Capitol deflects blame in controversy

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government said that the “series of technical glitches” experienced during the staging of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2023 held on August 27 at the Carcar City Sports Complex was not the fault of the production team of Sugbo News and its Provincial Information Office.

“Tungod sa maong palpak, gipangduka ang online viewers ug nanghawa diha sa tunga-tunga sa pasundayag, hinungdan nga wala na'y namotar sa remaining contingents nga nag-perform. Mogawas ni nga unfair para sa mga contingents nga wala nay manan-aw,” it said through the Sugbo News Facebook post.

The news article, however, did not controvert what Jahbert Saba, Visual Operator of PSS2023 that the MDF Productions had hired, had said that the glitches were mainly due to the lack of time to complete their technical preparations, blocking and dry run.

Saba had earlier said that there were contingents who submitted their audio-visual materials very late, and because of the size of these files, putting them into the “Resolume compatibility” was not completed.

He said that all these was largely brought about by the change in the stage location a few days before the big event.

These technical glitches had forced Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, together with the Cebu mayors, in a meeting last week, to decide to forego the online voting and just use the judges score instead.

The results of the winners will be announced tomorrow.

“Tungod sa nagka-menos nga online viewers, kaniadtong Lunes, naka-hukom si Gobernador Gwen Garcia ug gisanungan kini sa mga mayor kaniadtong Martes, Augusto 29, nga dili na apilon sa total score ang 15 percent nga votes sa online viewers, hinungdan nga mausab ang naunang gi-announce nga resulta sa mga winners,” it added.

Those who voted online, however, will be eligible for a raffle draw that dangles a Toyota Hi-Lux as the top prize.

The Pasigarbo sa Sugbo started late in the afternoon, and the whole event ended around 4 a.m. the following day.

The PSS 2023 was marred with controversies after the governor accused the Alberca Lights and Sound Rental of sabotaging the show during its grand ritual showdown after it sustained a total of 15 technical glitches.

Isidro Alberca, owner Alberca Lights and Sound Rental, and Saba had already denied sabotaging the event.

Both of them, however, had asked for an apology from the governor. — (FREEMAN)