Bulacan holds virtual awarding ceremony packed with awards and cash prizes

CITY OF MALOLOS – To recognize the winners and champions of the main events of Singkaban Festival 2021, the Provincial Government of Bulacan through the Provincial History, Arts, Culture and Tourism Office (PHACTO) conducted a virtual awarding ceremony for Singkaban Digital King and Queen, Bulacan Festival Costume Expo 2021 and Singkaban ng Bayan: Miniature Arc Making Competition held at the Nicanor Abelardo Auditorium here which streamed online via Bulacan Tourism Facebook page yesterday.

According to Dr. Eliseo S. Dela Cruz, head of PHACTO, the purpose of the events held is to raise awareness and continuously promote arts, history and tourism in the province despite the current pandemic that the world is facing.

As the main event, Marc Daniel Gasper of Santa Maria town and Sangila Jean Santos of Bulakan town were crowned as the first ever Singkaban Digital King and Queen wherein both received crowns, sash and cash prizes worth P20,000 each while other titleholders were also crowned and won cash prizes worth P10,000 including Aaron Poali Martin from Hagonoy town and Maria Lorraine Cho from Bulakan town as Mr. and Ms. Bulacan Tourism; Gillian Chris Ortega of Calumpit and Jhanine Custodio of San Miguel as Mr. and Ms. Arts and Culture; Charles Ronald Meneses from Bulakan and Tameyra Stefani Al-Suhairy from the City of Malolos as Mr. and Ms. History and Heritage.

Furthermore, Necolino Banagudos of the City of San Jose Del Monte and Kathleen Clarisse Gonzales of San Rafael also won as first runners up while Angle Masayda of Bocaue and Maria Patricia Magat of Pulilan were second runners up.

Special awards were also given to Marc Daniel Gasper and Maria Patricia Magat of Pulilan for Smart Choice Award; Syrelle John Yalong and Clea Dela Fuente Flores of Bustos town for Best Tourism Video; Gillian Chris Ortega and Ivy Janella Mae Canda of Calumpit town for Bulacans Choice Award; Yukio Koike of Balagtas and Sangila Jean Santos for Mr. and Ms. Photogenic award and Gillian Chris Ortega and Jhanine Custodio for Best in Formal Wear and Best in Long Gown.

Moreover, the Palaisdaan Festival costume designed by Zyrill Jane Jacinto of Hagonoy town bagged the first place at the Bulacan Festival Costume Expo 2021 and took home P30,000 while the Feast of San Isidro Labrador by Patrick Bernardino from City of Malolos placed second with P20,000 cash prize and Tanglawan by Rodello Braulio of CSJDM landed third place with P15,000 cash prize while the Kneeling Carabao by Benjie Damasco of Pulilan town and Chicharon costume by Christian Roy Ambagan of Santa Maria town were runners up.

Also, City of San Jose Del Monte’s Tanglaw ng Kasaysayan bagged the first place at the Singkaban ng Bayan: Miniature Arc Making Competition and took home cash prize worth P40,000 while Bocaue town’s Kasibulan won second place and took home P20,000 cash prize and Ang Unang Kabisera of Bulakan town landed on third place with 10,000 cash prize while entries from the towns of Pulilan and Marilao were runners up.

Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando, on the other hand, said that the winners of the Singkaban Festival contests are proof that Bulakenyos will not be shaken by any hardships and shares one goal in enriching the colorful arts and culture of the province.

“Patunay lamang ang mga nagwagi ngayong taon sa Singkaban Festival na ang mga Bulakenyo ay hindi matitinag ng kung ano mang mga pagsubok at problema; na bagamat kasalukuyang humaharap sa pandemya ay patuloy pa rin sa pagbibigay ng importansiya sa mayamang kulturang pamana sa atin ng ating mga ninuno. Batid ko ang inyong mga pagsisikap at ipinagmamalaki kayo ng ating lalawigan,” the governor said. ###