Cagayan de Oro City Information Officer Ivy Guantero (left) paints the eyes of the dragon replicas for good luck during the launching of the “1st Kagay-an International Dragon Boat Kugtong Fiesta Race” on Friday (18 August 2023). MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO
CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 19 August) — City officials took turns painting the eyes and sprinkling water on replicas of dragon heads during the launch of the two-day “1st Kagay-an International Dragon Boat Kugtong Fiesta Race” on Friday.
The race, scheduled on Saturday and Sunday, is one of the core events of Higalaay Festival, a month of festivities leading up to the August 28 celebration of the Feast of Saint Augustine, Cagayan de Oro’s patron saint.
The festival was shelved for three years, from 2020 to 2022, due to strict quarantine protocols that were imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic that infected 25,945 residents, 941 of whom died.
City information officer Ivy Guantero said that since the pandemic is now over, the city government wants residents to again enjoy life and the tourists to come back.
“The dragons symbolize strength and prosperity. We want the dragons to blow away the bad spirits and bring back the good,” Guantero said.
City Tourism Officer Rico Libre said the city government spent P1.6 million to bring 689 participants of the boat race.
“We spent for the judges, food, prize money, and hotel for officials. We really wanted the dragon race to be successful because this is our first international event,“ Libre said during the press conference on Friday.
At least 19 teams from various parts of the country, Malaysia, and Hong Kong are participating in the dragon boat race along the Cagayan River.
Christian Mendoza of the Hong Kong dragon boat team said they were impressed with how the local organizers managed to solve the logistical problems of the race.
“The moment we arrived in Manila, the organizers were answering our needs from connecting flights to our bags,” Mendoza said.
Department of Tourism Region 10 Director Marie Elaine Unchuan said their office made sure that the teams from Hong Kong and Malaysia enjoy a hassle-free stay in the city.
“We made arrangements that their transfer flights are as seamless as we possibly can,” Unchuan said.
Aside from the dragon boat race, Guantero said there will be a trade fair at the Limketkai Mall on Sunday, the traditional civic-military parade around the city on Aug. 27, and a fluvial procession from the delta of Cagayan River in Barangay Macabalan to the City Hall on Aug. 28. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)
