The Lapay-Bantigue Festival, first prize winner

IRIGA CITY – We learned more about the arts, culture, and tradition of the Bicol Region when we made another visit recently to this city upon the invitation of the amiable and very down-to-earth and simple mayor, Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen. The occasion was the 2010 Tinagba Festival that started on Feb. 11.

The Tinagba Festival is an ancient Bicolano first-harvest offering. It is celebrated every Feb. 11 to coincide with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. It features a caravan of gaily-decorated floats fully laden with fresh farm products. It also features revelers in mardi gras and in native costumes dancing and parading around the city streets and ending at the Grotto for the offering.

This year, making the event more exciting and memorable especially to the Irigueños was the presence of Kapamilya and Kapuso stars – Jericho Rosales, Kristine Hermosa, Mark Herras, Ryza Cenon, Chynna Ortaleza, Rainier Castillo, Jon Avila, Iya Villania and Angelica Jones. Also there was singer Noel Cabangon.

The stars rode in the various colorful floats during the parade. Each of the floats depicted in colorful images represents the various values that the city is promoting under its Character City program. The Float Parade was inspired by Disney’s Fantilillusion spectacle which according to Mayor Gazmen was an interesting innovation to this year’s Tinagba Festival.

It was the first time that an evening Float Parade was held, which was followed by the Gayon Bicol Festival of Festivals Showdown which the City of Iriga hosted for the first time. Featured in the competition were the nine other festivals in the Bicol Region – the Palong Festival (Capalonga, Camarines Norte), Lapay-Bantigue Festival (Masbate City), Pinili Festival (Pili, CamSur), Paraw Festival (Pilar, Sorsogon), Catandungan Festival (Catanduanes), Tabak Festival (Tabaco City), Sorsogon Festival (Sorsogon City), Ibalong Festival (Legaspi City) and Polang-Angui Festival (Albay).

And the winners were: Lapay-Bantigue Festival, first prize; Sorsogon Festival, second prize; and Pulang-Angui Festival, third prize. Special awards: Best in Moving Choreography went to Lapay Bantigue Festival; Best on Sound and Rhythm, Sorsogon City; and Best in Costume, Lapay Bantigue Festival.

In the Character Floats, the winners were: Cluster 5 (Kalikasan), Brgy. Santiago, Sta. Elena, La Anunciacion, Sto. Domingo and San Juan, first place; Cluster 9 (Pagka-Maoorot), Wise Resource Mgt. Iriga Water District and CASURECO III, second place; Cluster 4 (Maka-Diyos), Brgy. San Jose, San Nicolas, San Roque, San Miguel and Francis, third place.

The board of judges was composed of luminaries in dance like Shirley Halili Cruz, Douglas Nierras, and Jess de Paz. Completing the five-member board of judges were fashion designer Eric Pineda and Dr. Larry Gabao. Special guests of honor were Senator Lito Lapid and his son Mark Lapid, general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), and Atty. Raymond Fortun.

Mayor Gazmen once more proved her dedication to her town’s events as she herself supervised everything, even taking part in all the aspects of the festival, even the creative and production parts which were indeed impressive and admirable of her.

Only 39 years old, Mayor Gazmen was the youngest elected mayor in the country when she was first elected into office in 2004. She belongs to a family of politicians and that is why the passion for public service has already been engrained deep in her being.

Fast-rising Iriga City is basically an agricultural city (with more than 1,000 hectares for rice-planting, and several thousands of hectares planted with coconuts) but it is fast gaining success in trading and commerce.

Incidentally, Mayor Gazmen proudly informed us that a recent visitor to Iriga was Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, once arch-rival of superstar Iriga’s pride Nora Aunor, the most famous star that Bicol ever produced. Gov. Vi received honorary degree (honoris causa) in Humanities from the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) which is owned by the mayor’s family.

Mayor Gazmen, by the way, is seeking re-election.

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Cosmetologie 2010

Cosmetologie 2010 is all set to happen on Feb. 23 and 24 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia according to make-up guru Fanny Serrano, president of the Philippine International Cosmetologists Association (PICA), presentor of the annual event.

Cosmetologie 2010 is a fashion and beauty trade show that will showcase exciting and enriching activities such as World of Beauty, Health and Wellness Expo, Runway Show by the Filipino Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP), seminars and workshops on make-up by Fanny Serrano, Present and Future Make-up by Lourd Ramos of Emphasis Salon, back-to-back with Gloria Katipnan; Cut & Color by Angelo Falconi III, Wella Trend Vision, Cut & Color Seminar by Cherry Reyes of Essentials Toni & Guy; Airbrush Make-up Seminar by Sprint Asia, and Hairstyling Techniques by Jun Laguardia of RJ Salon together with Ernie Viray and Bong Policarpio.

There will also be a search for the Best of the Best Hairstylists, Hairdresser and Make-up Artists. The awarding of the grand champion in each category will be held on the final night, Feb. 24.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Feb. 21 go to Unitel Pictures’ big boss Tony Gloria, Love Añover and Don Morales of GMA-7’s “Unang Hirit,” Lilia Duldulao, Jinky Llamanzares, Girlie Guillen, Beth Victucio, Dr. Delia R. Barcelona, Mike Alunan, PaoloPerez, Doreen Belen of Hawaii; Severino “Boy” Velasco of Asingan, Pangasinan; Gigi Paras, Jennifer Fong, Rangi Paula G. Mercado, and Rochelle “Raki” Vega.