Tribu Lumad to Join Aliwan Fest

It’s already final. The Cebu City’s pride Tribu Lumad Basakanon will join the Aliwan Festival in Pasay City on April 14 after the Cebu City Council has agreed that the P1.6 Million expenses of the contingent will be shouldered by the City.

Tribu Lumad Basakanon was the second prize winner for the Free-Interpretation (FI)category of the Sinulog Grand Parade last January, and a Hall of Famer in Aliwan Festival for winning three successive years while Tomas Osmena was still the city mayor.

The City Council agreed that the P1.6 Million shall be charged against the city’s sponsored activities budget, which has a total balance of P10.3 million for this year.

About 200 participants will be participating the Lumad Basakanon contingents and Basak-San Nicolas Barangay Captain George Rama, cousin of Mayor Michael Rama, is hoping that the city’s official contingents will again give prestige to the Cebuanos.

Barangay Captain Rama asked P3 million to defray the expenses of his contingents in joining the annual festival in Pasay City, but the city legislators explained that the city cannot give the full amount requested because of the present financial problem of the city.

A shipping company based in Cebu had pledged 40-percent discount of the contingent’s round trip fare and free shipping cost for its props.

Lumad Basakanon’s choreographer Norman Navarro said their participation in the Aliwan Festival would also lift and boost the economy and tourism of Cebu.

Image Credit: lifestyle.inquirer.net