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Cebu

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo is a cultural festival and founding anniversary celebration in Cebu, Philippines every August 6. Organized by the provincial government, this yearly celebration marks the establishment of Cebu province with the appointment of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi as captain-general of Cebu and of the new colony in 1569.

It is the biggest gathering of cultural festivals of cities and towns in the province, and it is at times referred to as the “festival of festivals” and the “mother of all festivals in the Queen City of the South.”

The date is a special nonworking public holiday in Cebu province as set forth by Republic Act No. 7698 which became a law on April 29, 1994.

Etymology

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo translates to Pride of Cebu.

Founding of Cebu

Cebu, called Sugbo in the language of its people, is the oldest settlement of the Spanish colonizers in the Philippines. It had already been a thriving trading center ruled by a rajahnate before the coming of the Spaniards. The ruling elite of its pre-colonial community is believed to have links with the lineage of southern India dynasty according to oral tradition.

Its port was a vital outpost in the exchange of goods between neighboring islands and with merchants from foreign lands as far away as Thailand, Japan, and China.

Antonio Pigafetta, the Venetian chronicler who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan in the Spanish-sponsored expedition to the Moluccas in 1521, wrote,

I asked where was the best port for obtaining victuals. They replied that there were three, that is to say, Ceylon, Zzubu, and Calaghan, but that Zzubu was the largest and of the most traffic.

Antonio Pigafetta, translated by Lord Stanley of Alderley. The First Voyage Round the World/Pigafetta’s Account of Magellan’s Voyage

Magellan’s fleet arrived in Cebu harbor on April 7, 1521 and met with Rajah Humabon, the leader of Cebu at that time. The foreign colonizers performed baptism of the natives and gifted Humabon’s consort with an image of the Infant Child called Sto. Niño (see Sinulog Festival).

Later, Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan (see Kadaugan sa Mactan) by the indigenous opposition led by Mactan ruler named Lapulapu.

The Spanish crown succeeded in colonizing the archipelago with the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi beginning in 1565.

He established the Spanish colonial presence when he reached Cebu on April 27. Moreover, he renamed the island “Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus” and declared it as the capital of the Spanish colony in the East Indies.

Legazpi was the first governor of Cebu from 1565 until his death in 1572. The confirmation of his appointment as “… governor and captain-general of Cebu and of the other settlements” was issued by King Philip II on August 6, 1569, and it also declared Cebu as the first Spanish province in the Philippines. This is the date that Pasigarbo sa Sugbo commemorates every year.

History of Pasigarbo sa Sugbo

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo was launched by Gwendolyn Garcia during her second term as governor in 2008 in time for the 439th founding anniversary. It was organized to give each component local government unit the opportunity to showcase culture, talent, and unique products.

Each of the constituent cities and towns of Cebu province sends a dance contingent that performs a representation of their respective cultural festival. It is thought that the yearly congregation of Cebu’s cultural festivals encourages Cebuano’s creativity and talent, as well as promotes tourism and local products.

The event was placed on hiatus twice in its history, firstly from 2013 to 2018 and secondly between 2020 and 2021 (due to coronavirus pandemic).

Hence, it was re-staged twice: in 2019 when Garcia was re-elected governor and in 2022 when it was held again to aid the tourism industry that was negatively impacted by lock-downs and travel restrictions.

Beginning in 2008, its venue was the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City. In 2019, it was moved to Cebu City Sports Complex because CICC was considered to be no longer “feasible” after the damages wrought by an earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

In 2023, Cebu City Sports Complex underwent repairs and the fest was hosted in Carcar City. In that same year, Carcar City’s Kabkaban Festival was announced the winner in the immediate conclusion of the cultural dance competition. In a subsequent recount that was conducted due to technical hiccups that occurred during the event, Minglanilla’s Sugat Kabanhawan Festival was declared that year’s winner.

In 2024, the fest was conducted at the Cebu City Sports Complex on August 25 to 26 with a budget of 200 million pesos.

DateVenueWinnerFestivals
8/9/2008CICCBantayan Island’s Palawod Festival34
8/15/2009CICCBantayan Island’s Palawod Festival38
8/14/2010CICCBantayan Island’s Palawod Festival32
8/13/2011CICCCarcar City’s Kabkaban Festival40
8/11/2012CICCLiloan’s Rosquillos Festival31
8/25/2019Cebu City Sports ComplexCarcar City’s Kabkaban Festival44
8/28/2022Cebu City Sports ComplexCarcar City’s Kabkaban Festival50
8/27/2023Carcar CityMinglanilla’s Sugat Kabanhawan Festival (recount)50
8/26/2024Cebu City Sports ComplexDagitab Festival (Naga City)51
Pasigarbo sa Sugbo’s dates, venue, winners, and number of participating contingents of cultural festivals of cities and towns since 2008.

