Millions in financial assistance given to two Leyte festivals to compete in Aliwan Fiesta

By Provincial Media Relations Center
March 31, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Leyte’s two winning festivals, the Lingganay Festival of Alangalang and Buyogan Festival of Abuyog, each received a whopping P1 million assistance from the provincial government of Leyte  as they vie in the country’s premiere festival, the Aliwan Fiesta in Manila.

Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla handed over the financial assistance to Mayor Loreto Yu of Alangalang and Mayor Octavio Traya of Abuyog, as there is only a little over two weeks to go and preparations, for both festivals are now in full swing.

The Manila Broadcasting Company will hold the 10th edition of the Aliwan Fiesta 2012 on April 12-14 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

Gov. Petilla said he is more than ready to provide support to these two festival contingents as exposures in such a national festival competition also lures economic opportunities and tourism promotions.

“It is very, very expensive to be sending a contingent. But we have already made a mark in this cultural festivities that whenever they mention Leyte, they would always associate us with award winning festivals,” Gov. Petilla said.

Alangalang’s Lingganay Festival earned a spot to compete in the Aliwan Fiesta after winning the grand plum in the 2011 Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals in Tacloban.  Its first entry into the Sinulog Festival in Cebu this January also proved fruitful as it won first place in the Free Interpretation category.

On the other hand, Abuyog famed Buyogan Festival will again try to work its magic in the Aliwan Fiesta. Buyogan did not compete in the Aliwan last year and the Sinulog Festival this year after a winning streak in 2009 and 2010, including in the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival.

This year twenty one festivals will be seeing action in this yearly summer spectacle that include Kalivungan Festival of Alamada Cotabato; Ala Eh Lambayok Festival of San Juan, Batangas; Pattaraday Festival of  Santiago City, Isabela; Kalilangan Festival of General Santos City; Boling-Boling Festival of Catanauan Quezon; Zamboanga Hermosa Festival of Zamboanga City; Dayang Dayang Festival of Pasay City; Halamanan Festival of Guiguinto Bulacan; Lembuhong Festival of Surallah South Cotabato;  Salakayan Festival of Miag ao Iloilo; Padang Padang Festival of Parang Maguindanao; Panagbenga Festival of Baguio City; Tagagiik Festival of Taguig City; Meguyaya Festival of Upi Maguindanao;  Mamang-os at Kambingan Festival of Tuy, Batangas; Sagayan Festival of the Province of Maguindanao;  T’nalak Festival of the Province of South Cotabato; Dinagyang Festiv al of Iloilo City and Pandang Gitab Festival of the Province of Oriental Mindoro.

The highlights of this grand event is the festival streetdance competition and the float parade.