Propsmen from Buyawanong Placer do finishing touches on their props./Contributed Photo
SIARGAO – After 18 years of being absent from the Sinulog Festival, the Buyawanong Placer Cultural Group from the municipality of Placer, Surigao del Norte will be back to regale the crowd with their dance presentation in honor of the Señor Sto. Niño.
Val Lozada, municipal tourism officer and official choreographer, said the group is composed of 100 dancers, 200 propsmen and 50 instrumentalists.
Lozada said the performers are between the ages of eight and 30 years old and composed of students, out-of-school youth and professionals.
Lozada said he proposed a P1.8 million budget for their participation in the Sinulog grand parade this year.
“This is our comeback after 18 years that is why we are very thankful for the opportunity given by the local government unit and our provincial government for their support,” Lozada told Cebu Daily News Digital.
In 2001, Buyawanong Placer participated in the Sinulog grand parade under the administration of the late mayor Enrique Patiño.
Lozada said the current mayor, Michael Jose Patiño, son of mayor Enrique, promised to bring the group back to Cebu for the Sinulog festival.
“Our win in the Bonok-Bonok Festival of Festivals in Surigao last September 2018 became our training ground in preparation for our Sinulog comeback,” he said.
The dance storyline will feature the rich gold deposits of the town and the locals love for the Holy Child.
“The dance concept will live up to our name. It will depict our people who are gold panning that offended the dieties and bring sickness to a child,” Lozada said.
“Señor Sto. Niño will come in to heal the child. The last part of the dance will highlight an image of Sto. Niño that is made of gold, which shows how much we venerate the Holy Child,” he added.
Lozada said fraternities such as Alpha Kappa Rho and Tau Gamma Phi are helping out as logistics personnel.
“They are very active in civic activities in our community,” he said.
Lozada said they will be sailing to Cebu on January 16 onboard a Cokaliong ship with more than 500 individuals including performers, family members and support staff.
They will arrive on January 17.
“We are rearing to win. But more than anything, I am very thankful to our local government for the opportunity to be back. With our presentation, we hope to venerate Señor Sto. Niño,” he said.
“After 18 years, we are excited to be back and live up to the expectations of the Cebuanos,” Lozada added./dcb