Carcar City, celebrated for its chicharon, clinched a remarkable victory at the Sinulog Grand Festival 2025, dominating the Sinulog-based category with wins in street dancing, ritual showdown, and musicality. The festival, held on January 19, 2025, saw Carcar City outperform 47 other contingents, earning them a total of PHP4 million in prize money for their top performances in street dancing and the ritual showdown.
Elmer Labella, the executive director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc., praised Carcar City’s outstanding performance. Although the prize for Best in Musicality was not disclosed, Carcar’s sweep of the Sinulog-based categories was a highlight of the event.
In the free interpretation category, Bais City’s ‘Festival of Harvest – Negros Oriental’ took first place, securing PHP3 million, while Tribu Masadyaon from Toledo City was awarded Best in Musicality. Other notable winners included International Pharmaceuticals Inc. in the float category, the Mangingistorya group in the Higante category, and Orly Jhonson Fuentes, who won both first and second place in the puppeteer’s competition.
Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia of Cebu City expressed his satisfaction with the festival’s smooth execution, noting its peaceful nature and the absence of major incidents. To honor the participants and organizers, Garcia announced plans for a recognition night. The Sinulog Grand Parade of 2025 drew a record-breaking 4 million attendees, the largest crowd in the festival’s history.
In response to the festival’s demands, Garcia suspended classes on Monday, allowing students who participated as dancers, crowd controllers, church volunteers, or attendees to rest. Similar class cancellations were announced by Mayor Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu City, acting Mayor Glen Bercede of Mandaue City, and Gerald Anthony Gullas of Talisay City.
The city’s efforts to maintain cleanliness during the event were significant, with 290 tons of garbage collected from the main roads used for the Sinulog street dance competition. A fleet of 85 garbage trucks, supplemented by vehicles from local barangays and the city’s engineering department, ensured the parade route remained clean.