DOT lauds Sorsogon’s Guinness record on folk dance performance

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism on Sunday commended the province of Sorsogon for setting a Guinness World Record last October 31.

During the annual Kasanggayahan Festival, Sorsogon made history after bagging the Guinness World Record for the Largest Filipino Folk Dance performance.

A total of 7,127 registered dancers performed a traditional Bicolano dance of love and courtship “Pantomina Sa Tinampo” at the Rompeolas baywalk and the streets of Magsaysay and Rizal. This dance is a drama on doves, hence its name.

“Witnessing Kasanggayahan Festival is exciting for tourists, with the interagency efforts to make each year a bigger and grandiose showcase of talent and offerings. What better way to do this than with a record-setting performance that is truly Bicolano,” DOT Region 5 Director Benjamin Santiago said in a release.

The world-record performance was a joint-force efforts of government units and private sector from all municipalities of Sorsogon.

Also another highlight of the Kasanggayahan Festival is the unveiling of the ecclesiastical marker, and the 450th commemoration of the First Mass in Luzon held on October 19 in Gibalon Shrine in Magallanes town.

According to the Sorsogon Provincial Tourism, around 20,000 pilgrims and tourists witnessed the mass.

The hall in Gibalon Shrine was renovated to look like a galleon, similar to the one used by the Spanish missionaries that arrived in the town in 1569.

The 2019 edition of the festival also marked the 125th year of foundation of Sorsogon province.

The provincial government also unveiled a commemorative stamp in collaboration with Philippine Postal Corporation.

“We always ensure that the activities and events for Kasanggayahan Festival is geared towards upholding five main components–agriculture, trade, tourism, art, culture and history,” Bobby Gigantone, Sorsogon provincial tourism officer said.

Aside from these celebrations, the festival would also feature an agri-tourism trade fair, historico-cultural parade, pageants, singing and dancing showdowns, as well as arts, sports and culinary competitions during the whole month of October.

Kasanggayahan festival means “life of prosperity” or kasaganahan in Filipino. —Rosette Adel