Sweet Success of Sugar and Livestock In Negros Occidental

Many festivals are celebrated when the sun is at its hottest point- SUMMER.

The heat is on indeed, recently, we had the chance to experience a night at Penalosa Farms, which is just right next to the bus terminal in Victorias City, Northern Negros Occidental. The accommodation is best for farmers on a study about organic farming and other agri-entrepreneurial activities to uplift the lives of the farmworkers. Home to the largest integrated sugar-mill - Victorias Milling Company and known as the sweetest province in the Philippines.

 Victorias City celebrated its festival with a dance competition showing the vital role of the sugar industry in the development and progress of Victorias City. The intercession of the patron saint Our Lady of Victory, in the encounter at Malihaw River against the moro pirates which saved the natives is also incorporated in the dance drama. This is the Kadalag-an Festival of Victorias themed: ‘Matam-is  Nga Kadalag-an…Ang Amon Kasaysayan.”

 The street dance started at nine in the morning, it was indeed very hot that day. Don’t forget to bring a bottle of water wherever you go. The props of dancers were giant size canned goods with giant can opener showing the other products of VMC. They also had a display of art works and festival costumes, the performance in the arena and the street was judged based on choreography, performance, theme/concept, production design. Costumes were so colorful reminding us of summertime. Some costumes had colors like fuchsia, green, orange, yellow, red and some with glitters of gold and silver.

The festival week continues as we proceeded to the town of Moises Padilla also known as Magallon, southeast of Negros Occidental - the livestock capital of the province. This time, many visitors came for the Magallon Hinuptanan Festival Streetdancing Competition.

 

The festival dance encourages the Barangays to promote livestock farming in this part of Negros. 

 

The street dance started at 1:00 in the afternoon. It was entertaining to see teenagers belonging to each tribe wearing costumes of a carabao, goat, chicken, fighting cocks, horses and even ducks. There were 13 competing groups and the dance movement was fun as they followed animals and their sounds wherein each interpreted the dance in many ways through basic pop or contemporary dance steps.

 Congratulations to Committee of Street dance Chair Agnes Mabag with Vice Chair Elsie Meguiso for a successful street dancing competition. A successful festival is dependent with the cooperation of the people within the community from the food sold in the market to the street cleaners and the peacekeeping forces. 

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