• ANDREW ALTAREJOS
The Municipality of Candoni in Negros Occidental celebrated the week-long festivities of the Dinagyaw sa Tablas Festival which culminated Tuesday, coinciding with the yearly patronal feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
This year’s central theme of the celebration “Dagyaw sa Kabuganaan,” which builds upon the previous year’s “Dagyaw sa Pag-uswag,” emphasizes how Candonian unity, determination, and perseverance has pave way the path towards communal prosperity and advancement of the town.
The celebration features integrated performances, combining theatrical dance and arena presentations that highlight the “Pagbinuligay” principle with the symbolic use of miniature Bahay Kubo structures, representing community solidarity. The performers likewise, distinctively utilize their traditional wooden footwear which is the bakya, in most of their routines, paying homage to the place’s historical abundance of timber resources.
During the highlights of the fiesta, nine barangays participated in the Dinagyaw sa Tablas street dance and arena competition held at the Candoni Sports Center.
Contingent no. 4, Barangay Caningay defended its championship title for a grand slam in the 12th Dinagyaw sa Tablas Festival 2025 street dance and arena competition. They were champions in 2023 and 2024.
The winner took home the championship trophy and P50,000 in cash prize.They also received several minor awards including Best in Street Dancing wherein they received another P30,000 in cash, and Most Discipline, Best Performance during Monitoring, and Best in Choreography.
Contingent no. 2, Barangay East was first runner-up, and received a trophy and P40,000 in cash prize. It also won the Best in Costume, Best Festival Costume display, and Best in Production Design as special awards.
Contingent no.8, Barangay West was second runner-up and received a trophy and P30,000 in cash prize.
Barangay Banga was awarded the Best in Adaptations of Festival Icons.
The awarding of prizes to the winners was presented by Mayor Ray Ruiz, together with municipal councilors Noime Grace Benitez, Booth Ian Samillano, Demben Catipunan, Irvin Junram Mandaguit, and John Ernel Borris.
Mayor Ruiz, in his speech thanked the support of all barangay captains who had greatly contributed to the successful staging of the street and arena dance competition. He likewise thanked Congresswoman Mercedes Alvarez for her contribution for the renovation of the Candoni Sport Center which he hoped would be finished soon.
Aside from Alvarez, also present to witness the Festivities was Sipalay City Councilor Ralph Alvarez. This year’s chairperson for the festival dance competition is Carl Jeje Quiamjot and Helenda Gentilezo as chairman, Mechanics and Criteria Committee, and with the support of its municipal tourism office headed by Tourism Operations Officer Karl King Esmeralda.*
