DAGUPAN CITY, April 27 (PNA)– Street dancers of the Bangus Festival in Dagupan City won anew for the second time in a row when it bested 12 top street-dancing champions from Luzon in the ‘Festivals in the North’ held in Dagupan City on Sunday as part of the 2015 Dagupan Bangus Festival.
With an average score of 89.17 percent. the back-to-back champion from Dagupan grabbed the grand prize of Php 400,000 in the competition where the winners were determined based on their performance in the street-dancing parade along the streets of Dagupan (30 percent), and their focal presentation at the city plaza (70 percent).
Represented by Barangay Pantal, which also won in the street-dancing parade and bagged a separate special prize of another Php 20,000, the Dagupan Bangus Festival streetdancers wowed some 100,000 people that packed city plaza and lined up the city street with their superb execution of the Gilon! Gilon! dance that depicted the movements of fish farmers when harvesting their milkfish.
Bangus Festival was also adjudged as Best in Props winning a special award prize of another Php 10,000, while its entry, Ms. Sarah Gabrillo, was adjudged as the Bangus Festival Queen. She was followed by Joyce Beravera of the Hundred Islands Festival of Alaminos City.
Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez, honorary chair person of the Dagupan Bangus Festival, handed the cash prizes to all the winners.
First runner up was the Mango Festival of Masinloc, Zambales which scored 89.87 percent and received the second-highest prize of Php 200,000, aside from the special award of Php 8,000 as second best in props.
The Halamanan Festival of Guiguintio, Bulacan was adjudged as second runner up after the board of judges handed an 80.01 percent score, bringing home Php 80,000. Aside from this, its entry Florence Paraiso bagged Php 5,000 as having been best in costume and another Php 5,000 as third best overall as Bangus Festival Queen.
Laoag City/s Pamulinawen Festival was adjudged as third runner-up when it received a score of 82.63 percent and went home with Php 60,000.
Meanwhile, the Abel Iloco of Cauayan, Ilocos Sur was fourth runner up when it scored 80.03 percent, good for Php 50,000.
Meanwhile, newcomer Sacuting Festival of Dolores, Abra won Php 20,000 after being adjudged as best in costume among all competing delegations.
The other delegations that joined this year’s ‘Festivals of the North’ were Goat Festival of Balungao, Pangasinan, Corn Festival of Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan, Ani Festival of Dingras, Ilocos Norte, Mango and Bamboo Festival of San Carlos City and Daing Festival of Sto. Tomas, La Union.
Special guest performer was the Manaragat Festival of Catbalogan City, Samar winner of the Aliwan Festival street dancing competition in Manila last April 26. (PNA)