SABANGAN, Mountain Province – “Kaiimisan ay Pinikpikan” contest, one of the highlights of Gagayam Festival 2016, sponsored by Mr. Roberto “Buboy” Loy-od Mencion, have drawn more spectators curious on how the most common delicacy in the whole igorotland is for competition.
Mr. Bernard Batong, practicing Engineer at Alabama USA who is home on social responsibility and Ms. Edmunda Litilit, retired Texas Instrument personnel in Indonesia who is already spending time traveling here and abroad, both from from Sabangan, were very happy to join the personnel from NCIP, DENR and BIR assigned in Sabangan as judges for the contest.
Batong and Litilit who were active during their college days in the celebration of then Sabangan Town Fiesta, praised the outcome of the event because after the contest, the cooked pinikpikan was served for lunch for the guests, judges of the contest and Gagayam Committee members and the contestants, in a famed boodle fight style. It is first time to happen in the Gagayam Festival celebration.
Another first time to happen is the fireworks display in the evening of March 28 and still sponsored by Mencion. The community were amazed to see in reality what they often see on movies though some have seen it in Baguio City during the opening and closing of Panagbenga festival celebration. There were however negative comments thrown on it saying that the amount used for the fireworks should have been used to buy ice cream for the children who were gathered to watch for themselves the fireworks display. Mr. Mencion however said that if only they have aired their suggestion earlier, he could have bought ice cream too for them while watching the fireworks display. “Pessimist people are always like that they tend to see the darker side of the moon sometimes it is good if they give their comment to contribute and not just to destroy or out of jealousy” Mencion added in jest.
Contestant from Camatagan came out as the champion who bested other contestants in the presentation and attire of the contestant. On the taste, all contestants got high scores.
Barangay Losad Contestant bagged the second place with 5 thousand pesos cash prize while 7 thousand for the first prize. Namatec came out as the third placer with 3 thousand pesos cash prize.. the rest got 2,500.00 as consolation prizes for all non winner.
Meanwhile On the well contested streetdancing competition, Barangay Lagan bagged again the first place. They will automatically represent Municipality of sabangan in the celebration of Lang-ay Festival Celebration Streetdancing competition this coming April 2016.
By Gabriel Moguet
