Employees of the provincial government of Agusan del Sur who belong to the Manobo indigenous people perform a tribal dance during the parade on the first day of the 32nd Naliyagan Festival at the government center in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on Wednesday (12 June 2024). The Naliyagan Festival is a week-long, province-wide celebration of the socio-cultural and arts exposition of indigenous tribes throughout Agusan del Sur. MindaNews photo by IVY MARIE MANGADLAO
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 13 June) — The talent fees of popular actors and entertainers who will perform at the Naliyagan Festival in Agusan del Sur are being shouldered by the four top political leaders of the province, Gov. Santiago Cane Jr. said.
Cane said Team Eddiebong, referring to himself, 2nd District Rep. Adolph Edward “Eddiebong” Plaza, 1st District Rep. Alfelito Bascug, and Vice Governor Samuel Tortor are the ones paying for the multi-million peso talent fees of movie stars, singers, and bands performing nightly at the 6-day Naliyagan Festival 2024.
Cane made the clarification during a press conference on June
12 after a radio reporter from Butuan City asked if the provincial government allocated funds for the talent fees of popular performers.
“Who told you that government funds were paid for the artists’ talent fees? Do you believe that the provincial government can liquidate the expenses of the Naliyagan Festival for the talent fees of the artists? That is not allowed under the law,” he said.
The governor said the four of them have contributed money for the talent fees from their savings, taken from their salaries starting June 18 until the Naliyagan Festival celebration next year.
Popular showbiz stars like Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino, well-liked pop rock band SB 19, Original Pilipino Music legends Apo Hiking Society, pop star Zack Tabudlo, Rhythm and Blues singer Arthur Nery, rappers Skusta Clee and Glow G, and tribal music band Datu Waway Saway and the Talaandig Republic will perform at the festival.
A Google check showed that the talent fee of the SB 19 band is pegged at P2.5 million or P500,000 for each of the band members, aside from the fees of their talent manager and coordinators.
“They cannot comment that the national highways in the province are dilapidated while we hire expensive talents for the Naliyagan Festival,” Cane said.
“That is the reason why we cannot always fulfill requests from residents in the province to get these celebrities since it depends on how much savings we have raised,” he said.
The governor noted that some netizens have been commenting on social media about extravagant talent fees while the national highways are still in poor condition, even though rehabilitation works are ongoing.
“The road to development is always under construction. Development is a long, tedious, and painful process,” he added.
Ivonnie Dumadag, Department of Tourism regional director, described this year’s celebration as the grandest and unique, saying indigenous peoples’ cultural heritage in Agusan del Sur is the highlight of the festivities, unlike bigger celebrations like Cebu’s Sinulog Festival which are already commercialized and product-based.
“The willingness of Team Eddiebong to pay for the talent fees made Naliyagan Festival grandest,” Dumadag said.
She added that the tourist destinations in Agusan del Sur are unique since it is a landlocked province and does not offer beaches but instead adventure trails that tourists can enjoy.
“Agusan del Sur is landlocked, but it is one of the few places where you can find the biggest freshwater marshland in Asia surrounded by a vast expanse of land,” Cane said. (Chris V. Panganiban/MindaNews)
