Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo on Friday expressed optimism that the new branding of the Sandurot Festival will be reaping its benefits in a matter of time even as he admitted the need to ramp up promotions for this socio-cultural-tourism event.
The mayor explained at a press conference a day before the main event of the 10-day Sandurot Festival, which is the three part festival composed of the Paghimamat, a get-together which tells the story of Dumaguete, the Pasigarbo or street dance and the Pasundayag or showdown which features at least eleven dance contingents from a number of schools and barangays.
Mayor Remollo was reacting to observations of what some quarters perceived as a not-so-festive staging of the 2017 Sandurot Festival this year compared to previous years.
This year, the city government, through the City Tourism Council, had moved the Sandurot Festival from its usual celebration month in November to September, in the hopes of making it a separate activity from the city’s charter day anniversary and fiesta of its patron saint, St. Catherine of Alexandria.
The city envisions that the Sandurot Festival held in September will become a regular tourism come-on, held also in line with the country’s Tourism Month celebration, said the Mayor.
Mayor Remollo pointed out that just like the much older and grander festivals in the country, like the Ati-Atihan in Iloilo or the Masskara in Bacolod City which took several years to grow and become popular as they are now, the Sandurot Festival will also have its birthing pains and learning experiences.
The mayor said he is not worried that not too many people outside of Dumaguete are aware of this month’s staging of the Sandurot Festival but he believes that in the coming years, it will rake in more tourists to this capital.
Dumaguete City is slowly gaining popularity as a venue for a variety of national and local events, ranging from sports to cultural presentations, academic gatherings and even government and private activities such as conferences and the like, he pointed out.
Remollo disclosed that already, several activities are already lined up for the coming months through next year, an indication that, indeed, Dumaguete City continues on its uphill to be a better venue for a variety of events.
The 2017 Sandurot Festival opened on Sept. 8 and runs until Sept. 17, with activities such as a bazaar featuring foods, arts and crafts and products made by local producers, live concerts featuring local artists, corporate partner nights, the Duma Comida food festival participated in by the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) in the food service industry, Dulang Pinoy to revive traditional Filipino games, a national drone race (the first to be held here), a 21-km half marathon, a terra cotta exhibit and an electro night run, among others.
City Tourism Office Jacqueline Veloso Antonio assured that a number of pre-fabricated trash bins have been placed at the Duma Comida venue at the Rizal Boulevard as she assured that the garbage problem especially at the height of the Sandurot Festival is addressed.
She disclosed that in coordination with the General Services Office and the Environment and Natural Resources Office, collection of garbage is assured as personnel and garbage trucks and compactors are under strict instructions to remove the trash from the Duma Comida venue every night.
Antonio appealed to the public to show their support and appreciation to the Sandurot Festival presentation of the “story of Dumaguete”, with the YATTA headed by Dessa Quesada-Palm in the lead, with Foundation University, Holy Cross High School, the MEV Dance Company, Silliman University, the Negros Oriental State University, and Barangays Calindagan and Piapi participating in the Paghimamat.
For the Pasigarbo and Pasundayag, the eleven participating contingents are Asian College, Piapi High School, Junob High School, Dumaguete City High School, Silliman University, Barangay Cantil-e, Barangay Junod, Barangay Looc, Barangay Daro and Barangay Banilad.
The opening salvo was afternoon of Saturday at the Rizal Boulevard for the Paghimamat, which was followed by the street dancing and finally, the showdown. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)