Leyte presents double header to the famed annual Aliwan Festival

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
April 30, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla is hopeful the province can bag any significant place in the soon to be held Aliwan Festival at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila as Leyte province presents a double-header via the Buyogan Festival and Alikaraw Festival of Abuyog and Hilongos respectively.

“It is the first time ever that the province would be sending two contingents. And they are not just mere contingents as these two festivals are already seasoned dancers and performers who have joined many other and big cultural presentations in other parts of the country,” Gov. Petilla said in an interview recently.

To recall, Buyogan Festival was the grand prize winner in the Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in June 2007 while Alikaraw was its runner-up.

Hilongos’ Alikaraw is likewise fresh from a third place win at the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City last January and is out to defend its position too, if not overtake its third position which it earned in last year’s Aliwan Festival.

“I myself is feeling the pressure. The province is giving these two festivals full support because not only would they be representing themselves but they would be bringing the province of Leyte as they dance their best in Manila,” Gov. Petilla said.

The Alikaraw festival of Hilongos showcases its equally fervent religious devotion manifested by tribesmen who also learned to co-exist with their environment, while the town of Abuyog bring life to the mystical bees of the magical fairy Opayda in the Buyogan festival.

Leyte’s double-header would be facing top festival contingents as this year’s Aliwan festival showcases 24 festivals from as far as Angadanan, Isabela in the north to Lamitan Basilan in the South.

This year’s Aliwan contingents also include Panagbenga of Baguio City, Lang-ay Festival of Bontoc, Mountain Province, Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag City, Gakit Festival of Angadanan, Isabela, Desposorio Festival of Bulacan, PintaFlores Festival of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Sa-ad Festival and the acclaimed Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, Sinulog of Cebu as interpreted by Aliwan Festival 2007 defending champion Lumad Basakanon, Halad Festival of Midsayap, Cotabato, Bakhawan Festival of Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Shariff Kabunsuan Festival of Cotabato City, Meguyaya Festival of Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan, Kang’ Gelal of Sultan Kudarat, Buklod Festival of Parang, Maguindanao, Kalilintad Festival of Mamasapano, Maguindanao and Lami-Lamihan of Lamitan, Basilan.

The grand prize winner of the 6th Aliwan Fiesta streetdance competition will receive a whooping 1 Million Pesos and the bragging rights as the Philippines’ best festival.

Second Place winner will get five hundred thousand pesos and third place winner will pocket two hundred fifty thousand pesos. Fourth to tenth place winners will each get fifty thousand pesos each.