August 08, 2012 – Vivid colors filled the streets as 12 different tribes danced through the waving heat, electrifying the crowd, and making it a jam-packed event.

People crowded the streets to watch and support their Barangays competing in this year’s Kagay-an Festival 2012 Cultural Street Dancing. This is an annual event held prior to the celebration of St. Augustine’s feast.

Different schools and business entities participated and made the event worth watching under the heat of the sun. This years’ Cultural Dance is said to be more improved and well organized. Kudos to the city government for handling the Kagay-an Festival so well.

This is a true showcase of talents and the resiliency of Kagay-anons despite the scars marked by the Sendong Flood in December. Mabuhay Kagay-anons! We are truly happy people and still the “City of Golden Friendship.”

Congratulations to Barangay Kauswagan, Bugo, and Bayabas who topped the event. All of the participants are already winners by just looking at their colorful and extravagant costumes.

Big thanks to all the sponsors for making this event very possible – Globe, TM, San Miguel Corporation, Coca-Cola, Centrio Ayala Malls and etc. We also appreciated the effort of our local police and local government units – especially to our City Mayor Vicente “Donkoy” Emano and His comrades.

Next Up:

The Cultural Street Dance will be followed by a Civic-Military Parade participated by local government units, the army, PNP along with universities, schools, and prominent business establishments in Cagayan de Oro.

About Kagay-an Festival and Cultural Street Dancing:

Historically, Fiesta celebration is inherited by the Kagay-anons from the Spaniards. It is a celebration in honor of St. Augustine, the patron saint of Cagayan de Oro. It’s second to Christmas as the most celebrated holidays in Cagayan de Oro.

Street dancing is a long tradition of giving thanks to the creator. It’s actually a pagan tradition adopted by Roman Catholics, which comprises 87 percent of the people in Cagayan de Oro. It’s also a recognition of the tribes which is believed to be Kagay-anons’ ancestors.

August 27, 2012 – Cagayan de Oro showed its true and vibrant colors to the world. The Kagay-an Festival started with the civic-military parade and its core-running float parade.

Hundreds of government and non-government sectors marched through CDO streets – not even minding the heat of the summer sun.

The Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, Coast Guards, Maritime Police, Mindanao Shriners, and Boy Scout of the Philippines are just few of the military and government agencies who joined the parade.

Various fraternities and youth organizations joined hand-in-hand to show unity and peace by wearing their organizational uniforms while marching through the streets. Few of these organizations include, Alpha Kappa Rho, Tau Gamma Phi, Betaupsians, and National Youth Commission umbrella organizations such as AYLINM.

Of course, business entities failed not to miss the event. Big pharmaceutical companies such as IPI charmed the crowd with their celebrity guest, Paul Jake Castillo of PBB. Behind our convoy, we had Psalmstre Enterprises following us. Other business entities such as Globe Telecom, Goldilocks, and Jolibee were also present in the parade. On our lane, we had motormate, Pambato Shipping, and Radio Ultra.

Beautiful floats mesmerized spectators while competing in this year’s Golden Float Parade. Among the participants, include SM City, GMA, Casino, Concentrix, MH Lhuillier, Eagles Club, Jatico Adventures, International Pharma Inc., and Misamis Oriental Congressional Districts 1 and 2. We also saw the floats of ABSCBN Tsada Kagayan, and 2Go Group Inc.

Different drum bugle corps and school bands electrified the streets of Hayes, Chavez, and Apolinar Velez. Performers were from Liceo de Cagayan, Blessed Mother College, Kauswagan Central School, Macabalan National High School, Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School, Camp Evangelista Elementary School, Agusan National High School, Kuyanap-DBC, Cagayan de Oro National High School, Camaman-an National High School, Bayabas Elementary School, City Central School, Gusa Regional Science High School, Pilgrim Christian College, and Bayanga National High School.

Kudos to this year’s organizer, the event was truly a success. There were no crimes reported during the parade because of the 1000 police enforcers deployed at that time.

The route took us over an hour to arrive at the finish line. All floats and convoys will need to go the heart of the city – Lim Ket Kai Centre. Regardless of the fuming heat, Harvest LLC Team and the other participants danced through the end. It was clear that the smiles of the spectators inspired all the parade performers and guest despite unwanted temperature.

Until the next Kagay-an Festival. Happy Fiesta Cagayan de Oro! Greetings from your Harvest LLC family.