Everyone is excited for Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, the grand celebration of the different festivals in Cebu!
The yearly celebration of Cebu’s biggest cultural festivals is returning to Cebu City in 2024!
Contingents from the different towns and cities of Cebu province will gather along the streets of Cebu once more, as the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo finally returns to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) this August.
Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia will allow the provincial government, led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, to use the sports center for the ritual showdown and awarding ceremony this coming August 25th and 26th. (2024)
There will also be a street parade, to be held along Osmeña Boulevard and Fuente Osmeña Circle.
Dubbed “the festival of all festivals,” Pasigarbo sa Sugbo features over 50 dance groups from all around the province showcasing their local cultural dances. It also includes a Festival Queen competition, where women from each contingent compete in a beauty pageant.
It serves as the culminating event for the province’s month-long celebration of its founding anniversary on August 6th.
Each participating town started preparations months before. It was only during the Sugat Kabanhawan event in March that Governor Garcia announced that Pasigarbo sa Sugbo would push through.
THE 2023 DEBACLE
In 2023, the event was held at the new Carcar City Sports Complex, since the CCSC was closed for renovation in line with Cebu City hosting the Palarong Pambansa (2023). Unfortunately, last year’s Pasigarbo was marred by controversy.
In the middle of the event, Governor Garcia scolded Alberca Sounds and Lights because of several technical glitches which hindered many of the contingents’ performances, accusing the supplier of sabotaging the event.
Isidro Alberca, the owner of the lights and sounds supply company, responded by denying the accusations, clarifying that the glitches were out of their control. He also noted that their preparations were delayed because of several last minute changes such as the relocation of the stage. (2023)
These technical errors caused the contingents to repeat their performances, affecting the online votes and changing the already announced winners. The new set of winners were announced a month later.
Around Php 29 million was given in total to all the winners in 2023.
In 2024, the provincial government announced that they have brought in a new supplier for their lights and sounds to prevent any more technical glitches.
2023 RESULTS
Minglanilla was declared the new Grand Champion for the ritual showdown, winning Php 5 million. The contingent beat other local festivals like the Hinulawan Festival from Toledo, the Dagitab Festival of the City of Naga, and the Rosquillos Festival of Liloan.
Carcar, which had won several iterations of the festival before 2023, was initially hailed the winner of the competition, but ended as the 5th runner-up after the recount. They did, however, finish first place in the street dancing competition, winning Php 2 million.
As for the Festival Queen competition, Mariel Bogert, who represented Cordova’s Dinagat Festival, came out on top, winning Php 50,000 for her municipality. Jewel Alexei Image from Minglanilla, on the other hand, finished first runner-up, going home with Php 30,000. Jhesidy Thea Alberca, the daughter of the owner of Alberca Sounds and Lights, finished as the second runner-up, representing Carcar’s Kabkaban Festival.
Antojado-Orillaneda, Le Phyllis F. 2024. “Pasigarbo sa Sugbo at CCSC set August 25.” The Freeman.
https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2024/07/06/2368194/pasigarbo-sa-sugbo-ccsc-set-august-25.
Fuentes, Kaiser Jan. 2023. “‘Saboteur’ denies allegations, apologizes to Guv for ‘fiasco’.” Sunstar Cebu.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/saboteur-denies-allegations-apologizes-to-guv-for-fiasco.
