Basakanons showcased Cebu — Rama
WORLD CLASS. The fourth Aliwan crown of the Sinulog-themed Lumad Basakanon has raised the level of competition that features Philippine festivals. (Inquirer Photo)
THE Lumad Basakanons of barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City can keep the P1 million prize that they won in Saturday’s Aliwan festival, said Mayor Michael Rama because they “ showed what Cebu can do.”
It is enough that the Basakanons made the city proud with their championship crown, said the mayor, who offered a thanksgiving Mass at the Basilica yesterday .
The dance troupe is expected to return from Manila today.
He said the victory affirmed that “we have been able to establish a benchmark in the competition. The Basakanons have already reached a global level of being competitive,” he said.
The mayor said the Basakanons’ victory in the Aliwan is expected to challenge other participants in the 2015 Sinulog grand parade to do even better.
He said he won’t bar the Basakanons from joining next year’s Sinulog grand parade because the Aliwan triumph doesn’t disqualify them.
The Cebu City government allocated P1.6 million for the Basakanon’s travel to Manila for the Aliwan.
This is the group’s fourth championship after a three-year grand slam in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
The mayor said he wants Sinulog organizers to study a proposal by Basak San Nicolas barangay captain, his cousin George Rama, to extend financial assistance to city-based contingents in the Sinulog.
The city government gave P150,000 assistance to each out-of-town contingent from provinces outside Cebu to encourage them to join the Sinulog.
He said the barangay captain has repeatedly complained about this.
“We will ask the Sinulog organizers to look into that,” said Rama. Tribu Lumad Basakanon’s head choreographer, Dennis Navarro, said he feels the “pressure” to defend the crown for next year’s festival.
Financial constraints prevented the group from joining last year. Even for this year’s Aliwan, they had problems with money until the City Hall agreed to shoulder their expenses.
Navarro said they were lucky that a shipping company gave a 40-percent discount on boat fare to Manila for the group’s 300 dancers, propsmen and support staff.
After winning the Aliwan Festival, organizers treated them to free rides in Star City, an amusement park in Manila.
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