The Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe from Tangub City in Misamis Occidental bested other contingents after winning both the Sinulog-based and Street Dancing competitions in the 2020 Sinulog Grand Parade that culminated at the Cebu City Sports Center here.
The Sinulog Foundation, Inc. announced at past 11 p.m. on Sunday that the contingent from Tangub City, which last competed and won the crown two years ago, would bring home a total of PHP2 million in cash prizes for winning in the two categories.
The Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak-San Nicolas here, on the other hand, topped the Free Interpretation category after a six-year hiatus from the Sinulog Festival. Lumad Basakanon bagged the PHP1-million prize for its feat.
Sinulog-based Category head judge Dr. Larry Gabao said the out-of-town contingent’s decision to beg off from competing for two years has really paid off. “They (Tangub) rested for two years and made a very impressive comeback,” Gabao told reporters.
Finishing second to Tangub in the Street Dancing competition was the City of Carcar, followed by Pundok Masadyaon of Toledo City (third), Kulturang Panglaoanon of Bohol (fourth), and Tribu Pintaflores of San Carlos City, Negros Oriental (fifth).
The City of Carcar also came in second in the Sinulog-based dance contest with Talisay City, Kulturang Panglaoanon, Pakol Festival of Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, wounding up third, fourth, and fifth placers, respectively.
In the Free Interpretation category, Toledo City settled for second to Lumad Basakanon, while La Castellana Bailes de Luces placed third. Tribu Pintaflores finished fourth, and Lapu-Lapu City ended up fifth.
President Rodrigo Duterte graced the 40th edition of the Sinulog Festival, together with Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar, and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.
Senator Miguel Zubiri also joined the celebration, as well as some showbiz personalities, among them Bea Lucero, Pooh, Senator Manny Pacquiao’s mother Mommy Dionisia, Benjie and Andre Paras, Joross Gamboa, Jericho Rosales, Jennilyn Mercado, and Dingdong Dantes. This year’s Sinulog was participated in by 31 dancing contingents – 16 from Cebu City, seven from Cebu province, and eight from out of town.
Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 (Central Visayas), reported that based on the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) aerial survey on Sunday, this year’s celebration had lesser crowd compared to last year when the estimated crowd reached three million people.
De Leon, however, described the festivity as generally peaceful, saying that no major incident disturbed the event.
Elmer Labella, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation, declared this year’s Sinulog as successful. (PNA)
