A successful 7th Emapanada Festival

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Batac City—Banking on—as well as promoting—its most famous product, Batac successfully celebrated its 7^th Empanada Festival, highlighted by the colorful street dance and dance drama showdown on June 23.

Batac Mayor Jeffrey Jubal C. Nalupta expressed his deepest gratitude to all the people who helped make the weeklong celebration successful with special mention to the participants from the different clustered 43 Barangays, private and national agencies, non-government organization, elementary and secondary schools, city hall employees, judges, choreographers and above all the Almighty who made Batac strong and united with its people.

Mr. Nalupta, who instituted this festival, personally considers this as one of the best and happiest festivals in Ilocos Norte based on comments and appreciations by the public.

It is for this reason, he added, that thousands of viewers, visitors especially choreographers coming all over the province attend just to witness and be a part of the well-known annual Empanada Festival, which is now known not only in the entire province but also worldwide.

Mr. Nalupta looks forward to a more productive, better and exciting years for a more developed Empanada Festival celebration to come.

Mr. Nalupta likewise thanked the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for recognizing this festival which they say “is one of the best festivals in the country”.

With the NCCA recognition and declaration, the mayor was challenged and this resulted in a more progressive and better presentation every year.

With the increasing development of culture and arts in the city, the mayor claims that Batac City is now the center of culture and arts in the entire province of Ilocos Norte.

The amazing street dance and dance drama showdown competitions by the 9 clustered barangay performers added glitz to the celebration.

However, Mr. Nalupta reminded the public that this is not only a celebration for Empanada Festival but more so the Charter Day of Batac.

Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” Marcos, who served as the special guest during the street dance competition, said that this is the festival that everybody should not miss considering its beautiful presentations replete with talented dancers.

In behalf of the provincial government, the governor congratulated the people of Batac headed by Mr. Nalupta for a “wonderful, successful and grand celebration of Empanada Festival”.

Highlighting the dual celebrations were the street dance and dance showdown competitions with different choreographers from different towns to including Laoag City in the province serving as judges.

Winners for the street dance competition in the elementary category are CAMES, MMSU Grade School, Graceland Saviour, MMMES and HVMES.

In the secondary school category, the winners are BJC, MMSU, ICA, BNHS-Payao Campus and BNHS-Bungon Campus.

Winners for Best Floats were Cluster 1, 3, 8, 5 and 4, with each receiving cash prizes of P20,000, P15,000, P10,000, P8,000; P6,000, respectively.

Mr. Nalupta also awarded his personal choice in Best in Music with winners being Clusters 1, 8 and 9.

Elementary batch 1977 from the different elementary schools here also presented a special award to Cluster 3 which they portray an Era of the 80’s in their contemporary dance with a P7,700 cash prize.

The major winners for the Street Dance competition are Clusters 8, 3, 9, 5 and 6.

Cluster 8, which is the grand winner, is comprised of Brgys. Camguidan, Billoca, Ben-agan and Quiom, received a trophy and a cash prizes of P15,000 from the city government of Batac and P30,000 from a telecom company.  

While the winners for the dance drama showdown competition are Clusters 9, 8, 1, 6 and 4.

But cluster 9 being the champion, which is comprises of Brgys. Pal-palicong, Magnuang, Aglipay and Baoa West, received a trophy and cash prizes of P25,000 from the city government of Batac and P50,000 from another telecom company. Non winners also received a consolation prizes.

The over-all champion is Cluster 8. 

The Empanada Festival has been recognized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) which is a realization of the vision and mission of Batac and its role as an advocate of the culture and the arts.