Negros Occidental Celebrates 16 vibrant years of Panaad sa Negros 2009!
Posted by on April 18, 2009
All roads lead to Bacolod City today as it hosts the annual Panaad sa Negros Festival 2009.
Now on its 16th year, Panaad sa Negros is an annual gathering of the 19 towns and 13 cities of Negros Occidental. It is a week-long celebration of thanksgiving highlighted by streetdancing, trade fairs, food fests, berauty pageant, cultural presentations and various sports events.
Originally started in 1993, Panaad was first held at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon Grounds.
Because the event got bigger and bigger each year, Panaad sa Negros was then moved to its present home at the Panaad Park and Stadium in 1998. That year the festivities coincided with the holding of the Centennial Palarong Pambansa which was held in Bacolod City.
This year Panaad takes a look back as how it evolved from a small gathering of towns at the Capitol Ground during summer to become the country’s best Provincial Festival event of 2008 as voted by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP).
we were at the aliwan festival street dancing competition last night and we really have a good time watching the performances despite of the occasional downpour. We have noticed that contesting group from the visayas always dominates the contest most especially the high level and worldclass performances of Dinagyang, Sinulog, Buyogan,Kasag etc. who comes from the visayas. In terms of performance level masyadong naaapawan kaming mga taga luzon and they are getting better and better every year. . .meaning hanggang kailan kami hahabol? Lets look back from the very start when aliwan organized this street dance competition. Records show that the visayans really dominates the top prizes.. . and that’s undeniably questionable because we have seen their performances. Last night we have observed some groups in luzon and in manila na medyo nahahawaan na ng mga bisaya in terms of concept, production design, custume, props and the very obvious . . .music. The presentation of tondo is parang nanggagaling sa iloilo. the music and choreography is very dinagyang. We’ve heard that Pampanga’s Ibon Ebon trainer is from Iloilo. their music is very Bolabola( one of the stronger Dinagyang tribes) Tondo’s trainer is from Iloilo. We were in Iloilo last Dinagyang at ang tribe na nagrerepresent sa Aliwan for two consecutive years na(Paghidaet)is their Dinagyang Champion. Pero in their local contest last january maraming tribe din ang ka close fight ng paghidaet na talagang masabi mong worldclass sila. Best Tourism Event nga for 3 consecutive years. Kung ganyan na lang palagi na mga bisaya na lang palagi ang nananalo which is talagang deserving sila sana ITIGIL na natin ang streetdance competion kasi nawawalan na ng pag asa ang mga ibang festival. We suggest that we promote travel to destinations when we want to witness their respective festival. Sa ganoon hindi pa natin mapintasan ang festival ng ibang towns and provinces cause each festival has its own uniqueness and distinct regional culture. Puede rin natin sila imbitahan as guest performers sa ating local competition para ma inspire naman and mga contesting gruop. Dinagyang is the guest performer of bangus Festival here in Dagupan tomorrow and Isabela on the 28th. Some of their tribes even performed in the middle east, USA and Europe as one of the country’s showcase of culture. Huwag na natin pagastusin pa ang mga LGU ng taga mindanao at visayas na gumagasta ng million para pumunta sa maynila. Instead bisitahin na lang natin sila kung gusto natin makita nag kanilang Festival. Suggestion lang po.