It’s a Carcar show

As Consolacion makes waves

CEBU, Philippines — Carcar City Division was unstoppable as it swept all the top prizes for the ritual showdown, costume, musicality, and street dancing categories of the Sinulog Grand Parade yesterday.

It was another powerful year for the contingent that successfully defended last year’s title. Interestingly, Carcar only settled second to Talisay City Central School in this year’s Sinulog sa Lalawigan.

All in all, Carcar raked in P in winnings.

The winning performance of 98 dancers and 45 musicians revolved around the theme “faith of a prisoner,” earning the unanimous vote of the judges’ panel.

“You can see how the transition of the time in terms of choreography, how Carcar put into sequence events. They performed very clean in terms of their movements, precision-wise and the whole production complemented each other,” said Larry Gabao, chairman of the board of judges for the Sinulog-based category.

“The sets of their props from the guerrillas to the trees; you can recall that gives total impact on the women protecting the men. There’s that value given to the presentation,” Gabao added.

In Carcar’s presentation, prisoners were depicted to have a chance in life and that people should not judge them.

Dancers changed costumes twice -- from checkered maroon to white and red.

Gabao said the performance of Carcar City created an impact in venerating the Holy Child.

“This time, I think there’s a correction done by Carcar because never the men would handle and dance with candles. Pumunta kayo sa simbahan, may mga lalake ba na naghahawak ng candle? It’s only the women,” he said.

This time, the male dancers praised the Holy Child using long leaves.

In a statement, Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura thanked all those who contributed to the success of their contingent.

“This is a product of our cooperation and unity, especially among Dr. Kathryn Estenzo (choreographer), and DepEd Carcar Division headed by Dr. Senen Paulin, the dancers, propsmen from Carcar City College, working boys and women from local government, especially to our coordinator Mercy Apura,” he said.

Bogo City emerged second in the ritual showdown with its presentation that showcased how the youth of today are so engrossed with gadgets and failing to pray. The routine also displayed the many different ways to “talk to the Holy Child.”

Bogo used huge props of telephones, cellphones, telephone wires, and other gadgets as their props.

The group, which had 100 dancers, changed costumes twice, from white and gold to orange and gold.

Talisay City finished third, followed by Banay Labangon as fourth place.  Murcia, Negros Occidental finished fifth place, followed by Barangay Guadalupe and Barangay Inayawan as sixth and seventh placers, respectively.

The contingent from Murcia, Negros Occidental graced and competed for the first time in the Sinulog Grand Parade. Warren Valuenzela, one of the dance masters of the group, said that after their town's Tinabuay Festival, they were united to dance for Sinulog. The contingent is a hall of famer in the Panaad sa Negros 2018.

“We wanted to experience Sinulog sa Cebu,” Valuenzela said.

Murcia's contingent spent nearly P3 million, but according to them, the offering and dance to Sto. Niño was worth every peso.

Consolacion Shines

Tribu Malipayon of Consolacion, meanwhile, was adjudged winner in the free interpretation category, bringing home the best in costume and best in musicality awards.

With P8 million as budget, the presentation was about the story of the folklore of Consolacion which was invaded by bad elements and was later on treated by the Holy Child. The intervention of the Holy Child was presented as the reason why the community thrived after devastated.

Nestor Jardin, chairman of the board of judges, said the performance was very polished, as well as the movements of the choreography and the design of the props.

“The props were well-choreographed. The changes were swift and you’ll get beautiful surprises in terms of the props. It was an audience favorite, too. It was a very entertaining dance overall,” he said.

Jardin said he did not feel lacking on the performance of Tribu Kandaya even if it failed to defend its title as champion in free interpretation category last year.

Jardin said the judges had their own top contingent since the decision was not unanimous.

He said judges deducted three points each from the contingents of Kalivungan of North Cotabato and Placer of Surigao del Norte, since they went overtime. The deductions affected the rankings “tremendously,” he added.

Lordinio Vergara, chairman of the board of judges for the street dancing, said judges strictly followed the guidelines which should include progressive movements. They were unanimous in choosing Carcar as champion.

The other winners in the FI category were: Tribu Kandaya (Daanbantayan, Cebu), which placed 2nd; Buyawanong Placer (Placer, Surigao del Norte), 3rd; Tribu Kalivungan (North Cotabato), 4th; Pundok Maampoong Cogonanon (Cogon-Pardo, Cebu City), 5th; Lumad Basakanon (Basak-San Nicolas, Cebu City), 6th; and Tribu Mabolokon (Mabolo, Cebu City), 7th.

As for the SB category, Sining Sto. Niño Folkloric City of Bogo City finished 2nd; Talisay City Central School, 3rd; Banay Labangon, 4th; Murcia, Negros Occidental, 5th; Guadalupe, 6th; and Inayawan, 7th.

In the street dancing, the other winners were Tribu Kalivungan of North Cotabato, 2nd; Lumad Basakanon, 3rd; Pundok Maampoong Cogonanon, 4th; and Tribu Kandaya, Daanbantayan, 5th.

Assessment

Sinulog Executive Committee chairman, Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, said the gap between performers on the streets was due to the weather condition.

“Well, usa sa nakita nato nga problema nga duna'y naa'y delay is kato gyud pag-uwan. Second is duna'y naguba nga float. Third, ang crowd gyud. Ang fourth ang nagkadaiyang presentation,” he said.

The grand parade ran from 8 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., or a delay of over four hours.

Crowd Nearly Doubles

Despite the sporadic rains, this year’s crowd nearly doubled to 2.5 million from 1.4 million last year and 1.5 million in 2017.

Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of Police Regional Office-7, said the crowd estimate includes those at the Cebu City Sports Center and the six-kilometer parade route that started at P. del Rosario Street, to Imus Road, to General Maxilom Avenue, to Fuente Osmeña, then Osmeña Boulevard, and finally the Cebu City Sports Center.

“The crowd got thicker by the day, especially from noon until evening,” he said.

Sinas admitted that petty crimes, such as robbery and theft, were still present even with almost 8,000 security forces deployed. He explained this is normal for a big festival.

Cheuk Bond Kwan, a 28-year-old Chinese national from Hong Kong, lost his Galaxy Note 8 smartphone at an overpass on Osmeña Boulevard, while David Anthony Jeed, 64, from Australia, lost P8,000 in cash and his identification card on Mango Avenue, according to the Abellana police.

While no stampede occurred, medics responded to people who got dizzy due to fatigue and the heat that developed in the afternoon after the rain.

Sinas credited the “peaceful and manageable” parade to “properly-implemented” security plan, especially the signal shutoff that had prevented any possible untoward event.

Cebu City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Royina Garma, said the parade started around 9:35 a.m. on Imus road in Barangay Lorega.

In her inspections, she noted that most revelers had observed the prohibitions.  She, however, called the attention of some teenagers who inserted into route.

She also reprimanded foreigners who insisted on going beyond the ropes set by cops.

Police also monitored the stretch of Gorordo to Fuente Osmeña for parties last night. Narco-sniffing dogs from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 were deployed in these areas.

It is noteworthy that except for Senator Cynthia Villar, no other prominent national politicians were seen at the grandstand yesterday, coming on the heels of the city’s warning against them not to take advantage of the occasion. — With Odessa O. Leyson, Mylen P. Manto, and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon (FREEMAN)