MOBOD Wins Inug-Og Fest 2010

By PJTremedal, BND MisOC-CIB/OCM

Oroquieta City – One more winning in the said festival, Mobod Integrated High School will be in the hall of fame of the city’s Inug-og Festival. This is expected when the Mobod Integrated High School once again showed their might in tableau presentation that made them this year’s champion of the competition during the celebration of the city fiesta in honor of the Lady of the Holy Rosary, Oroquieta’s patron saint.

In the competition witnessed by Oroquietanons and other guests and visitors, the Mobod Integrated High School was also adjudged best in props and the Best Choreographer award, while the second place goes to the Misamis Occidental Science and Technology High School that was also awarded best in Costume and musicality and the Best in Street Dancing, while Talairon National High School was awarded third place.

“Inug-ug” is a Visayan word that comes from its root word “Ug-Og” meaning shake or a movement that rattles, tremble or warble. But if you transform it into body movements,” Inug-ug “actually is a mixture of cultures, thus in Oroquieta City, whose population is tri-people, every October of each year, Inug-ug is a symbol of oneness and unity.

To make emphasis on its symbol, the local government adopted it into a festive mood, where people meet other people to share their blessing with one another it is connected to the people’s religious beliefs, but because Oroquietanons is a Christian dominated majority, Inug-ug festival is now celebrated in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

Inug-ug Festival as a mixture of culture and the arts of the tri-people, the celebrations depicts not only the Christians and the Muslims, but to its lumads, the Subanens of Misamis Occidental.

This year Mr. Catalino “Butch” Chan III, Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director of Northern Mindanao (Region 10) was the chairman of the board of judges in his message, RD Chan congratulates the six (6) participating contingent especially their originality in its indigenous accompaniment and the totality in interpreting the Subanen culture which emphasize in the contest cretiria to use the five basic steps of the Subanen art in movements and dance.

Chan also expresses concern that contingents must be able to research more and practice more movements of the indigenous culture for it is the trend now of the department to be back on the basics in promoting ethno tourism.

Meanwhile, Congressman Jorge T. Almonte who was ably represented by Atty. Marlo Bancoro and his son City Mayor Jason Almonte welcome and inspired the contingents in their participation and welcome Oroquietanons and visitors during the festival.

In the criteria of the Inug-Og Festival, the movements, music, and costume of the six contingents were judge according to performance-40%, Choreography-30%,Concept and Message-15% and Costume and Props-15% with a total of 100%.

The judges of this year’s Inug-og Festival competition were: Ms. Baby Balatero-Baler of Tangub City, Ms. Emmie Abad of Ozamis City, Mr. Yoyo Espedalla of DOT 10 and RD Butch Cahn III, Regional Director as chairman, and Mrs. Chiquita Reyes of the Montessori de Oro of Cagayan de Oro.

Mr. Jay Lorenzo who is the city tourism designate said that with the support of the city government, all activites of the city fiesta will be definitely successful as it was proven after the grand concept parade last October 15 that was for the first time a success.

Other activites that started October 1^st, Inug-og Festival and the search for Miss Oroquieta-Tourism 2010 and other events were peaceful and successful. This year’s major sponsors were; Congressman Jorge Almonte, City Mayor Jason Almonte, Governor Hermie Ramiro, Sangguniang Panlungsod, San Miguel Corporation, SMART, Coca-cola, Nature Springs, and other minor sponsors.