Fiasco
The recent result of the Festival Queen Best in Costume was in limbo after the public found out that the real winner wasn't really the festival queen of Daanbantayan. Apparently, the winner was the festival queen of Catbalogan, Samar. For some reason, there was a mix-up on the part of the production team that handled the show on how they named the awards, such as Best in Costume and Best Costume Designer. In order to appease each camp, the award was taken away from Tribu Kandaya and personally given to Tribu Katbalaugan. The mayor and festival queen of Catbalogan, Samar, welcomed the gesture but the contingent which was stripped of the award couldn't accept the humiliation they had to go through.
It was a comeback year for Daanbantayan. After seven years they have finally decided to try their luck at the Sinulog. They came prepared, with hearts eager to win. So when they celebrated their awards they thought they were the rightful winners. After finding out that they weren't the real winners they experienced broken hearts, maybe even broken spirits. Both camps have not confirmed if they will still be joining the Sinulog next year. That's two out-of-town contingents who may not be part of the festivities anymore.
I guess this is a lesson learned for those organizing events. I understand how it is to make a mistake in a competition as I made my own mistakes last year with the Campus Patrol broadcasting competition. Bashers will be there to bring you down and the wisest thing you can do is to say a few words then keep mum about it. The issue will die a natural death. The situation of the Sinulog is a different one, but it could also lose its credibility which is now at stake. The mayor has expressed his dismay and worry that the festival, which was hailed as one of the most popular in Asia, could collapse. It pays to always pay attention to the smallest details, just to ensure that there are no mistakes.
While the damage has already been done, there is always room for improvement. The Sinulog is already an institution in Cebu and it will be very hard for it to be taken down. It has become a signature, and a go-to festival by tourists both local and foreigner. We are known for it; the festival basically spells Cebu. The wisest thing to do now is to move on and make sure it doesn't happen again. What made the situation worse was the finding of the mistake months after the event.
The humiliation will fade away and the bashing will tone down. We can always prepare for something better next year, a big bang that will wow the crowd. I have learned that evaluation is the key to improvement. This is all part of the process. Learning may bring pain and shame, but it will also shape us to be better than we were yesterday.
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