Over 5,000 tourist join Sagayan Festival 2012

By Lorry V. Gabule

Saturday 7th of July 2012

TUBOD, LANAO DEL NORTE, July 7 (PIA)-- More than 5,000 tourists, local and foreign alike, witnessed the Sagayan Festival, an event that highlighted the 53rd Founding Anniversary of Lanao del Norte.

Visitors from neighboring provinces and cities came over to see the most-awaited performances of the participating contingents in this equally known provincial cultural dance of Lanao del Norte.

Sagayan depicts a war dance among the Maranaos, performed during the Araw ng Lanao del Norte Celebration that is participated originally by the respective local government units of the 22 municipalities of the province.

The Festival is slated every July 2, set in the two-week long celebration on its annual commemoration of Charter Day.

Starting this year, the Sagayan Festival would be school-based, participated by students from the secondary level, explained Governor Khalid Q. Dimaporo during the opening of this prestigious event.

"We encouraged the students to feel that diversity of culture will not affect the harmonious relationship we instill among Muslims and Christians here in the province," Gov. Dimaporo said.

The war dance depicts a ritual for battle in search for rescue of the legendary hero’s sister.

Among the contingents were the Balo-i National High School, Arsenio A. Quibranza National High School (AAQNHS), Lanao del Norte National Comprehensive High School, Kapatagan National High School, and North Central Mindanao Colleges, all representing the municipalities of Balo-i, Tubod, Baroy, Kapatagan and Lala, respectively.

The Kapatagan National High School bagged the first place, receiving P100,000 plus trophy, followed by AAQNHS, with P75,000 plus trophy, and third place went to Balo-i National High School, with P50,000 plus trophy. For the two non-winning contingents, each received a consolation prize of P25,000 plus trophy.

This year’s Charter Day celebration is anchored on the theme, “Nagkahi-usang Katawhan, Mauswagong Katilingban (United People, Progressive Society)." (PIA-10 LDN)