SM's Fiesta in the City

A glimpse of the many things to come for the last half of the year was seen in the grandiose celebration of Fiesta sa Sugbo held at the SM City parking lot last Sunday afternoon.

Attended by what seems to be a convention of festivals, tourism and political leaders, models, designers and the like, the spectacle commenced with a visit of the first lady governor herself, the Honorable Gwen Garcia.

Models, together with the festival dancers, paraded in different Philippine ternos created for the occasion by designers of Clothes for Life, representing the participating municipalities and cities of Cebu. Seen were:
Melissa Basubas as Reyna sa Caballo Festival (Protacio Empaces) - Municipality of Compostela
Faith Felipe as Reyna sa Kabkaban Festival (Marichu Tan) - Municipality of Carcar
Carliz Selma as Reyna sa Tostado Festival (Harley Ruedas) - Municipality of Santander
Johana P. as Reyna sa Sarok Festival (Marichu Tan) - Municipality of Consolacion
Angel Lozano as Reyna sa Haladaya Festival (Alejandro Godinez) - Municipality of Daanbantayan
Edan Belza as Reyna sa Sinanggi-yaw Festival - Municipality of Dumanjug
Gwen Troot as Reyna sa Mantawi Festival (Hans Coquilla) - Mandaue City
Fern Mediquillo as Reyna sa Soli-Soli Festival - Municipality of San Francisco, Camotes
Marmi Canoy as Reyna sa Sinulog Festival/Marc Arens, escort (Filippo) - Cebu City
Stephanie Siñeres as Reyna sa Sugbo (Wendell Quisido)/Cassidy Shun, escort (Filippo)
Elvira Stehr as Reyna sa Piyesta sa Sugbo (Ray Kuan)/Stephen Urtizberea, escort (Filippo)

A showcase of Cebuano festivals highlighted the event as eight groups expressed the merry sentiments of their locality through dance. A maximum of fifty members including dancers, propsmen and instrumentalists comprise a performing group.

Caballo Festival - Compostela (Dress motif: Spanish inspired/ Maria Clara)

The "Caballo", Spanish for horse, is a result of the unending fixation of the locales upon the uniqueness of the presentation of the town's Patron, Sr. Santiago Apostol de Compostela, as he is mounted upon a horse.

This is a religious replica commemorating the adventures and gallantry of a famed apparition of St. James the Apostel originating from Compostela, Spain.

The horse is a symbol of strenght and beauty, the likely attributions of the citizens of this Municipality. Caballo Festival is held every July 25 - the Feast Day of Sr. Santiago Apostol de Compostela.

Kabkaban Festival - Carcar (Maria Clara)

Kabkaban is an age old tradition that began with old men engaging in sword play while dancing from house to house. Carcar's Kabkaban Festival is not just a religious fanfare in honor of the town's Patroness, St. Catherine of Alexandria, but also a cultural catalogue of the town's rich history, industry like shoemaking, as well as other arts - Carcar being a heritage town and home of world-reknowned artists. The Festival is derived from Carcar's old name, Kabkad, a kind of fern.

Tostado Festival - Santander (ethnic)

Tostado is Santander's own delicacy that is made of flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda and vegetable oil. Research has been conducted when and how tostado-making originated. However, as no one could answer the question, the only thing known is that since time immemorial tostado-making already existed.

The town fiesta and many special occasions would never be complete without the delicious tostado being served and also as pasalubong or giveaways.

This festival is also a form of thanksgiving to the town's Patron, St. Gabriel the Archangel.

Sarok Festival - Consolacion (Rural motif)

To commemorate its founding anniversary, a mardi-gras parade is held every 14th day of February along the main thoroughfares of the town where the participants showcase the sarok, a native hat used by the farmers to protect themselves from the heat of the sun. The conical hat, basically made of bamboo and dried banana leaves, is symbolic of a sense of cooperation where every individual works for the benefits of the whole constituency. Sarok-making is one of the livelihood undertakings of the town of Consolacion since 1920.

Haladaya Festival - Daanbantayan (pagan or muslim ethnic/tribal)

The Municipality of Daanbantayan celebrates its annual Haladaya Festival every Easter Sunday and ends with a streetdancing on the seventh day after Easter. Haladaya literally means "halad kang Datu Daya" (offer to Datu Daya) - believed to be the leader of the first Malay settlers in Kandaya, now Daanbantayan. The ritual/ dance presentation shows the heroism of Datu Daya. It is a celebration of victory, life and good harvest.

Sinanggi-yaw Festival - Dumanjug (rural)

Dumanjug is an agricultural town in Cebu and one of its main products is "mais" (corn). "Sinanggi" or "Sanggi" means to harvest (any agricultural product, specially corn). It also means the abundant catch from the sea. "Yaw", on the other hand, comes from the word "Sayaw", meaning dance. So Sinanggi-yaw means to harvest and dance. A thanksgiving ritual for a bountiful harvest, it is held during Dumanjug's town fiesta, October 3 & 4, in honor of San Francisco de Asisi.

Mantawi Festival - Mandaue City (ethnic/neo-ethnic/tribal)

Mantawi is a vine that was abundant in Mandaue.The vine symbolizes unity that has made Mandaue a highly prosperous and industrialized city in the Philippines. The festival also honors Datu Lambusan, the first ruler who helped the Spaniards repair their galleons and provided the necessary provisions for their trip back to Spain. Mantawi Festival is held every 7th of May, the city's fiesta in honor of St. Joseph the Worker.

Sinulof Festival - Cebu City. (ethnic/Christian)

As all Cebuanos may have known, Sinulog is prayer in dance form in honor of the Miraculous Child Jesus - Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu. The dance movements take root from the Cebuano word "sulog", meaning water current. Like a gushing river, its rhythmic movements are reflected in dance. The cry "Pit Senyor" made by the devotees while dancing the Sinulog originates from the word "Sangpit" or to call upon. "Senyor" is the royal address to the Child God, Thus "Pit Senyor"!

Sinulog is faithfully celebrated every third Sunday of January.

Booths of the participants showcased the different specialty products and delicacies of the place. As this was a contest, the winners were;
Best in Attendance - Municipality of Santander - Tostados
Best Booth:

3rd Place - Municipality of Dumanjug - Lechon Manok

2nd place - Municipality of Compostela - Queso de Compostela

1st place - Municipality of Daanbantayan - Royal Bibingka

Fiesta in the City sponsors were ABS-CBN, David's Salon, Ricky Reyes Salon, Salon de Rose and Pyroworks. The show was directed by Mr. Junjet Primor.