Tacloban’s ‘Sangyaw’ lines up more festivities

TACLOBAN CITY, June 21 -- The city government here has lined up several activities this month to position the city as the place for festivities in the country.

Actress-turned-politician Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez said fiesta-related events this year are fun-filled and merrier with cultural activities, sports competitions, concerts, beauty pageants, and Parade of Lights.

“We really try our best to make all the events special because people here are fun-loving. We want our fiesta to stand out as one of the country’s happiest celebrations,” Romualdez said on Wednesday.

Among the main events of this year’s festivities themed "Happyesta Tacloban 2018" is the Sangyaw Parade of Lights. The parade features creatively decorated and brightly-lighted floats and dance contingents against the backdrop of the upbeat “Sangyaw Theme."

Sangyaw, which means “to announce” is the name of the city’s festival. Then first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, introduced the event in the late ’70s or early ’80s as a highlight of the city’s fiesta celebration. It was stopped after the People Power Revolution in 1986, which ended the Marcos regime.

In 2008, Imelda’s nephew, then Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez revived Sangyaw Festival as the highlight of fiesta celebrations.

At least 15 dance contingents comprising participants from schools and villages will join the festival parade on June 29, along with 15 float contingents that include entries from Catbalogan City and Pinabacdao, Western Samar.

Keeping up with this year’s theme, each contingent will interpret the happy and colorful scenes of fiestas in their ritual dance and float designs, said city tourism officer Malou Tabao.

“That is the challenge given to contingents. We expect them to awe spectators by interpreting the happy theme through street dances and ritual presentations,” Tabao told reporters.

On June 8, the city government kicked off various activities that will run until fiesta day on June 30. The main event is the Sangyaw Parade of Lights on June 29.

Other events are the Miss Tacloban Coronation Night on June 22, Sangyaw Queen at the Robinsons North on June 24, Ginoong Sangyaw Tacloban on June 25 at the Robinsons North, the Sangyaw Foundation Ball and Balik Tacloban Night at Patio Victoria on June 27, among others.

Also lined up are nightly performances at the Sangyawan Music Festival featuring local and Manila-based performers like Siakol, Basti Artadi, Letter Days Story Band, Shamrock, Tanya Markova, iPOTS, Franco, Itchy Worms, Better Days, Ex-Batallion, Jason Fernandez, Osang, Jovit Baldivino, Day Break, Mayonnaise, Kjwan, Sofia Romualdez, I Love Tacloban Band, Cueshe, Mulatto Band, TJ Monterde, and Freestyle.

Cultural Shows and a Fiesta Fair are being held at Plaza Rizal since June 14.

Religious activities for the 129th Tacloban Fiesta include the Pre-Balyuan Rites, Balyuan Rites, and the traditional Fluvial and Land Processions, and Pontifical Mass on Fiesta Day. Balyuan Rites reenacts the historical swapping of Sto. Niño images between Tacloban and Basey town in Samar. (SQM/PNA)