About 7,000 people gathered at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) on Saturday, Aug. 29, for the inaugural Halad sa Pagtuo, a provincial festival that brought together Cebu’s religious and cultural traditions in one celebration.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) estimated the crowd at around 7,000 as the afternoon procession of 53 carrozas from towns and cities across Cebu reached the sports center.
The carrozas, each carrying the image of a patron saint, traveled about 2.1 kilometers from near the Cebu Provincial Capitol along Osmeña Boulevard to the CCSC. The procession began at around 2:30 p.m.
Unlike a competition that requires communities to follow a common design, the festival allowed participating local government units to showcase their own identity through their carrozas.
The displays incorporated elements of local faith, craftsmanship, food, products, colors and traditions, turning the procession into a showcase of how different communities express their devotion.
Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said the turnout showed that the concept had been well received.
“I’m happy and excited — it turned out really well,” Baricuatro said.
She later expressed her intention to make the festival an annual event.
“Let’s do this every year. A new festival is born in Cebu, Halad sa Pagtuo!” she said.
Baricuatro said bringing the province’s carrozas together allowed communities to showcase their religious traditions on a larger platform.
“Everybody said that it was good to present all our carrozas,” she said.
The provincial government said Halad sa Pagtuo was built around two elements it considers central to Cebuano identity: faith and culture.
The evening program at the CCSC began at 6 p.m. and featured performances by Cebuano talents, the formal presentation of the carrozas, a Holy Mass, blessing of the carrozas, mass dancing and fireworks.
Organizers also served free food, including puso and ngohiong, to spectators.
Seven festivals from different parts of Cebu were also featured during the program: Sinulog sa Carmen, Tuba Festival of Borbon, Bisnok Festival of Dumanjug, La Torta Festival of Argao, Hinulawan Festival of Toledo City, Dagitab Festival of Naga City and Kabkaban Festival of Carcar City.
The presentations highlighted the distinct histories, products and traditions behind each celebration.
Carmen’s Sinulog traces its beginnings to 1974, when it was initially known as Ati-Atihan sa Carmen before adopting the Sinulog name the following year.
Borbon’s Tuba Festival centers on tuba, the traditional drink made from coconut sap that has long been associated with the town’s livelihood and culture.
Dumanjug’s Bisnok Festival celebrates the municipality’s Bisayang manok, or grilled native chicken, while Argao’s La Torta Festival pays tribute to the town’s famous torta, traditionally made with ingredients that include tuba or coconut palm sap.
Toledo City’s Hinulawan Festival draws from the city’s history and heritage, with its name associated with the Hinulawan River and the ideas of hard-earned labor and gold.
Naga City’s Dagitab Festival combines local culture with Christmas lights, while Carcar City’s Kabkaban Festival celebrates the city’s religious and cultural heritage under the patronage of St. Catherine of Alexandria.
The provincial government provided each participating carroza with a P100,000 subsidy, while the seven featured festivals received a combined P2 million.
The entire celebration was estimated to cost between P18 million and P19 million, according to the provincial government, which said the amount was significantly lower than previous spending for Pasigarbo sa Sugbo.
Whether Halad sa Pagtuo will eventually include a competition remains undecided.
Baricuatro said the provincial government would first consult Cebu’s mayors before deciding on the festival’s future format, consistent with what she described as a consultative approach to governance.
“We have to consult the mayors for that because as you all know, we are a consultative administration,” she said.
The inaugural celebration ended with fireworks followed by a performance from singer-songwriter Martin Nievera, closing a festival that the provincial government hopes will become part of Cebu’s annual cultural calendar.
Photo by Jacq Hernandez
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