Muc Ado About Sangyaw and the Sidelights

The contingent from the municipality of Almeria, Biliran

Don't they look cute?

A very colorful contingent

The kid obligingly gave me a smile



The whole gown is made of the native material "banig"



The Patron Saint of Tacloban, Senyor Sto. Ninyo

After spawning a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), and a much ballyhooed stand off between local traffic enforcers on one hand and provincial officials, mayors, the "other" festival parade organizers on the other, the yearly "official" Sangyaw parade of the city fiesta started on a late note on June 29, 2011. Following "Filipino" time, the 1 o'clock scheduled start of the parade was not followed and it began at almost 2 p.m.

My small delegation of kibitzers consisting of the hubby, daughter B_ _, sister-in-law, my mom, and our "pinapa-eskwela" went in early downtown to secure a limited and in demand parking space for our ancient AUV. The heat was quite much so we had to turn on the aircon intermittently. To add to our woes, a not-too-nice-smell of a run-over dead cat permeated the air were. So, there, we got cooped up as early as 10:30 a.m.. amidst such not so comfortable conditions, so you understand my introductory rant to this post. The parade better be worth it, I mumbled to myself.

However, early on, I was beginning to regret bringing my family to watch as I saw delegations upon delegations of this and that organization. I expected a cultural parade and not an "Alay Lakad" as one kibitzer so sarcastically put it. Finally, after about almost a dozen of such groups clothed in indentifying t-shirts, the dance contingents from the different barangays and schools came through.

They were all clad in colorful costumes and truly, the Sangyaw parade had begun. It was a much better parade compared to the one I saw two years ago and give or take a few years it might catch up with its "rival", the Pintados-Kasadyaan, which had the headstart, which is arguably better in terms of a more lively, colorful parade with beautifully coordinated dance steps. Frankly, I cannot understand this "war" of festivals when we can actullay have one with the "other" retaining their identity and joining the official one. Really, what's in a name when we all profess to be honoring the Senyor Sto. Nino, the patron saint of our city?

The sad story of the festival squabble has shifted the limelight from the fiesta's festivities to a battle that has gone from the the airwaves to the halls of justice. One need not look far for an example and Cebu City's "Sinulog" festival comes to mind. Despite provincial and city public officials who are openly at loggerheads, the "Sinulog" festival has them put all these aside and trot to a unified yell of "Pit Senyor!". Why, I ask, can't we do the same? Anyway, "war" and all, that day we watched under the sweltering heat of the sun a show that came with story bigger that itself.

Sangyaw and Pintados, the Battle...

A glance at the title would suggest that the words do not deserve to be in one sentence, at least from this blogger's point of view. This is for a number of reasons foremost of which is that both the Sangyaw and Pintados are celebration of a distinctly religious event, the feast of the Senyor Sto. Nino. Discord has marked this year's festivities and provided a damper in what should have been a unifying occasion for all Waraynons in the region.

A court case has been filed and a TRO (Temporary restraining order) has been issued by a local judge. A visibly irate local chief executive has threatened to hold those responsible for the TRO accountable and from the grapevine, I've heard that certain properties in the city are to be reverted back to the province.

As a backgrounder, the Pintados Kasadyaan is an annual parade in Tacloban held every 27th of June that began sometime in the late 80's and is meant to coincide with the city's annual fiesta. It is spearheeaded by the Pintados Foundation and the province of Leyte and showcases presentations from different towns and cities in region interpreting the pagans' deliverance by the Sto. Nino in the form of dance. When incumbent Mayor Alfred Romualdez became the city's chief, he reintroduced the Sangyaw, to be the main and focal point of the celebration of the city fiesta, the feast of the Senyor Sto. Nino. From that point on, a struggle seems to have emerged as to which of the two parades, the Sangyaw and Pintados Kasadyaan has the rightful claim as to to being the festival that truly represents the city's fiesta.

But 'nuf said, since I was not able to watch both parades I've included a link here where you can watch slide shows from the event. You may also click here for well-taken pictures of both events.