Higante Winners

Text and photo by AMBROSIO R. VILLORENTE

Higante Bantiling of LGU Tangalan, riding on the giant turtle wins the P40,000 prize in the Higante Contest and Aklan Festival Parade.

LGU Tangalan’s Higante defeated all the eight other Higantes of Aklan in the Higante Contest and Aklan Festivals Parade. In its Victory, Tangalan got the P40,000 award.

The contest is one of the highlights of the 2010 Sr. Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo held on Wednesday afternoon, January 13. With the theme "Modern Tribal Ati", the Higantes were judged in terms of its "look at the ingenuity and artistry of LGU’s by way of dressing up their Higantes in colorful costumes, head dresses, and props".

The parade started at D. Maagma Street, passed at Mabini Street, left at Roxas Avenue, turned left at Pastrana Street, turned right at Arch. G.M. Reyes and entered Pastrana Park, Kalibo. The four judges of the contest who are all from the Aklan Provincial Tourism Council: Ms. Vicky Ramos Antonino, Mr. Albert Meñez, NVC Dean Erlinda Quimpo Fernandez Wilson, and Dr. Ambrosio R. Villorente evaluated each Higante in terms of its relevance to the celebration, creativity, artistry, and over all impact.

Moreover, LGU Tangalan also walked away with P5,000 prize for being the Biggest group participants in the parade and the P3,000 award for being 2nd runner up on Best Festival/Cultural presentation.

Centered on its main industrial product: "Bariw", LGU Nabas bagged the second prize of P35,000 in Higante Parade. LGU Kalibo placed third and received the P30,000 prize.

In Best Festival/Cultural presentation, LGU Malinao pocketed the P7,000 prize, while LGU Nabas again got the first runner up prize worth P5,000.

The cash awards and presentation of certificates of appreciation followed after the parade and festival/cultural presentation were completed at Pastrana Park. Cong. Florencio T. Miraflore, Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo, and Gov. Carlito S. Marquez did the presentation to the
winners and recipients.

The Higante contest and Aklan Festival Parade is sponsored by the Aklan Provincial government. It is one of the anticipated events of the annual Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Festival celebration. This year’s cash awards amounted to P130,000.00.

Also, this year’s Higante Parade was witnessed by about 100,000 people who lined along the routes of the parade 6 – 10 layers. Pastrana Park and the roads around it were also fully occupied during the presentation. /MP