Host Carcar City performs in. the ritual showdown of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2023. CDN Digital photo | Dave Cuizon
CEBU CITY, Philippines – It may be sad but Carcar City accepted the new results of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2023, which denied their contingent of what would have been their second consecutive win.
Mayor Patrick Barcenas on Thursday, September 7, 2023, admitted that the re-computation of the Pasigarbo winners was painful for him and his constituents who rooted for the Kabkaban Festival in the competition.
Nevertheless, he agreed with the decision to review the initial winners since the concerns raised were valid and reasonable.
READ: LIST: ‘New’ Pasigarbo 2023 winners
“Sakit man para sa katawhan sa Carcar pero ako makaingon, duna nay kasabutan ang tanan and para lang sa panaghiusa, balido sad ang mga rason,” the mayor told CDN Digital in a phone interview.
“Tinuud man gyu’y naay panghitabo. Balido sad ilahang gipangitsa nga concerns… Nagpawong-pawong ang sounds, naay wa ka sayaw,” he added.
Carcar City’s Kabkaban Festival initially ruled in this year’s Pasigarbo, which was also held in the city’s sports complex.
However, controversies and speculations, stemming from the technical glitches that occurred during the Ritual Showdown segment last August 27, shrouded the event.
These prompted organizers, headed by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, to review the results.
READ MORE: Pasigarbo ‘technical boo-boos’: What we know so far
In the meantime, Barcenas also congratulated the new winners. At the same time, he urged his constituents to accept the results as well.
“Ato lang ibutang sa atoang tagsa-tagsa nga kasing-kasing nga to go by peace,” he said.
Carcar City is the host of this year’s Pasigarbo. They were also the defending champions in the Ritual Showdown and Street Dance categories.
In the re-computed results, Carcar slid to 6th place from being the Grand Champion in the Ritual Showdown.
Their festival queen, Jhesidy Thea Alberca, also ranked down from being the champion to 2nd runner-up.
It can be recalled, however, that Alberca had already abdicated her title as this year’s Pasigarbo Festival Queen when her father Isidro Alberca, the owner of the audio and lighting provider of the Pasigarbo, came under scrutiny and was called out by Garcia.
Carcar City’s Kabkaban Festival, however, still ruled in the Street Dancing competition.
Minglanilla’s Sugat Kabanhawan emerged as the new winner in the Ritual Showdown. They initially got the 2nd spot during the announcement of winners last August 28.
/bmjo