In Tacloban City
TACLOBAN CITY – The contingent from Barangay 110-Utap was declared the grand champion of the 2024 Tacloban Grand Santacruzan, a yearly religious pageant, besting eight others.
As grand champion, Barangay 110-Utap received a P50,000 cash prize. They also won the best lantern and most disciplined special awards, and secured first runner-up in the ‘Reyna Elena’ pageant, earning an additional P8,000.
Other winners were Barangay 43-B Quarry, 1st runner-up, winning P30,000, along with ‘Best Sagala’ arch and best in Reyna Elena Arch.
Barangay Paseo de Legazpi was named as 2nd runner-up, winning P20,000, and 2nd runner-up in the Reyna Elena pageant, earning P5,000 while Barangay 37 (Reclamation area) was adjudged 3rd runner-up, winning P15,000, and the top crown in the Reyna Elena pageant, earning P10,000.
Barangay 99 Diit was 4th runner-up.
Non-winners in the Santacruzan competition received a P5,000 consolation prize, while participants in the Reyna Elena pageant received P1,000 each.
Acting Tacloban City Tourism Officer Ma. Lumen Tabao noted that this year’s edition has more participants compared to eight in last year.
The city government provided a P30,000 subsidy to each of the nine participating villages, which included Barangays 43-B Quarry, 37 Reclamation Area, 65 Paseo de Legazpi, 25 Paterno Extension, 35-A Pampango, 6 Sto. Niño, 100 Utap, 99 Diit, and 23-A Burgos.
The grand Santacruzan is an annual event marking the culmination of Flores de Mayo, a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church held in honor of Queen Helena and her son Constantine’s quest to find the True Cross in Jerusalem.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
