Ligao City hailed as Grand Champion at Ibalong Street Presentation

BEAUTY AND GRACE. Ligao City's colorful Sunflower Festival showcased during the Ibalong Street Presentation.

Photo by John Oscar De Luna Aquino

With pride and glory, Ligao City brought the majestic Sunflower Festival into a higher level bagging awards during the Ibalong Festival on 30 August 2014. Ligao City was awarded as the Ibalong Street Presentation 2014 Grand Champion.

Ligao City was also awarded as Best in Ritual Interpretation and Best in Moving Choreography. The Sunflower Festival was recently launched during the 13th Cityhood Anniversary of Ligao City on 24 March 2014 together with the official Sunflower Festival dancers that will represent Ligao City.

Ligao City launches Sunflower festival on its 13th Cityhood Anniversary

To celebrate its 13^th Cityhood Anniversary on March 24, 2014, Ligao City launched its official Sunflower Festival. The celebration was grander as festivals from Masbate City (Rodeo Masbateño), Iriga City (Tinagba Festival), Legazpi City (Ibalong Festival), Naga City (Peñafrancia Voyadores Festival), Daet (Pinyasan Festival), and Guinobatan (Longganisa Festival) joined the Parade of Festivals led by Ligao City Mayor Patty Gonzalez-Alsua, with the local government officials and employees.

To introduce the Sunflower Festival dancers, City Tourism Office Officer-in-Charge Ms. Gina Balingbing told the history of how they were carefully selected. According to her, the Sunflower festival committee conducted a four-day screening of dancers and instrumentalists on Septermber 2013. The screening was announced via radio, and in schools and barangays to inform potential dancers and instrumentalists. By the end of September, the committee was able to come up with the official Sunflower Festival Dancers consisting of more than 150 members which include students, out-of-school youths, and a teacher.

The Sunflower Festival dance features the story of Ligao City "from the legendary roots of the five ancient Datus that instituted this land [Ligao City] to the gifts of the Spanish colonizers, the gift of fate, and up to the present where we Ligaoeños take pride in our beautiful sunflowers," as told by Ms. Balingbing during the introduction of the Sunflower Festival.

To welcome the official Sunflower festival dancers, exhibitions from Tinagba Festival dancers, Longganisa Festival dancers, and Rodeo Barn Dancers were featured at the City Pavilion. 

The Sunflower festival of Ligao City launched on its 13th Cityhood Anniversary

Ligao City to hold a 6-day celebration of Cityhood anniversary

The local government is gearing up for the grand celebration of Ligao City's 13th Cityhood Anniversary. The celebration will start on March 19 and will end on March 24, the day of Ligao's Cityhood Anniversary.

Ligao City's Office of the Mayor headed by Mayor Patty Gonzalez-Alsua and City Tourism Office headed by Ms. Gina Balingbing have lined-up the activities for the six-day celebration. This year's celebration will be grander as there will be unique and new activities. Among the new activities featured for this year's celebration include the Grand Opening of the City Tourism Office and Pasalubong Center, Inauguration of Slaughterhouse, Launching of Teen Health Center, 1st Ligao History and Geography Challenge, 1st Mayor's Boxing Tournament, and the Sunflower Competition among the barangays.

The celebration will also highlight the launching of Sunflower festival and the Parade of Festivals featuring Masbate City, Iriga, Legazpi City, Naga City, Daet, and Guinobatan.

Tarpaulins are now displayed around Ligao City to promote the coming celebration of Ligao's 13th Cityhood Anniversary on March 19-24, 2014.

Below is the complete list of activities for the 13th Cityhood Anniversary of Ligao City:

Day 1
13th Cityhood Anniversary Motorcade
Opening of LPG-SEED Exhibit
One-Man Exhbit, "Kurit Ligao" by Jerick Plopino
Regular Mass Blood Donation
Launching of Teen-Health Center
Sunflower Photography Workshop
Araw ng Parangal
Binibining Ligao 2014 Talent Night

Day 2
River Clean-up
Farmers' Day
LPG-SEED Exhibit
One-Man Exhibit, "Kurit Ligao" by Jerick Plopino
Opening of Job Fair
Annual Medial Check-up of LGU Employees
Free Mass Eye Screening
Farmers' Laro ng Lahi
1st Ligao History and Geography Challenge
Living Diorama
Paururagan sa Barangay (Talentadong Ligaoeño)

Day 3
Tree-Planting
LPG-Seed Exhibit & Agri-Trade Fair
One-Man Exhibit, "Kurit Ligao"
Mass Wedding
Job Fair
Philippine Folkdance featuring Day Care Children
Medical and Dental Mission
Lecture on Breastfeeding
Buntis Class
Opening of City Tourism Office and Pasalubong Center
LACE Feeding Program/Parlor Games
Binibining Ligao 2014 Coronation Night (Special Guest: Martin del Rosario)

Day 4
LPG-SEED Exhibit / Agri-Trade Fair
One-Man Exhibit, "Kurit Ligao" by Jerick Plopino
Coastal Caravan

Day 5
Cityhood Anniversary Fun Run 2014
Cityhood Babies' Race
LPG-SEED Exhibit, "Kurit Ligao" by Jerick Plopino
Laro ng Lahi (City Hall Employees)
Pedicab Race
PWD Mini-Olympic & Wheelchairs Distribution
1st Mayor's Boxing Tournament
Inter-TODA Basketball Tournament

Day 6
Thanksgiving Mass
Free Civil Registration
LPG-SEED Exhibit / Agri-Trade Fair
Inauguration of Slaughterhouse and Operation of Mini-Hydro
Launching of Sunflower  Festival/ Parade of Festivals
Sunflower BESTS 2014 Awarding Program
Cityhood Anniversary Band Concert

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Source:
City Government of Ligao
Hon. Jurlan Buello, Brgy. Chairman at City Government of Ligao