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Activities

Highlights of the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo are the street dancing competition, ritual showdown, and a pageant called Festival Queen. These are also the festival’s culminating activities and their schedule has varied through the years, occurring on any of the weekends of August. Other activities may also include a float parade and a trade fair.

Meanwhile the schedule of the founding anniversary, which is a holiday, is fixed every 6th of August.

Special awards are given away including:

  • Best in Decorated Float
  • Best in Mayor’s Introduction Video
  • Best in Festival Jingle
  • Best in Festival Costume
  • Best in Carroza Design
  • Best Festival Queen Costume
  • Miss Photogenic

List of cultural festivals in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo

Below is the list of cultural festivals in Cebu participating in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo.

Other grand festivals in Cebu are the Sinulog Festival (every third Sunday of January), Kadaugan sa Mactan (every April 27), Kaplag Festival every April 28, and Baliw Baliw Festival every May.

FestivalCity / TownDate
Bahandi FestivalAlcantaraAugust 28
Siloy FestivalAlcoyAugust 27
Kawayan FestivalAlegriaDecember 3
Kinsan FestivalAloguinsanJune 2nd Sunday
La Torta FestivalArgaoSeptember 29
Lalin FestivalAsturiasAugust 16
Banig FestivalBadianJuly 25
Lingaw Sadya FestivalBalambanOctober 4
Palawod FestivalBantayanJune 29
Panumod FestivalBariliJuly 26
Kuyayang FestivalBogo CityMay 26
Bolho FestivalBoljoonNovember 2nd week
Tuba FestivalBorbonJanuary 20
Kabkaban FestivalCarcar CityNovember 25
Sinulog sa CarmenCarmenJanuary 3rd Sunday
Budbod Kabog Festival CatmonFebruary 10
Queseo FestivalCompostelaJuly 25
Sarok FestivalConsolacionFebruary 14
Dinagat FestivalCordovaAugust 14
Haladaya FestivalDaanbantayanAugust 30
Utanon FestivalDalagueteFebruary 10
Karansa FestivalDanao CitySeptember 3rd Sunday
Sinanggiyaw FestivalDumanjugOctober 4
Ginatilan Festival (Hinatdan Festival)GinatilanMarch 2nd Sunday
Rosquillos FestivalLiloanMay 27
Isda FestivalMadridejosJune 29
Buyoc FestivalMalabuyocSeptember 10
Panagtagbo FestivalMandaue CityThird Friday of January
Katubhan FestivalMedellinApril 27
Sugat Kabanhawan FestivalMinglanillaEaster Sunday
Kagasangan FestivalMoalboalMay 16
Dagitab FestivalNaga CityDecember 23
Toslob FestivalOslobDecember 8
Pamugsay FestivalPilarDecember 2
Pamuhuan FestivalPinamungajanMay 4
Tagbo FestivalPoroJanuary 3rd Friday
Humba FestivalRondaSeptember 15
Dagayday Festival SamboanSeptember 30
Sikoy-Sikoy FestivalSan FernandoMay 15
Soli-soli FestivalSan FranciscoMarch 19
Lapayahan FestivalSan RemigioMay 16
Panuhug FestivalSanta FeJanuary 15
Tostado FestivalSantanderThird Sunday of April
Bonga FestivalSibongaAugust 9
Panagsogod FestivalSogodJuly 25
Sanggi FestivalTabogonMay 20
Ani-anihan FestivalTabuelanJune 24
Halad Inasal FestivalTalisay CityOctober 15
Hinulawan FestivalToledo CityJune 11
Tubod FestivalTuburanJune 13
Katunggan FestivalTudelaJune 15
Cultural festivals in Cebu for Pasigarbo sa Sugbo

How to reach Cebu

Cebu is accessible via Mactan International Airport and several seaports with regular daily or weekly trips from neighboring islands.

References

Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Summary

NamePasigarbo sa Sugbo
CelebrationFounding anniversary of Cebu province
Contact(032) 888 2328 local 3011
CountryPhilippines
DateAugust 6
Emailpio@cebu.gov.ph
Established2008
Facebookwww.facebook.com
FounderGwendolyn Garcia
Historical eventConfirmation of the appointment of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi as governor of Cebu by King Phillip II in 1569
Instagramwww.instagram.com
LocationCebu
OrganizerProvincial Government of Cebu
Other NamesPride of Cebu
Twittertwitter.com
Websitewww.cebu.gov.ph