Carcar City, renowned as Cebu’s chicharon (pork crackling) capital, emerged as the top performer in this year’s Sinulog Grand Festival, sweeping three major awards in the Sinulog-based category: street dancing, ritual showdown, and musicality, organizers announced on Monday.

Elmer Labella, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc., confirmed that Carcar City took home PHP1 million for winning the street dancing competition and an additional PHP3 million for securing the top spot in the Sinulog-based dance ritual showdown.

The city also won Best in Musicality, though the prize money for this award remains undisclosed.

In the free interpretation category, Bais City’s “Festival of Harvest – Negros Oriental” claimed first place, earning PHP3 million, while Tribu Masadyaon of Toledo City won Best in Musicality.

Other winners include International Pharmaceuticals Inc. for the float category, the Mangingistorya group for the Higante (giant) category, and Orly Jhonson Fuentes, who secured both first and second place in the puppeteer’s competition.

Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia expressed satisfaction with the event’s smooth execution, claiming that it was generally peaceful with no major incidents reported.

To recognize the efforts of individuals and organizations that contributed to the festival’s success, Garcia announced plans for a recognition night.

The 2025 Sinulog Grand Parade attracted an unprecedented 4 million attendees, the largest in the festival’s history.

Garcia also suspended the classes on Monday to give students who volunteered for the Sinulog as members of the dance contingents, crowd control, church volunteers, or revelers, a time for respite.

Mayor Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu City, acting Mayor Glen Bercede of Mandaue City, and Gerald Anthony Gullas of Talisay City also posted their respective advisory, cancelling Monday’s classes.

Meanwhile, Garcia said the city government’s street sweepers collected a total of 290 tons of garbage from major roads where the Sinulog street dance competition for 47 contingents was held.

There were 85 garbage trucks, augmented by garbage trucks from the barangays and engineering trucks from the city, that helped collect garbage from the parade route. (PNA)