Sinangiyaw: A very unique fest in Dumanjug, Cebu

The uniqueness and originality of Sinangiyaw Festival, now on its second year, made it a holiday to watch in Dumanjug, Cebu.

Its population of about 41,000 inhabitants were thrilled to show their dances and harvests to a number of tourists who have taken great interest in the festival.

“Sinangiyaw” came from the words “sinang” (harvest) and “iyaw” (dance). It is a unique parade of harvest with participants showing agricultural products such as rice, corn, coconut, camote and banana in their colorful costumes. A revelry in street dancing!

Different dancing groups from five contingents namely: Pundok Kalipay; Pundok Sima; Pundok Bulalakaw; Pundok Himaya and Pundok Calaboon joined the contest with this year’s theme, “Growth and Prosperity in Dumanjug, Cebu”. The winner should be able to typify in its costume and dance the theme emanates.

This writer sat as one of the judges in this year’s Sinangiyaw Festival. The other judges include Dave Liavantes, IBC-13 news reporter and businessman Enad Ernie. We had a hard time in choosing the best group. Nevertheless, we came up with a winner who brought home the grand prize of R8,000 plus trophy. The winner was Pundok Bulalakaw of Barangay Bitoon. Pundok Calaboon won second place with R6,000 plus trophy and Pundok Sima came in third with P5,000 plus trophy. The cash prizes of the winning contingents will be used as seed money for their festival costumes next year. The trophies were donated by Cebu Vice Governor John Gregory H. Osmeña Jr.

The winning group will represent Dumanjug at Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival in January next year, a bigger and more popular dance festival.

The “Miss South Cebu Tourism 2002” pageant was held the day before the Sinangiyaw Festival with the theme “Preservation of Nature Through the Presence of Diwatas or Fairies.” Thus, all the contestants were dressed as fairies, complete with wings. The winner automatically becomes the ‘Ambassadress of Goodwill’ to the southern parts of Cebu Province.

The candidates came from ten different municipalities from southern part of Cebu. The participating municipalities were Sibonga, Barili, Alegria, Santander, Argao, San Fernando, Alcoy, Pinamungajan, Badian and Dumanjug. We had a hard time choosing the fairest among the finalists but we came up with a unanimous choice after all.

Debra Lyn Pila, representing San Fernando, Cebu was crowned “Miss South Cebu Tourism 2002”. Flora Mae Angtud of Dumanjug, Cebu was 1st runner-up while Deborah Sharlyn Ybañez of Barili, Cebu was second runner-up.

The pageant judges aside from this writer were: Lyn Melgar, Irma Benedicto-Reambonanza, Albert Arriba, Salvador Malto, Jack Jakosalem and Josefina Patricia Asirit.

Mayor Cesar A. Baricuatro of Dumanjug who supports the Department of Tourism program “Visit Philippines 2003” said that with its beautiful mountain resorts and antique houses, he intends to make Dumanjug a tourist destination.