FEATURE STORY| Tawagan Sur contingent wins 2023 Pasalamat Festival

 By Gideon C. Corgue

The Barangay Tawagan Sur contingent wowed the spectators when they showcased their beautiful dance performance during the Pasalamat Festival 2023 on January 15 which made them win the P600K grand prize.

This year's festival was participated by 16 contingents from 54 barangays in the city and other organizations that are grouped in clusters.

Didn't expect to win

Marianette Marcaban, the punong barangay said that they didn't expect to win this year's Pasalamat Festival since all the participating contingents performed very well.

“We did not expect to win the Pasalamat Festival this year because all the contingents performed very well. Apart from that, the time we used to prepare is very short, especially to practice the dance, and prepare the costumes and props for the dancers," said Marcaban.

According to her, their contingent did their best to make the Pasalamat festival a success and also for the people to be fully entertained.

Back-to-back win

"We are proud to announce that the Tawagan Sur contingent has become the champion of the Pasalamat festival in the year 2020, 2022, and this year 2023. In the year 2021, the city government was unable to hold the event due to the health restrictions strictly enforced by the national government because of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic," Marcaban said.

The performers in their contingent are made up of selected students from Tawagan Sur National High School and some of them are graduates of that school in the past year who acquired the dancing skills.

Difficult to form a contingent

In an interview over DXPR radio station, she admitted that it is very difficult for the barangay council to form a contingent because there are so many problems that they experienced.

"We faced a lot of problems during our practice but we always ask for God's guidance so that it can be implemented in an orderly manner," announced Marcaban.

When asked if there are groups from other cities that have sent them an invitation and encouraged them to participate in a similar competition, Marcaban said that they have not yet received one, but if there is, they will not participate in it because they are focused only in Pagadian City.

Fulfills her duties

She said that she participated in the festival because she was following her work assigned to her by the barangay.

"As the leader of the barangay Tawagan Sur, it is my duty to fulfill the tasks and to obey the city mayor's request to participate in activities that provide entertainment to the people especially during the fiesta in Pagadian City," Marcaban explained.

She warmly thanked her colleagues in the barangay council, the teachers of Tawagan Sur National High School and Tawagan Sur Elementary School who spent their time day and night just to finish making the costumes and props of the dancers.

"I also thank our master choreographer Webster Guillar Jr. and his assistant choreographer,  Epay Maano Jr., the instrumentalists, parents and all the students who contributed to make the event a success," Marcaban concluded.

The winners of the "2023 Pasalamat Street Dance and Ritual Competition" are as follows: 1st- Tawagan Sur - Php 600,000.00, 2nd- Brgy. Tuburan-Php 500,000.00, 3rd- Balangasan - Php 400,000.00, 4th- Brgy Danlugan-Php300,000.00 and 5th= Brgy. Tiguma - Php 250,000.00.

Meanwhile, the 11 contingents who did not win received the consolation prize of Php 180,000.00 each.

The Pagadian City government conducts every year street dancing and ritual showdown to celebrate the feast of Sto. Niño (GCC/KBP-Zamboanga del Sur)