Contingents’ budget woes prompt changes in criteria

Budget constraints brought about by inflation may have caused some crowd favorites to take a break from next year’s Sinulog grand parade, organizers said.

From 27 this year, only 23 contingents will perform during the 2019 ritual showdown.

The Municipality of Tuburan and Kulturang Panglaoanon of the Municipality of Panglao, Bohol, both winners in this year’s Sinulog-based ritual showdown, will not compete next year.

This year’s free interpretation category winners Tribu Buyuganon of Abuyog, Leyte, Tribu Katbalaugan of Catbalogan City, and Tribu Kalivungan of North Cotabato will not be returning as well.

Although for an entirely different reason, established crowd favorite and champion Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe of Tangub City will not be making a comeback in the grand parade on Jan. 20.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, Sinulog executive committee chairman, confirmed the absence of the contingents.

Tumulak said he was informed that Tangub has other activities during the Sinulog season.

“We understand why they won’t be joining. We will just have to make do with what we have. What is im- portant is that we are offering this to Señor Sto. Niño,” he said.

Joining the Sinulog isn’t cheap. A simple presentation reportedly costs at least P500,000.

The Talisay City Central Elementary School spent P6.7 million for their presentation and took home a cash prize of P500,000 for their third place finish this year.

For costume alone, a contingent spends P1,000 to P6,000 per set, depending on the design.

Aside from choreographers and instrumentalists, who charge as much as P80,000 each, contingents also have to spend for logistics and meals for the performers.

Because of these budgetary concerns, the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) decided to make next year’s ritual showdown focus more on the performances.

“We don’t want them to spend so much so we will focus on highlighting their performance instead,” Tumulak said.

From 25 percent, the performance under the new criteria will now account for 30 percent.

The percentage for props, on the other hand, was lowered to five percent from 10 percent.

Choreography still counts for 25 percent of the total score, 20 percent for costume, 10 percent for theme and concept, and 10 percent for musicality.

Tumulak said the criteria was changed also in response to the comments of this year’s judges, who lamented that some props were so flamboyant that it overshadowed the performance.