In honor of Sr. Sto. Niño 3rd quiot festival celebrated

ISABEL, LEYTE, Philippines  --- Ten "tribus" (tribes) or contingents of this town's elementary and high schools competed for the 3rd Quiot Festival here in honor of patron saint Señor Santo Niño last January 15, which was also the "Adlaw sa Isabel" or the town's Foundation Day.

Quiot Festival is a "free interpretation" of what was formerly a local version of the Sinulog of Cebu, but this time with the town's history woven into the usual storyline of locals needing divine intervention from the Holy Child for some pestilence while dancing to thank Him.

For the kabataan (elementary) category, Tribu Relocation of the Relocation Elementary School was the winner with P35,000 cash prize, with Tribu Kinaadmanon of the Isabel Central School at 2nd place with P25,000 prize and Tribu LIDE of the LIDE Learning Center at 3rd place with P15,000 prize.

For the adult (high school) category, Tribu Katunggan of the Isabel Comprehensive National School got the top prize of P50,000, followed by Tribu Kilaton of the Matlang National High School with P40,000 prize and Tribu Mahayagon of Isabel National High School with P30,000.

In the Festival Queen competition, Janille Marianne N. Alito of Tribu LIDE emerged the winner for the kabataan category, while Shaira Abe of Tribu Kilaton won the adult category. Both got P 5,000 each.

Mayor Saturnino Medina Jr. , in his speech during the event, said that the festival, more than its entertainment value, "aims to revive our culture and tradition … for us to learn the roots of our society."

Isabel, the country's first industrial town and home to Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. (PASAR) and PhilPhos, was formerly a barrio named Quiot of the neighboring town of Merida. It was named such because of "quiot" or black wild bees abundant in the area. The town then was famed for its honey. 

The town was named Isabel after it gained independence from Merida through the effort of its first mayor Galicano Ruiz. It was proclaimed a municipality on January 15, 1948 and was named in honor of the wife of Senator Carlos Tan from nearby Ormoc City who lobbied for it. During that time, too, the Queen of Spain was Isabel.

Medina, who is now on his second term, commissioned the research of Isabel's history, and then requested the Municipal Council to declare January 15 the Adlaw sa Isabel as well as to institutionalize the Quiot Festival . (FREEMAN)