BACK AFTER 12 YEARS: Tribu Pan-ay sweeps Ati tribes competition crown

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor and Sean Rafio

Cheers and cries erupted at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand after Tribu Pan-ay triumphantly reclaimed the championship title of the Ati-atihan tribes competition after a 12-year hiatus.

Tribu Pan-ay of Fort San Pedro National High School bested seven other contingents on Sunday to take home P25 million worth of school projects and a P1 million cash prize.

Fort San Pedro National High School’s tribe last held the championship title in 2012, subsequently earning the championship award at the Aliwan Festival in the same year.

In a closely contested Ati-atihan tribes competition, the defending champion, Tribu Paghidaet of LaPaz National High School, gracefully settled as first runner-up.

The following tribes complete the Top 5:

• 1st Runner-up: Tribu Paghidaet (LaPaz National High School)
• 2nd Runner-up: Tribu Ilonganon (Jalandoni National High School)
• 3rd Runner-up: Tribu Mandu-Riyaw (Mandurriao National High School)
• 4th Runner-up: Tribu Salognon (Jaro National High School)

The special awards went to the following:

• People’s Choice Award: Tribu Silak
• Best in Discipline: Tribu Ilonganon
• Best in Sadsad: Tribu Ilonganon
• Best in Production Design: Tribu Paghidaet
• Best in Music: Tribu Pan-Ay
• Best in Costume Design and Headdress: Tribu Ilonganon
• Best in Choreography: Tribu Silak
• Beat in Performance: Tribu Silak

In the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan competition, Tultugan Festival of Maasin clinched the championship title and brought home the P500,000 cash prize.

The defending champion, Hirinugyaw-Suguidanonay Festival of Calinog, secured the first runner-up position with a prize of P350,000, while Kaing Festival of Leon claimed the second runner-up spot, receiving P200,000.

The special awards went to the following tribes:

• Best in Discipline: Tultugan Festival of Maasin
• Best in Street Dance: Hirinugyaw-Suguidanonay Festival of Calinog
• Best in Production Design: Hirinugyaw-Suguidanonay Festival of Calinog
• Best in Music: Tultugan Festival of Maasin
• Best in Costume Design: Hirinugyaw-Suguidanonay Festival of Calinog
• Best in Choreography: Tultugan Festival of Maasin
• Best in Performance: Tultugan Festival of Maasin
• People’s Choice Award: Katagman Festival of Oton

The ILOmination Street Dance Competition winners are the following:

• Champion: Tribu Sidlangan of La Puz (P500,000 and trophy)
• 1st Runner-up: Tribu Sagasa of La Paz (P300,000 and trophy)
• 2nd Runner-up: Tribu Manduriyaw of Mandurriao (P150,000 and trophy)

Technical Awards:

• Best in Choreography: Tribu Sagasa
• Best in Performance: Tribu Sidlangan
• Best in Music: Tribu Manduriyaw
• Best in Light Design: Tribu Sidlangan
• Best in Costume Design and Headdress: Tribu Sidlangan
• Best in Discipline: Tribu Sidlangan
• People’s Choice Award: Tribu Sidlangan

The Floats Parade of Lights witnessed Sagility defending its championship title and claiming a P300,000 cash prize. Palawan Pawnshop and IPI secured the first and second runner-up positions, winning P200,000 and P150,000, respectively.

The Festive Parade Sponsors Mardi Gras winners are the following:

• Best Street Dance Performance – Panay Energy Development Corp.
• Best Festive Music – Jollibee Foods Corp.
• Best Festive Headdress – Jollibee Foods Corp.
• Best Festive Marquee – Panay Energy Development Corp.
• Best Festive Mascot – Jollibee Foods Corp.
• Best Festive Costume – Jollibee Foods Corp.
• Best Festive Choreography – Jollibee Foods Corp.

The tribes that competed in the Dinagyang tribes competition were Tribu Taga-Baryo (Bo. Obrero National High School), Tribu Mandu-riyaw (Mandurriao NHS), Tribu Paghidaet (La Paz NHS), Tribu Pan-ay (Fort San Pedro NHS), Tribu Salognon (Jaro NHS), Tribu Sigabong (Ramon Avanceña NHS), Tribu Ilonganon (Jalandoni Memorial NHS), and Tribu Silak (Iloilo City NHS).

The grand winner of the tribes competition will receive a total of P25 million worth of school projects, with P15 million coming from the city government of Iloilo and the remaining P10 million from the Uswag Ilonggo partylist.

Meanwhile, each participating school will also receive P5 million worth of projects.