San Pedro bags 2012 ‘Pasalamat’ festival grand prize

by Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY, January 18 (PIA) – For the second  time , barangay San Pedro bagged the grand prize during the ‘Pasalamat’ festival held at the city gym on January 15. A total of 23 clustered barangays participated in the impressive, majestic and colorful celebration.   

The ‘Pasalamat’ is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January every year, celebrated in honor of patron saint Sr. Sto. Nino which is a huge annual attraction in the city.

The winners of the ‘Pasalamat’ festival were revealed and announced after a couple of hours of  ritual  dance and showdown at the city gymnasium.

San Pedro was the first contingent to receive a cash prize of P100,000. 

Lison Valley contingent was adjudged as first-runner up with P80,000  ; Kawit contingent -  second runner-up got P60,000; Sto. Nino -  3^rd runner-up received 40,000 , and 4^th runner-up, the clustered barangays of Bomba, Poloyagan and Napolan received P30,000, while the non-lucky contingents received a consolation prize of P20,000 each.

Mayor Samuel S. Co in his message said the street dance and parade (barangay category) will only be up to this year since next year, it will be  purely an ‘invitational’ street dance competition where contingents from the different cities in the Philippines will be invited to participate.

Co said he will increase prizes for the competition just to attract participants and to make the festival  more lively, elegant and entertaining because it draws huge crowd and brings prestige for Pagadian City.

Among those who witnessed the event were ZamboSur 2^nd district Representative Aurora E. Cerilles and  her husband, Governor Antonio H. Cerilles, first lady Priscilla Ann F. Co, provincial, city and barangay officials and the viewing public. (ALT/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian)