Lumad Basakanon impresses in Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan 2025.

Local

THE Cebu City Sports Center buzzed with excitement on Sunday, January 12, as Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas impressed a roaring crowd and judges with a powerhouse performance that netted them top honors in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan 2025.

Lumad Basakanon’s captivating display of traditional dance, elaborate costumes, and a deeply moving tribute to faith through the Santo Niño de Cebu earned them the Ritual Showdown championship and a grand prize of P550,000.

Standing out among 18 other competing contingents, Lumad Basakanon also captured the Best in Street Dancing and Best in Costume titles, each awarding them an extra P50,000, as well as a fourth-place finish in Best in Musicality, adding P15,000 more to their total.

After the competition, Festival Queen Maria Rose Jane Arreza shared the group’s challenges in sustaining such excellence.

She opened up about the complexities of creating fresh performances while maintaining their long-standing reputation, and dealing with external pressures and scrutiny.

Lumad Basakanon’s performance beautifully blended culture, tradition, and powerful storytelling, resonating with both judges and spectators alike, making their victory undeniable.

Hugpong Masidlakon from Barangay Tisa, dubbed The Home of the Siomai Festival, wound up second place in the Ritual Showdown, pocketing P450,000. Their precision and artistry also earned second-place finishes in Best in Street Dancing and Best in Musicality, with an additional P30,000 for each category.

Banay Labangon of Barangay Labangon secured third place in the Ritual Showdown with a moving performance showcasing Santo Niño’s role in promoting family unity, winning P300,000, plus an additional P50,000 for Best in Musicality.

Meanwhile, the Banauan Cultural Group from Barangay Guadalupe touched hearts with a performance centered on redemption, faith, and the seven deadly sins, landing them in fourth place with P250,000 and a P10,000 award for fifth place in Best in Musicality.

Bag-ong Tribu Kasambagan from Barangay Kasambagan brought attention to the theme of mental health challenges in the digital era, finishing fifth with a P200,000 prize.

Abellana National School rounded out the top six with a P150,000 cash prize, in addition to a P20,000 bonus for third place in Best in Musicality.

Other notable performances came from groups like Barangay Kamagayan’s Landonian Tribe, Barangay Kalunasan’s Kalunasan Cultural Dance Troupe, Barrio Basak Pardo, and the University of the Philippines Cebu's Hugpong ng mga Mananayaw ng Bayan.

The Brass Band Competition also added an exciting new dimension to the festival, with the 560th Air Base Group Marching Band claiming the top prize of P300,000.

The RNB Youth Symphonic Band from Oslob took second place, earning P200,000, while the Saint Florian BFP Marching Band secured third and P100,000.

As Lumad Basakanon and other winners prepare for the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 19, anticipation grows for what promises to be a spectacular celebration of Cebuano devotion, tradition, and artistry, with 45 contingents participating, including three special guest groups from across the country.(MyTVCebu)