Street dancing highlight Hinulawan Festival

Cebu’s tourism showcase Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo- Exploring the midwest made its final stop in the mining town of Toledo City last Tuesday.

More than 300 local and foreign tourists joined townspeople in celebrating the city’s rich cultural heritage and honored the city’s patron St. John de Sahagun.

“I’m  so happy that this year, the Hinulawan Festival has become more colorful and I’m so proud to say that the Toledanos are gifted with talents,” Mayor Rudy Espinosa said.

For the fourth time, Tribu Bulawanon got the most number of awards in the Hinulawan Festival  street dancing competition.

Toledo City used to be named Hinulawan for its rich gold and other mineral resources. Hinulawan is a contraction of two Cebuano words hinaguang bulawan or hard earned gold.

Tribu Bulawanon won the Best in Street Dancing, Best in Group Production and the second place in the Mardi Gras Category.

Tribu Bulawanon also won in the street dancing  from 2009, 2010 and 2011.

“Our secret in winning since 2009 is teamwork, strong determination and cooperation from all the dancers, propsmen and choreographers since the first day of our practice.” says Tita Emiline Arreglo, coordinator of Tribu Bulawanon.

Tribu Bulawanon, Arreglo said, is supported by the Toledo City government and the Toledo National Vocational School.

Johnrey Balicoco of Tribu Bulawanon also won the Best in Solo Performance for the Festival King, Best in Costume for the Festival King and the Festival King award.

Trisha Jane Nicole Olayvar  from Tribu Bulawanon also won the Festival Queen 2012 and the Best in Costume for the Festival Queen category.

The annual festival street dancing contest showcases the city’s rich historical heritage starting from the Spanish era up to the present.

Seven teams joined the street dancing competition namely, Tribu Maampuon, Tribu Bulawanon, Pundok Kabatan-onan Toledanhon, Tribu Lurayhon, Tribu Magmimina and Tribu Awihao Bato.

“I joined this competition as an offering to our patron saint,”  says Jensen Olid,  14 years old, and performer of Tribu Maapuon.

The contingents wearing colorful attire from different barangays of Toledo battled for the street dancing competition and the ritual dancing or mardi gras competition.

Other awards are the Festival King and Festival Queen 2012, Float competition, Best in Costume for the Festival King, Best in Costume for the Festival Queen,  Best in Solo Performance for the Festival King, Best in Solo Performance for the Festival Queen, Best in Group Production  and the Audio Band Category

Tribu Maapuon won the first place  in the Ritual Dance Competition or  the Mardi Gras Category while Tribu Bulawanon got second place and Tribu Magmimina got the third place.

Krisa Abella of Tribu Maapuon  also won the Solo Performance for the Festival Queen Category.

The Toledo Power Company won the best Float award.

Joining the Hinulawan festival were Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, 3rd district Rep. Pablo John Garcia and Senate aspirant loey De Venecia and tourists who joined the Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo: Exploring the Midwest.