Bigger “Mabolo Sinug Festival” expected

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Niña Prisca Mabatid is looking at a much bigger “Mabolo Sinug Festival” in the coming years after the success of this year’s event.

Mabolo is a barangay in Cebu City where Mabatid was barangay captain before running for the City Council in 2019. Mabatid is also the event’s main organizer.

"Last year was also successful. This year, we have more contingents… we now have floats and higante categories. Hopefully, by next year, mas modaghan ug mas nindot pa (Last year was also successful. This year, we have more contingents… we now have floats and higante (giant) categories. Hopefully, by next year, the event will be bigger and better)," Mabatid said.

This year’s event took place last Friday, January 17, with Mayor Edgardo Labella, himself a resident of Mabolo, attending the grand finale.

Labella and Vice Mayor Michael Rama urged residents of the barangay to remember how the now world-famous Sinulog Festival came to be.

The Sinulog has its roots traced to Barangay Mabolo and Mabatid said it is the barangay’s honor to showcase this piece of history through the event.

"We have this activity in honor of Sr. Santo Niño and to give highlight the history of Sinulog kay dakung garbo ni namo nga taga Mabolo nga ang Sinulog nahimong dakong event (We have this activity in honor of Sr. Santo Niño and to highlight the history of Sinulog because we take pride in the fact that Sinulog has become a huge event)," Mabatid said.

The winners in this year’s event are the following:

Ritual Showdown:

Champion: Cluster 7

1st Runner-up: Cluster 4

2nd Runner-up: Cluster 5

3rd Runner-up: Cluster 6

4th Runner-up: Cluster 1

Best in Street Dancing: Cluster 4

Festival Queen:

Champion: Cluster 4

1st Runner-up: Cluster 7

2nd Runner-up: Cluster 6

3rd Runner-up: Cluster 2

4th Runner-up: Cluster 3

Float:

Champion: Cluster 4

1st Runner-up: Cluster 7

2nd Runner-up: Cluster 6

3rd Runner-up: Cluster 5

4th Runner-up: Cluster 2

Higante:

Champion: Cluster 7

1st Runner-up: Cluster 4

2nd Runner-up: Cluster 6

Mabolo is composed of 22 sitios, which were divided into seven clusters for purposes of the “Mabolo Sinug Festival.” (FREEMAN)