Big prizes in Lapu’s Rampada 2013

Over a million pesos worth of prizes is set to be given to winners of this year’s Rampada Street Dancing during the Kadaugan Street Party on Saturday night.

Starting today, Lapu-Lapu City stages the annual Kadaugan Festival in celebration of the 1521 Battle of Mactan.

The Rampada Street Dancing is a mardi gras -themed competition.

The streets will be alive this weekend with live bands, dance parties, games, and sports events.

One of the events is a Sundown Beer Run where one can run, walk or crawl one’s way to the finish line in a non-competitive fun run while enjoying beer.

Rampada is coined from two Cebuano words “rampa” (ramp) and “karsada” (street).

Rampada showcases a mix of wild street dancec and costumes as part of the merriment of modern day islanders of Mactan.

Starting today, traffic in Mactan’s main road is expected to be congested when the Manuel L. Quezon Road between the first and second Mandaue – Mactan bridges will have two lanes closed and the other half of the road opened to vehicular traffic

Tonight is the Reyna Bulakna Pageant and Higante contest.

The winner who will be crowned Reyna Bulakna will receive a cash prize of P20,000.

The crowd will also be treated to a Higante showcase.

The first prize winner gets P50,000. Cash prizes of P35,000, P20,000, P15,000, P10,000 go to the the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th prize winners. The 6th to 10th placers will get P5,000 each.

On Saturday, roads will be closed foe the Rampada where participants compete in the Open Division where first place gets P200,000, 2nd place gets P150,000, and 3rd place gets 100.

The Barangay Category will get P150,000 for the 1st place, P10,000 and P75,000 for the 2nd and 3rd place.

The two-day festival and street party drew thousands of people last year.

This weekend people can enjoy live bands, a Cosplay contest, carnival, gourmet walk, fireworks show, and a car show.

“We are getting bigger each year for the KSP, with a new and more entertainment, and more people getting aware. We may exceed half a million people. It’s truly Lapu-Lapu city’s grandest activity,” said Councillor Harry Don Radaza, chairman of the committee on tourism and sports.

Dax Barlaan, the over-all choreographer who conducted the workshop, said the Rampada jingle length is about four minutes and each group has about one minute to make their own intro and extro.

Each group is given five minutes for their performance.

Basic steps for the Rampada should be performed but each group can combinations of dance steps, movements and chants.

Guidelines must be strictly observed or the groups may have points deducted.

Under the guidelines, participants are prohibiting from advertising or endorsing a candidate’s name.

The program is organized by Councilor Radaza with the support of Mayor Paz Radaza and city officials./Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza