CEBU, Philippines – The sound of rain and cheer echoed through Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City as thousands of residents and performers came to dance at the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2024 on Sunday, August 25.
The “Festival of festivals” returned to the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC) a year after it was held in Carcar City. Fifty-one contingents from different towns and cities of Cebu and a guest performer wowed audiences at the CCSC.
The Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, which stands for “Pride of Cebu” in Cebuano, is a grand festival that features dances and cultural stories from different parts of the province. The event commemorates the founding anniversary of Cebu.
Despite heavy rainfall, residents like 46-year-old Jeffrey Go went to the venue to show their support to the performers — young devotees giving their all to win the festival’s grandiose dance competition.
“I’m rooting for the contingents of Carcar, Dalaguete and Talisay…I’m a proud Southern Cebuano,” Go told Rappler.
Vincent Amaquin, 20, from Dalaguete’s contingent, said they prepared a brand new performance for attendees of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, adding that they had a 3-month preparation consisting of physical training and dance rehearsals.
“First of all, we offer our performances to God and secondly, to our patron saint, San Guillermo de Aquitania, and also to our saint of the farmers, San Isidro Labrador,” Amaquin said.
This year, the City of Naga won the title of champion for the event’s ritual dance showdown while Carcar City won the best performance in the street dance competition.
– Rappler.com.
