Palad-Palad Festival highlights Bayog town’s 48th founding anniversary

By Gideon C. Corgue

BAYOG, Zamboanga del Sur – The municipality of Bayog marked its 48^th founding anniversary on Friday featuring street dancing competition locally known as “Palad-Palad Festival.”

Palad-Palad Festival, which is held yearly showcases tribal dance and music with the participants in indigenous costumes.   

Bayog, a third class municipality located some 78 kilometers from Pagadian City, became the 29^th municipality of the province on May 8, 1967, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4872 authored by the then congressman Vincenso Sagun.

Mayor Leonadro Babasa Jr. said the town’s 28 barangays, which are grouped into four clusters participated in the festival, each depicting the culture, tradition and way of life of the tribes living in the municipality through dances.

Almost 300 dancers composed mostly of high school students dressed in colorful and outlandish costumes show off their dancing skills to the delight of the audience.

In the three-hour showdown, cluster 2 barangays-Kahayagan, Dipili Pulangbato, Dimalinao, Bantal, Liba, and Conacon-emerged as grand prize winner, taking home P80 thousand. 

Cluster 4 consists of Balukbahan, Bobuan, Caoayan, Datagan, Deprorehan, Matin-ao and Sigacad bagged the second prize of P60 thousand.

Cluster 3, which comprises Poblacion, Matun-og, Camp Blessing, Supon, Kanipaan, Baking and Dagum was declared second runner up and took home P40 thousand.

While Cluster 1, composed San Isidro, Depore. Balumbunan, Lamare, Salawagan, Damit and Depore, was adjudged third runner up and received P30 thousand.

Cluster 2 was chosen by the judges as best in headdress, while the 19 year-old Sheena Mejares of cluster 4 was chosen as festival queen.