Ormoc City’s Piña Festival unfolds today

ORMOC CITY – A bigger, grander Piña Festival and street dance competition and ritual showdown will unfold today, ahead of the city’s fiesta celebration in honor of its patron saints, Saints Peter and Paul on Friday, June 29.

“The city government continues to prioritize the marketing and promotion of its world-class Queen Pineapple variety in order to sustain the liveli- hood and boost the income of pineapple farmers,” said Mayor Richard Gomez.

Ten contingents from different high schools, colleges and universities in the city will showcase their well-choreographed dance routines in their colorful Queen Pineapple-inspired costumes.

This year’s street dance participants are Pundok Mapasalamaton (Linao National High School), Pundok Nagkahiusang Ormocanon (STI College of Ormoc), Pundok Kasadpam (Western Leyte College of Ormoc City, Inc.), Pundok Lilo-An (Liloan National High School), Pundok Madasigon (Ipil National High School), Pundok Mahigugmaon Ug Maampuon (New Ormoc City National High School), Pundok Panaghugpong (Valencia National High School), Pundok Pinyalambuon (Dolores National High School), Pundok Sidlakan (Eastern Visayas State University OCC) and Pundok Sa Pamilyang Aloysians (St. Aloysius Institute of Technology).

The parade will start at 4 p.m. in front of City Hall to Ormoc City Stage and will be followed by the ritual dance showdown at 6:00 at the Ormoc City Plaza Quadrangle.

Mayor Gomez and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez will lead the festivities, which will be graced by other celebrities, including GMA-7 Starstruck alumna Kyle Vergara.

Ormoc Festival and Cultural Foundation, Inc. President Estrella Maria Serafica-Pangilinan assured the security and order of the Piña Festival with the deployment iof additional security personnel.