HOLIDAY lights fill the area near the Davao city hall amid a celebration that is bereft of firecrackers but filled with alternative merrymaking methods, like blowing of paper horns. BING GONZALES/INQUIRER MINDANAO
DAVAO CITY—A total of 7,568 paper horn, or torotot, blowers took part in the city’s bid to break a record for most people simultaneously blowing paper horns to greet the New Year in this city where authorities have successfully enforced a firecracker ban for the last 11 years.
The number beats the existing 6,900 record of party blowers currently held by Japan but the results have to be officially validated by the World Guinness Book of Records, said Arnold Dellosa, Smart Communications’ regional sales manager for South Mindanao.
Dellosa said organizers would submit videos and aerial photographs to determine whether all of the 7,568 people who registered for the city’s New Year revelry at the Freedom Park were able to blow horns at the same time for at least 10 seconds, as required by the Guinness Book of Records.
“That’s why, we are now finalizing all the video shots, the aerial photographs and other photographs to send to the Guinness Book for Records,” said Dellosa.
“Only the Guinness can declare it official,” he added.
The city earlier targeted at least 10,000 people for the torotot festival, an alternative to celebrating New Year in the city amid the firecracker ban.
Dellosa said the crowd who gathered at the city’s Freedom Park reached an estimated 9,000, only that some of them did not enter the railings where they are to be counted.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was among those who participated in the event.
Tourism Assistant Secretary Art Boncato said the recent attempt of Davao is still subject to the validation of the Guinness World Records.
Regardless of the validation, Boncato said the torotot festival has already grabbed the country’s attention. “That’s already branding,” Boncato said.
“It showed the whole world that local governance is effective with implementation of ordinances that promote the right kind of lifestyle. And it showed a city with a strong sense of community among residents,” he added.
If sustained, the Department of Tourism expressed optimism the festival would help in drawing in more tourists to the region.
“The festival can attract markets that seek some quiet time during the yearend holidays—
away from the traditional revelry. We will be promoting Davao as a place for yearend respite,” said Boncato.
“A visit to Davao promises a rejuvenating experience during the holidays with fresh air in the mountains, fresh fruits from orchards, fresh seafood,” he said.
He said the DOT would also help improve the festival.
“We can input parallel activities that would address needs of locals and travelers. One netizen even suggested a ball drop countdown,” he said. Germelina Lacorte Inquirer Mindanao