Dinagyang Festival bags 1st runner up in Aliwan fiesta
Though Iloilo's Dinagyang Festival represented by Tribu Paghidaet failed to get the grand champion award, it remained as the crowd's favorite from among the 23 festivals that competed Saturday for this year's Aliwan Fiesta competition. The audience was awed by the performance of the contingent from Iloilo.
The board of judges picked Cebu's Sinulog Festival as this year's grand champion. Sinulog is now a grand slam winner having bagged the top award for three consecutive years.
First runner-up is Iloilo's Dinagyang Festival while Carmen Cebu got the second runner-up award.
The grand champion received P1 million prize while the first and second runners-up got P500,000 and P250,000, respectively.
Tribu Paghidaet received a warm welcome and applause from the audience as they paraded from Quirino Grandstand until they performed at the CCP complex.
Meanwhile, Tribu Saad of Leganes, which represents Iloilo's Kasadyahan Festival, was among the runners-up in the street dancing competition. The other runners-up are the Kadayawan Festival (Davao); Pamulinawen (Laoag); Halad (Midsayap, North Cotabato); Singkaban (Hagonoy, Bulacan); Buyugan (Abuyog, Leyte) and Alikaraw of Hilongos, Leyte.
Before the parade at the Quirino grandstand started, the contingents from Leyte and Cebu had a fight but was immediately settled by the organizer.
Miss Dinagyang Vena Ardales got the Best in Talent award in the Reyna ng Aliwan beauty pageant. Miss Kadayawan's Mary Jane Lastimosa was chosen as this year's Aliwan Fiesta Queen.
Kira de los Santos (Pasay) placed second runner up; Zarah Mae Lim of Cotabato got 3rd runner up and Sarah Joy Buot of Cebu got fourth runner up.
In the float competition, Laoag got the grand prize and Buling-Buling of Catanauan, Quezon got second place. The Laoag's float romped the grand prize award even if Cebu spent P3.6 million for its computer generated safari-theme float. It featured safari animals like elephant, eagle and giraffe. The elephant even sprays water from its trunk.
The Laoag float was adorned with the agricultural products from their place such as corn, root crops and garlic. The Filipino inspired theme of Laoag impressed not only the judges but also of the crowd as they passed by Roxas Boulevard to the performance area.
The Iloilo contingent was led by Ben Jimena, executive director of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. The Baronda couple, Dr. Urminico Baronda and Lapaz Maternity Clinic head Julie Baronda joined the group.