Greatness of a culture

What else can we be proud of in our own place but the culture, traditions, aspirations and values of the people. All make the identity of a certain locality. It is one that can separate one locality from the others. This is the conveying message behind the comeback of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo. After years that the Cebuanos and visitors have not seen such showcase of artistry, the prime mover Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has resurrected such event to once again remind the Cebuanos and their visitors that each place has a unique feature to showcase and offer. An initiative that connects to another tourism undertaking dubbed as Suroy-suroy sa Sugbo, wherein both locals and foreign visitors are brought to different places in Cebu to experience and feel the unique brand of hospitality.

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, a grand celebration that showcases the different festivals in Cebu happening in time with the province’s founding anniversary every August.

Such unique interpretation of our dance choreographers in various towns and cities has given a different flavor. And although there are similarities like the high respect of the patron saints, which by the way, has a devoted part shown within the dance showdown. Religiosity plays a major role that binds the people, showing the strong devotion of the Cebuanos to their patron saints.

The Pasigarbo does not only enrich our artistic and cultural experiences, but it pays tribute to those artists and cultural workers who create, protect, and encourage culture and the arts. It is a great opportunity to continue discovering ideas in terms of execution for the artistic side to make arts and culture very much relatable to the people.

And before we appreciate the cultures and traditions of other countries, it is noteworthy to take a look at what we have and why are we promoting such.

And although it was for free, there were still who were not able to witness it for I understand the venue cannot anymore accommodate the number of spectators.

Looking at the sphere of the livability of a certain place, arts and culture contribute straightforwardly to the "sense of place" which draws in both residents and investors. There is a converging between the traits of a city or region that are seen by people as offering them a superior personal satisfaction, or livability, and those qualities that are seen by investors or businesses as offering them upper hand, which adds to the city or region’s competitiveness.

On the economic side, cultural festivals act as a dynamic force behind cultural innovation and social bonding, while bringing in financial support. Heritage festivals are types of cultural festivals that promote learning and opportunities in opening up new distribution channels and finding new customers. Selling products at these festivals often requires minimal investment of time and capital, while hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of visitors may encounter the products of these businesses for the first time.

Festivals can bolster local communities by bringing in unique visitors who will infuse new income into the economy. Continued assessment of festivals is important to guarantee they are meeting customer expectations, which will produce positive word-of-mouth advertising and repeat visitation.

Such holding of an annual festival of festivals would hopefully lead to increased awareness and appreciation for what Cebu can offer, that can address the needs as well as expectations of the visitors. We anticipate more tourists coming to the province to experience the celebrations while protecting the culture of each town or city, something that we are truly proud of. It is in festivals that we see the greatness of a culture.