DEFENDING CHAMPION: Carcar City’s Kabkaban Festival defended their title as the Grand Champion of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2023. | CDN Digital Photo by Christian Dave Cuizon
CEBU CITY, Philippines – This year’s Pasigarbo sa Sugbo is the latest talk on social media that has even spawned memes and speculations.
On Sunday, August 27, 2023, the ‘festival of festivals’ culminated at the Carcar City Sports Complex with at least 50 contingents from various localities in Cebu vying for the Ritual Showdown and Street Dance competitions.
However, as the night grew old, a series of technical mishaps bogged down the production and even interrupted the performances of several contingents.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia repeatedly called out the sounds and lights provider, and later described them as acts of ‘sabotage’. The owner of the audio and lighting service, Isidro Alberca, denied they had any intention to sabotage the event.
Here are other things we know so far about the technical glitches that marred the Pasigarbo festival.
15 Technical Errors
According to Garcia, they tallied a total of 15 ‘technical boo-boos’ during the Ritual Showdown of the Pasigarbo, which lasted until Monday dawn.
All of them involved audio playback errors which it would stop midway during a delegation’s performance on stage. In some cases, the contingents’ video presentation and the Mayor’s Introduction segment would stop playing.
The contingents affected
Based on CDN Digital’s list, at least five contingents experienced technical difficulties during their Ritual Showdown performance. They are the delegations from Toledo City, Santa Fe, Alegria, Madridejos and Mandaue City.
Toledo City, representing its Hinulawan Festival, bagged the third place in the Ritual Showdown competition.
From the top!
Due to technical problems, some contingents had to perform again from the top. Mandaue City’s Panagtagbo sa Mandaue performers had to perform thrice. Their audio suffered playback errors twice.
It was during the second glitch in Mandaue City’s Ritual Showdown when Garcia went to the podium, and lambasted the audio and lights provider again.
Other contingents that had to restart their performance included Alegria, Madridejos and Toledo City. Several of the Hinulawan Festival performers from Toledo City needed medical attention after their second round.
Santa Fe’s Panuhog Festival delegation went on to finish their piece with their performers singing acapella.
Who is Alberca Sounds and Lights?
The organizers of the Pasigarbo, including Garcia, pinned the blame on Alberca Sounds and Lights Rentals. The audio and lighting service provider had been in the business for nearly a decade. They had been in charge of the sounds and lights of various events, including the famous Sinulog Festival.
Aside from the Cebu Provincial Government, their other notable clients are local governments around Visayas, including Cebu City and Ormoc City. They also partnered with concert organizers in the region.
What led to the glitches?
Alberca had denied that they sabotaged the event in favor of several contingents, contrary to Garcia’s claims. He also apologized for the technical errors, and hoped the governor to also listen to their side.
According to Alberca, he believed the glitches may have been a result of logistical difficulties after multiple changes in their setup in the venue.
The owner of the sounds and lights provider said they had been asked to dismantle and reassemble their LED wall and speakers just a few days before the culmination.
Garcia had earlier accused Alberca of sabotaging the event, and even criticized him for failing to disclose that his daughter joined the Pasigarbo Festival Queen competition.
What will happen?
Last Monday, August 28, Garcia announced they will review the results of the Pasigarbo for the sake of fairness. They also indefinitely postponed the awarding ceremony which was supposed to take place on Monday.
This means the list of winners may be changed, added Garcia.
Defending champion and this year’s host, Carcar City, ruled in all competitions. They bagged the Grand Champion in the Ritual Showdown, Street Dance and the Festival Queen competitions.
/bmjo
A special live coverage of the festival of festivals in the Province of Cebu.
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