Sinulog sa Cebu: Tagbilaran City’s Historic Victory

 

Sinulog sa Cebu: Tagbilaran City’s Historic Victory
By Diane Jinayon
All Rights Reserved

Sinulog sa Cebu is an annual Filipino cultural and religious festival celebrated every third Sunday of January in Cebu City. It is the country’s central devotion to the Santo Niño and is widely recognized as one of the largest cultural and religious festivals in the Philippines. The 2027 Sinulog celebration reportedly attracted more than 5.2 million attendees. Aside from its strong religious significance, Sinulog is also known for its lively street parties, which usually take place on the eve of the main festival. Because of its grandeur and scale, the event is often referred to as the “Grandest Festival in the Philippines” by both locals and participants.

The Sinulog Grand Showdown for 2026 was held on January 18, 2026, at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC). The program began at 9:15 a.m. and concluded with the grand parade and ritual showdown. A total of 37 contingents participated in the event, including 12 out-of-town contingents. These came from the Kalivungan Festival of Amas, Kidapawan City; Zamboanga City High School–Main; Bais City; Tabaco College (Albay); Muntinlupa City; Talon-Talon National High School (Zamboanga City); Maria Clara L. Lobregat National High School (Zamboanga City); Malita, Davao Occidental; Tagbilaran City; Antipolo City; Zamboanga Sibugay; and Las Piñas City. A special guest contingent from the MassKara Festival also joined the celebration.

Eight contingents represented Cebu Province and nearby cities, including Toledo City, Carcar City, Alcoy, Mandaue City, Carmen, Dumanjug, Moalboal, and Asturias, with Danao City participating as a special guest contingent. Meanwhile, 17 Sinulog sa Dakbayan contingents took part, representing Basakanon, Basak Pardo, Barrio Luz, Guadalupe, Banilad, Binaliw, Mabolo, San Nicolas Proper, Inayawan, San Roque, Tisa, Kasambagan, Babag, Tribu Kinaiyahan, UP Cebu, Labangon, and Talamban.

The grand parade passed through major streets such as P. del Rosario Street, Imus Road, General Maxilom Avenue, Osmeña Boulevard, and R. Landon Extension before returning to the Cebu City Sports Complex. The festival atmosphere was vibrant and colorful, highlighted by energetic street dancing and intense ritual showdowns.

After the competition, winners were announced in several categories. In the Sinulog-Based Category, fifth place went to Mandaue City (₱750,000), fourth place to Banay Labangon (₱1,000,000), third place to Carcar City (₱1,500,000), second place to the Municipality of Dumanjug (₱2,000,000), and the champion was Tagbilaran City, which received ₱3,000,000.

For the Free Interpretation Category, fifth place was awarded to Tribu Carmenon (₱750,000), fourth place to Lambo Mabolo (₱1,000,000), third place to Hudyaka sa Bais (₱1,500,000), second place to the Kalivungan Festival of the Province of Cotabato (₱2,000,000), and the champion was Toledo City, which received ₱3,000,000.

In the Best in Street Dancing category, fifth place went to Hudyaka sa Bais Festival (₱200,000), fourth place to Lumad Basakanon (₱300,000), third place to the Kalivungan Festival (₱500,000), second place to Carcar City (₱700,000), and first place to Toledo City (₱1,000,000).

For Best in Musicality (Free Interpretation), Lumad Basakanon placed fifth, Tribu Carmenanon fourth, the Province of Cotabato third, Hudyaka sa Bais second, and Toledo City won first place. In the Sinulog-Based Category, Best in Musicality awards were given to Zamboanga City’s Maria Clara L. Lobregat National High School (5th), Carcar City (4th), Banay Labangon (3rd), Banaun Cultural Group (2nd), and Tagbilaran City (1st). Best in Costume awards were given to Banay Labangon for the Sinulog-Based Category (₱100,000) and Toledo City for the Free Interpretation Category (₱100,000).

For the first time in Sinulog history, Tagbilaran City participated in the Sinulog Grand Showdown and made history as the first contingent from Bohol Province to win the prestigious competition. The city’s entry, Pundok sa Nagkahiusang Bol-anon, was declared overall champion in the Sinulog-Based Category Ritual Showdown and also won First Prize for Best in Musicality (Sinulog-Based).

The contingent was composed of 400 members, including 100 dancers, 200 props handlers, and 100 instrumentalists. Their dedication, discipline, and teamwork resulted in a synchronized and culturally rooted performance that captivated audiences during the Sinulog Grand Parade.