Toledo’s Hinulawan Festival pushes through

CEBU, Philippines —  After major events were stopped last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Toledo City’s celebration of the Hinulawan Festival comes with many first times.

The city’s annual festival falls on the same day as the Philippines’ Independence Day, June 12.

Its first ever Mayor’s Cup Airsoft Competition was held at the Toledo City National Vocational School open grounds on June 5, 2021. Nine teams participated in the event.

Toledo City Mayor Marjorie “Joie” Perales has guaranteed to continue the airsoft event next year because of the great potential it could give to the city’s tourism, according to Toledo City’s Public Information Office Facebook post.

For the first time also, a two-day Chess Tournament event took place at the Cebeco III Multipurpose Hall on June 5-6. There were at least 200 participants who came from the different parts of Cebu and other regions.

Toledo’s very own professional chess team has participated in the event.

Tournament director, Atty. Jeah Gacang said, through the city’s PIO, that the chess club in the city wants to reach out to more people, especially those in the grassroot levels with limited opportunities.

“We want them to be more exposed to this kind of events nga naay mga titled players so in the future, hopefully, naay taga Toledo nga mahimong grand masters,” Gacang said.

Currently, Toledo City Trojans is participating in the Wesley So Cup Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP).

An open invitational muscle showdown was also held at the Toledo Sports Center. Around 80 joined in the 1st Mayor’s Cup Muscle Showdown last June 6.

The event is said to promote the importance of exercise aside from eating healthy to maintain a healthy lifestyle which is timely considering the COVID-19 pandemic.

A shooting festival also took place. Seven police stations and two mobile police companies coming from the Third District of Cebu have participated in the city’s 1st Mayor’s Cup Shooting Festival.

The event was held at a firing range in Barangay Talavera in Toledo City.

Throughout the two-week celebration, the Toledo Sports Center was sanitized and disinfected several times. It is where most of the events, especially the anticipated Binibining Toledo 2021 and Hinulawan Festival Ritual Dance Competition were held.

Following also the strict health protocols, live audiences were limited only to the participants, the organizers, city officials and invited guests. But the events were broadcasted online.

The activities were approved by the Regional IATF as they adhered to the mandated health guidelines, the city government said. — Loreine Kyra Lebumfacil, CNU Comm Intern, GMR (FREEMAN)