FIRST-TIMERS ruled this year’s Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan.
Cabangahan National High School (NHS) of Consolacion town and Tribu Lasangnon of Alcoy, Cebu stamped their class in their respective categories. Each contingent went home P40,000 richer.
Josefina Guillen, chairperson of the board of judges, said the original concepts presented by the two contingents made them stand out.
Judges were impressed by each group’s “well-done transitions.â€
Michaed Dax Barlaan, Consolacion’s choreographer, said theirs was a “tribute to the Cebuano-Chinese community.â€
Surprise
He described the contingent as the “dark horse†in competition, as it unexpectedly dumped powerhouse three-time champion Compostela NHS, which settled for fourth.
Compostela was second last year, and ruled the event for three years before that.
Barlaan is also the choreographer of Compostela and Borbon NHS, which won the second spot with its beauty pageant concept that emphasized inner beauty in this time where physical attributes get more attention.
Danao City’s Gaas NHS upstaged Compostela for third; Talisay City’s San Roque NHS took the fifth sport.
In the elementary category, Alcoy featured the endangered black shama, locally known as siloy. The story revolves around a siloy saved by the Sto. Niño.
Flight plan
One highlight was a big bird that the lead dancer, carrying the an image of the Child Jesus, rode when the contingent exited.
Pajo, Lapu-Lapu city, which grabbed the crowd’s attention by releasing pigeons as opening salvo, took second place. It also received the same award last year.
With the same theme of protecting the sea, Cordova District took the third prize, which it won last year.
Lawaan, Talisay city was fourth, and Sta. Filomena, Alegria town was fifth. Pajo and Borbon were each adjudged as best in costume.
In an interview, Barlaan said Consolacion presented Cebu’s trade relations with China during the pre-Spanish colonization era.
Its dancers were garbed in Chinese, Spanish and Filipino costumes.
Compostela used the country’s liberation from Japanese Occupation in 1945 as setting, with the Cebu Provincial Capitol’s façade as background.
It also showed the faces of all the governors that served the province.
Barlaan blamed Compostela’s defective costumes and fast changes in transitions for its poorer-than-expected showing.
He said he advised the teachers to use garters instead of zippers for the skirts and petticoats, but they did not listen.
Rain delays
A dancer also stumbled three times on the rubberized track, where all contingents presented instead of onstage, upon Vice Mayor Michael Rama’s order.
Rama wanted to avoid an accident because rain had made the stage slippery.
Despite the downpour, thousands of spectators filled the Cebu City Sports Center grandstand.
The crowd stayed even after the presentations were stopped twice to keep the dancers from getting wet.
The contest’s second placers received P30,000; third, P20,000; fourth, P10,000; and fifth, P5,000.
All the 12 participating contingents will be joining the grand parade next Sunday. (Katrina Tabanao)
Pit Senyor Cebu! CONGRATULATIONS to Borbon National High School for winning! Great job & we are so happy for BNHS! Happy Fiesta to all Borbonanons! Viva Senor San Sebastian (1/19-1/20)!!
Can anyone post some pictures of the Borbon contingent? Would love to see them. 🙂
Mich & Chad
Boston, MA, USA
VIVA SENYOR !!! I am so proud of my fellow Consolacionanons through the Cabangahan NHS group for placing first place in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan. Garbo sa Consolacion.
COCO ALINSUG
(Boston, MA., USA)
anak ni Konsehal Ember Alinsug
VIVA SENYOR SANTO NIÑO! ZAPATERA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL congratulations to all of you there for winning the kabataan sa dakbayan, well done! I am very proud cause I used to go to this school in elementary when I was young and graduated there as well..congratulations to all teachers etch. Happy Fiesta to all in Cebu City!
Mr.and Mrs. Salvador Mingollo
of Sydney Australia..