After four years of waiting, the energetic street dancers and extravagant floats from different regions around the country are now ready to jiggle the street on the third day of Aliwan Fiesta, which will happen on Saturday, July 15.
During Inside Aliwan’s third episode, entitled "The Parade Primer," Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) PR Publicity Consultant Susan Arcega, one of the brains of Aliwan Fiesta for 20 years, detailed their preparations as well as their challenges as Aliwan Fiesta has returned, particularly the most awaited street dance and float competition.
"I've been doing this since 2005, but this year is the only time that I'm really excited because of the four-year hiatus. ‘Diba, we've been gone for four years, and I think everybody is feeling the stress and the tension kasi parang nanganganay ule," Arcega said.
"We’re just raring and roaring to go back on the streets this weekend," she added.
Arcega cited some of the changes in this year’s Aliwan parade, such as the route, which will begin and end along the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex.
"Well, unang-una naiba yung ating route, hindi na tayo manggagaling sa Quirino. We will begin and end right here at the CCP complex, and of course we have several new participants; they're very very exciting," she noted.
Thirteen participants will be competing in this year’s Aliwan street dance competition and 13 participants in the float competition.
"Yung mga hindi pa nila nakitang mag-participate street dance competition is really the best from the region," she highlighted.
The grand prize winner for the street dance competition will receive a cash prize of P1.5 million, while the runners-up, third, fourth, and fifth place winners will each earn P750,000, P300,000, and P100,000. Each of the five runners-up will also receive P50,000.
For the float competition, the grand winner will receive P750,000, 2nd place will receive P300,000, and 3rd place will receive P100,000, while the seven runners-up will receive P25,000 each.
Other special awards for the street competitions are Best Folkloric Performance, Best Costume, and Best Musical Accompaniment, which will receive P10,000 each.
"Ang importante yung makita niyo, this is a different aspect of our culture because first marry making is so much part of our psyche," the Publicity consultant noted.
"Everything's jelling together fantastically. We know how MBC works and functions as a family," she added.
