The street-dancing competition, the main highlight of the Sandugo Festival, will be cancelled for the third straight year amid the resumption of other in-person activities during the month-long celebration in July.

Lawyer Lucas Nunag, chairman of the Isang Dugo Foundation which organizes the festival together with the provincial government, said the competition will still not be conducted due to the lingering pandemic.

“Naa pa gihapon ang kakulba sa COVID unya ang street dancing daghang kaayo ang taw, dugay ang practice. Naay possibility of exposure,” said Nunag.

He explained that the street-dancing activity also requires a long preparation period and a large budget.  

“Ang logistics niya dako pud og gasto so ato sang laktawan,” said Nunag.

However, Nunag assured that the Sandugo celebration will still be “meaningful.”

For the first time since the pandemic erupted in 2020, in-person activities will be held during the festival.

“Just the same, mahinungdanon gihapon ang festival ug naa gihapoy meaning na makapa hinumdum sa atong mga fellow Bol-anons unsa ka importante ang Sandugo sa atong history ug heritage,” said Nunag.

Among the notable activities are the Sandugo Agri Fair, Sandugo reenactment and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Sandugo Trade Fair.

A night market will also be open at the Old Tagbilaran City Airport throughout the month of July.

According to Nunag, Isang Dugo foundation is planning to not just revive the annual festival, but to make it bigger in the forthcoming years.

He expressed optimism that the new administration of Governor Aris Aumentado will help the festival evolve into a

“Tumong ini na ma perpetuate gyud ang Sandugo and eventually mahimong mas dako na selebrasyon, dili lang para dinhi sa Bohol, para pud makaaghat ta og mga bisita gikan sa ubang lugar sa Pilipinas and basin abroad,” said Nunag. (R. Tutas)