Paknaan gears up for 5th Silhig Festival

CEBU, Philippines - For the fifth time, Barangay Paknaan in Mandaue City will stage its annual Silhig Festival, a means of promoting their locality’s main product — brooms.

“Para ni ma-highlight among local product (silhig or broom) which has produced many professionals sa Paknaan," said Malaquias Soco in an interview with reporters.

Soco said the broom symbolizes Paknaan.

He said 15 percent of the livelihood and businesses in their barangay are related to broom-making, a skill that was passed to them by their elders.

Soco said their products are also part #IamMandaue expos, and some of these are reportedly being shipped abroad.

The festival, slated for this Sunday, will be joined in by eight contingents from the different barangays. They will compete in the street dancing and showdown competition.

The grand winner will get P30,000 as cash prize, while the second and the third prize winners will bring home P20,000 and P15,000, respectively.

Soco said minor prizes also await contingents which will win in select categories.

Silhig Festival is part of the fiesta celebration of the barangay which honors the Sr. Sto. Niño. It was conceptualized five years ago in a bid to attract more investors and showcase the barangay's main source of livelihood.

Last year, Soco said Barangay Paknaan is the biggest supplier of silhig lanot in the country.

The Paknaanon Multi-purpose Cooperative buys all the brooms made by its constituents and distributes these products nationwide. (FREEMAN)