The “Festival of Many Causes” has ended its five-day festivities, highlighted by the opening of two important infrastructures that will ease government service and boost tourism activities in Sagay City.
On the 28th year of the Sinigayan Festival, the city government opened the 1,500-seater Sagay City Gymnasium, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance Center, the only clearance center outside of Bacolod City.
This opening added to the line-up of activities, which included the operation of the four festival sites, namely “Dagway Sagay Arts Village”, “Taliambong Food and Entertainment Village”, “Bugay Sagay Agro-Aqua Village”, and the “Sagay Livestock Village”.
During the festivities, Manila-based bands “Cup of Joe” performed at the opening night March 15, and the “Orange and Lemons” and “This Band” on the last day during the “Sinigayan Music Fest”.
NBI director, Atty. Medardo De Lemos, graced the festival as guest speaker together with regional and national officials from the agency.
In his speech, De Lemos that with the opening of the clearance center, he is also eyeing another NBI district in the province, to save clients from a lot of trouble and expense going to Bacolod, especially those applying for clearance.
“If the NBI will have an extra resource, we will pour it to Sagay City,” he said as he vowed to start planning for a complete NBI District Office.
He also lauded the efforts of the city for the environment, and in preserving the natural attractions in Sagay.
Meanwhile, Cluster 2, composed of barangays Bato, Sewahon, Taba-ao, Plaridel and Lopez Jaena, was the overall champion of the “Sinigay sa Sagay Saot Para sa Dunang Manggad” street and arena dance competition.
The Cluster also bagged various special awards, including Best in Streetdancing Costume, Best Saot sa Dunang Manggad, Best in Endurance, Best Choreographer, Best Designer, Best Visual Artist, Best in Props, and Best Recycled/Upcycled Accessories.
Cluster 3, composed of barangays Poblacion 1, Bulanon, Vito, Rafaela Barrera, and Maquiling, was declared 1st runner-up, and Best in Merry Making.
Cluster 1 of barangays Old Sagay, Malubon, General Luna, Rizal, and Himoga-an Baybay bagged the 2nd runner-up honors.
Dan Gabriel Cuenco and Gwen Chrisbell Velado, meanwhile, were named the Sinigaya sa Sagay Hari and Hara, respectively.
This year’s Sinigayan Festival theme, “A Celebration of Joy and Thanksgiving”, highlights the triumphs that the city has achieved over the years.
Mayor Narciso Javelosa Jr. said that, as he looked back to 1996 when the festival started, there have been a lot of changes, and these made Sagay the dynamic city of today.
He stressed that a lot of growth and development happened in the city, in terms of social, cultural, and infrastructure, to cope with the demands of time and the needs of the people.
The mayor also thanked NBI for giving Sagay a clearance center, and the officials and persons who made it possible.
Negros Occidental 2nd District Rep. Alfredo Maranon III also said in his message that as Sagay celebrates its annual festival, may the people thank God for the blessings it gave to the city.
“In our preoccupation to notice the beautiful and good things that others have, we fail to reflect on the things that we have,” the congressman said. “We forget to thank God for all the good things that we have, and worst, we tend to envy others for what they have.” | Sagay CITO photos
