEBU, Philippines — After a period of hiatus, the Panagtagbo Festival is coming back this year in Mandaue City with organizers vowing to incorporate more surprises and changes to make the event more colorful.

Panagtagbo, which is set to take place on Friday, January 19, is a reenactment of Traslacion, a religious event that pertains to the meeting of the icons of all members of the Holy Family – St. Joseph, Mary, and Child Jesus.

“Early last year, naghisgot si Mayor (Gabriel Luis Quisumbing) kay Panagtagbo was created by the creative minds of the previous administration, then na-stop lang siya, and last year, Mayor Luigi talked about it nga ibalik siya (karon),” Mandaue City Tourism Officer Josephus “Sweet” Bihag told reporters yesterday.

Bihag said that aside from paying tribute to the Holy Family, organizers aim to promote camaraderie among the city’s barangays and showcase the talents of locals with the holding of the festival this year.

Among the festival highlights are street dancing competition and dance showdown to be participated in by the 27 barangays clustered into eight groups.

Street dancing will start 2 p.m. on January 19 while the dance showdown will begin at 8 p.m. of the same day at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.

Another highlight will be the search for the Panagtagbo Festival Queen.

“Another nga nakapabag-o sad sa Panagtagbo karon is we have Festival Queen. So previous nga nagsugod siya [Panagtagbo] up to the years nga nilabay, wala ta. But karon, it’s one to watch out for,” Bihag said.

TRAFFIC

By Friday noon, A. Del Rosario Street will be closed to vehicular traffic to give way for the dancing contingents.

As soon as all the contingents have passed by S.B. Cabahug Street, A. Del Rosario will be opened again.

Mandauehanons and visitors are also advised of heavy traffic considering that the festival falls on a Friday.

Gwynn Christine Tianero, secretary of Taga Mandaue Inc., said VIP passes will be also provided for balikbayans who wish to join the weeklong celebration.

The city’s tourism office is in charge of the registration of balikbayans, as well as the distribution of VIP passes.

“We don’t really have basic history. We don’t have a list of balikbayans who are registered in tourism (office), so now, as much as possible, we want to encourage them to register so that we would know and record who these people are,” said Bruce Bullozos, the overall festival director.

“And there are a lot of balikbayans who will be back in January so we want them to be part of  it so that we can update our folder,” he added.

Bullozos said 450 of the 3,000 seats at the sports center will be reserved for balikbayans. — Zora Charisse O. Alfanta and Jheska Mhae A. Buton (FREEMAN)