Buyogan wows crowd, wins crown in Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival ‘08

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

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The Buyogan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte wowed the crowd in the recently held Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals and successfully defended its crown this year as they again managed to grab the top spot as the grand festival champion.

Already a crowd favorite even during the parade, Abuyog’s mystical bees, fairies, colorful dancers and lively tune bested 18 other contingents who participated this year’s top-rated festival.

Buyogon took home P.5 million as cash prize and trophy and another P50,000 for winning the Best in Festival Music award.

Where Abuyog was the crowd-favorite, the surprise winner was the Karatong Festival of Dulag, Leyte, which has not been joining the yearly festival in the previous years but grabbed the second spot this year.

“We really wanted to win as this is a good opportunity for our town of Dulag to be known and promoted in other parts of the country,” said Dulag Mayor Manuel Sia Que.

Sia Que did not join the festival as a supportive spectator of his festival, but was himself a part of the performing contingent.

Karatong earned P300,000 for gaining the second spot and another P100,000 for being adjudged as the Best in Street Dance Performance.

Meanwhile, coming in third place was the Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos, Leyte, a spot which was a notch lower that their previous year finish after dominating the Kasadyaan Festival in the previous years.

They received P250,000 in cash prize and trophy.

The Alikaraw, to recall, finished fourth in the prestigious Aliwan Festival last May, where Buyogan placed sixth in the same event.

DYVL Aksiyon Radyo, the Manila Broadcasting Company’s (MBC) Tacloban-based station, announced after the competition, that the top two in this year’s Kasadyaan Festival would join the Aliwan Festival again in Manila next year representing Leyte province.

Both Buyogan and Karatong earned the said spot.

Other winning contingents were the Bato-Balani Festival of Bato, Leyte for fourth place, the Pamilig Festival of Sta. Fe, Leyte for the fifth place and Pasaka Festival of Tanauan, Leyte for the sixth place.

They received P200,000, P100,000 and P50,000 in cash prizes respectively.

The other delegations came from the Sinuog Festival of Isabel, Indang Festival of Hindang, Tabon Festival of Tabon Tabon, Lantawan Festival of Capoocan, Buling-Buling Festival of Tabango, Kaplag Festival of Mahaplag, Viajedores of Lapaz, Binaybayon Festival of Baybay City, Sanggutan Festival of Barugo, Karukatik Festival of Burauen, Lingganay Festival of Alangalang, Haru Festival of Jaro and Tambula Festival of Babatngon.

Meanwhile, PAGCOR Vice-chairman Remedios “Matin” Petilla, who is the executive chairperson of the festival, said that she herself was awed with the presentations made by all the 19 participating and competing contingents.

“It was really a grandiose presentation by all the participating delegates,” Petilla said.