Sandugo Festival: A showcase of extending friendship and gratitude

The month-long festivities, celebrated throughout July, saw a number of activities, including a regional trade expo fair, the Bohol Agri-Food fair, and the pageant for Miss Bohol 2014.

 

At the capital of Tagbilaran, signs of earthquake destruction were barely noticeable: the rubble overshadowed by the festive spirit along the streets, from the Tagbilaran City Pier to the CPG Sports Complex grandstand, where tourists and locals witnessed the show of colors and moves for the street dancing parade. 

 

Sunday street dancing was participated in by some 12 contingents representing the provincial capital city, the towns, and some schools that competed for a P300,000 top prize.

 

While pegged as “a riotous mardi gras on the streets,” the parade and competition had hints of the Boholano spirit—a blend of kuradang, nilambay, and kuracha, local dance movements performed during festivities in the province.

 

Led by their respective bands, the groups were also accompanied by their representations of the main players of Sandugo, the blood compact that took place on March 16, 1565 between Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Boholano chieftain Datu Sikatuna.

 

Bohol Island State University bagged the top prize, followed by the Immaculate Mary Academy in Catigbian, Holy Name University, and the Municipality of Garcia-Hernandez.

 

‘Friendship we are extending’

 

In his speech during the culmination at the grandstand, Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto said they are hoping that the festival would show not only the province’s resilience amid the “challenges” they encountered late last year, but also their thanksgiving to everyone who reached out to help them.

 

“I see people from different races... Obviously they’re not Boholanos but they’re here. This is the friendship that we are sending to the hand of fellow Boholanos, this is the friendship that we are sending to the hand of every public and private official, and this is also the same friendship that we are extending to the foreigners who are coming into our shores and who want to help Bohol build our province into a better Bohol, much better than the Bohol we saw before the challenges late last year,” said the governor, who attended the event donning a costume resembling that of a datu.

 

In a separate interview with the press before the event, Chatto said it was the first time that the local government was facilitating the preparations of this year’s festivities, which he described as “still a private sector activity.”

 

“We said it would still be best if the NGOs will still be a part of it,” he said. “Most of the activities that happened on a day-to-day basis are private sector-led activities, but the government facilitates—how they are assigned, and how they fit into the concept of Sandugo and its historical significance.”

 

He said the festival is also a venue for them for lure in investors through promotions, not only for tourism, but also for agriculture.

 

“We make use of a historic event as a springboard for the livelihood of the people,” Chatto said.  — ELR, GMA News

GMA News Online was one of the media organizations invited to join the trip, which was sponsored by the USAID's Advancing Philippine Competitiveness (COMPETE) project as part of its technical assistance to local government units and tourism industry players.