San Marcelino, Zambales – The town of San Marcelino celebrated the Singkamas Festival last week by hailing the juiciest root crop in the world, the humble “singkamas.”
Mayor Elmer Soria said the festival highlighted the jicama or singkamas that is sold in the town and has been a favorite of tourists who passes by San Marcelino. He added that the Singkamas Festival is a way of expressing their gratitude to his constituents for the support and cooperation to the local government.
The one-week celebration started off with a mass, followed by the Binibining San Marcelino pageant, a cultural night, Gabi ng Kamasang Marcelineans, Balikbayan Night, Music Festival, Reveille, Grand Civic Parade, Kamas-Kamas Street Dancing Festival, and the SK Night.
During the Street Dancing Competition, six schools have competed for the trophy wherein each school showcased their dancing talent and creativity in designing costumes and props used during the performance.
Soria, Vice Mayor Cristopher Gongora, and other LGU officials were present during the competition.
San Guillermo National High School (SGNHS) won the championship with a P100,000 cash prize, followed by Buhawen National High School as the first runner up with an P80,000 cash prize, and San Rafael High School as the second runner up with P60,000 cash prize.
Other competitors such as the Laoag Integrated School, San Marcelino High School and Sta. Fe National High School went home with consolation prizes of P45,000 each.
Meanwhile, San Rafael High School was hailed as the Festival Queen with P10,000 prize money, as the best in costume and best in street parade went to San Guillermo National High School that received P10,000 each for the category won.
During the Unity Dance, 300 students who took part in the Street Dancing Competition danced along the national highway on Sunday.
“The Singkamas Festival of San Marcelino also debuted its theme song, with the lyrics and dance steps created by Dance Researcher Jimbarry Silvestre Ordillas from Barangay Burgos,” Mayor Soria said.