Basakanon wins big in Sorsogon festival

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s Lumad Basakanon proved anew its reputation as a top festival performer by delivering a captivating showcase, earning the title of first National Festival of Festivals champion during the 50th Kasanggayahan Festival in the Province of Sorsogon where it proudly represented the Sinulog Festival.

The Garbo sa Lapu-Lapu delegation, that also competed during the competition, also displayed an excellent performance, bagging fourth runner-up.

Even with some new crew members with them, the Lumad Basakanon masterfully showed the beauty of the Sinulog Festival from the streets to the grand stage to take home a whopping P4.5 million total in prizes.

Prior to the battle of the best of the best among the invited festivals in the country, a regional battle took place with the top three moving up to the national FOF.

Gayon Ciudad Festival of Sorsogon City dominated the preliminary battle where it also got the Best in Moving Choreography, Costume, and Festival Queen, followed by the Bulusan Festival with the best in musicality award, while Cagsawa Festival of Daraga, Albay ended on third place.

But even amidst an unfamiliar territory, Cebu City’s Lumad Basakanon displayed confidence that wowed the crowd on the streets paving the way to getting the Best in Moving choreography and bagging ?300,000; as well as the best in costume award with P200,000.

On its final showdown, Lumad Basakanon showed more props and color infusion with solid and synchronized movements under Sinulog festival beat to reign supreme in the national FOF and will be coming home with P4 million.

Lumad Basakanon got more than what was promised earlier by the Provincial Government of Sorsogon headed by Governor Edwin “Boboy” Hamor after President Bongbong Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos added more prizes to the NFOF.

Tanglawan Festival of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan bagged second and went home with P3 million.

Cagsawa Festival of Daraga, Albay, who was third in the regional battle, won over Sorsogon’s Gayon Ciudad Festival for the third spot with P2 million, while the latter ended fourth with P800,000.

The other Cebu bet, Garbo sa Lapu-Lapu Festival of Lapu-Lapu City, will not come home empty-handed after completing the top 5 spot out of the 10 invited contestants in the NFoF.

The Lapu-Lapu delegation, which re-enacted the battle of Mactan, went home with P500,000. — /ATO (FREEMAN)