Like flowers planted in the middle of the asphalt road, this contingent from Zamboanga showcased their own Hermosa festival through streetdancing in Aliwan Fiesta in 2013. Dubbed as the Festival of all Philippine Festivals, this vibrant event is where the best provinces in the Philippines vie for prestige in three competition categories, the cultural street dance, the float parade, and a beauty contest named as Reyna ng Aliwan. Participants parade their respective prides in the long stretch of Roxas Boulevard starting from Quirino Grandstand and culminating at Aliw Theater, owned by the main organizer Manila Broadcasting Company. For years, the Philippines Grandest Fiesta gives the grand winner in streetdancing PhP 1 Million.

How To Get There

As early as mid-noon, more than a dozen of contingents are already preparing for the competition at the grounds of Quirino Grandstand. You can already feel the vibe as you walk from the U.N. Avenue LRT-1 Station to Rizal Park until you reach the first venue of the program. Since it is also a parade more than a competition, you can witness the shortened street dance performance, the competing floats and the contestants of the beauty contest along the Roxas Blvd in the comfort of your personal space. You can also check in Aliw Theater grounds. However, the first group to perform will only arrive hours after they performed from Quirino Grandstand. The improvised bleachers aren’t enough for a large group of spectators. Also, the grounds in Aliw Theater are not covered compared to the former.

How Did I Get There

It’s a choice between getting a good seat in front of the performance stage of the competing provinces or taking a good photographs of the participants in full costume. Even I wasn’t able to catch a full performance of a group in Quirino Grandstand or outside Aliw Theater, triggering shutter buttons for and with the kids and the students is more enjoyable. Seemingly exhausted, they still have the unbelievable drive to continue and to win the competition. I just wish these kids, who had flewn all the way from Visayas and Mindanao, would still have their time for fun (maybe a visit in Star City nearby) after the competition.