Cebu festival contingent sweeps Aliwan Festival
Reyna ng Aliwan 2016 Cynthia Thomalla (ALIWAN FIESTA FACEBOOK PAGE)
CEBU’S Sinulog contingent swept through this year’s Aliwan Festival held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Pasay City last Saturday.
Sinulog Festival Queen Cynthia Thomalla brought home the Reyna ng Aliwan Crown. She also won majority of the special awards including Best in Festival Costume, Best in Evening Gown, Best in Swimsuit and Miss Photogenic.
The 21-year-old Thomalla’s win marked the seventh time that Cebu’s bets won the Reyna ng Aliwan since they first joined in 2009, Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said.
Cebu’s bets won for six straight years from 2009 to 2014. Last year, Cebu’s representative Gazinni Ganados landed 2nd runner up.
In the float category, the “bounty of the sea” themed float of International Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI) also bagged the top prize at the Aliwan — the first time since for Cebu.
“It was unexpected. Every year, in the float category, ours is always very modern. But part of their criteria was the use of indigenous materials. This year, they took it out. Our float really stood out. It really has the best entertainment value. A lot of people were taking photos with it,” Ballesteros said in a phone interview yesterday.
IPI’s float also won the best float category in this year’s Sinulog.
Although Cebu didn’t send an official entry to the Aliwan’s street dancing competition this year, the Tribu Katbalaugan of Catbalogan City also bagged the top prize.
Catbalogan City won second place in the free interpretation category of this year’s Sinulog Festival.
Ballesteros said the group was publicly acknowledged as among the winners of this year’s Sinulog Festival.
He said the SFI also lent their support to the Catbalogan’s contingent, which had a similar theme with Cebu’s float.
“We lent them our sleeping mattresses since they borrowed. At the same time, we also constantly talked with their choreographers and we gave them advices,” Ballesteros said.
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