"DASIGAY BUGSAY" Boat Rowing Competition

By Jiji Bautista Ezequiel, Philippines

Concept:

Dasigay Bugsay is a sports event scheduled annually on the 24th day of April and is one of the main attractions in the celebration of Pandan, Antique's Community Town Fiesta. Dasigay Bugsay has been envisioned to become one of Antique's unique sports event that aims to promote health consciousness among its residents and to develop young athletes who have the potentials to become our country's top athletes in the field of boat rowing competition. This annual "palabadan" boat racing event also hopes to attract visitors coming from its neighboring towns and provinces as well as from sports enthusiasts all over the Philippines as it promotes Pandan as a tourist destination. The Dasigay Bugsay is a showcase of Pandan's ingenuity in sports combined with a unique and colorful festival in its original creative style.

Criteria and Qualifications:

1. Each Barangay will have three boats bearing the same color and will be entered in the race as a team. The team will have three (3) rowers with one boat for every rower. A total of fifty one (51) boats and rowers will participate in the race.

2. The Barangay Captains shall take charge in the selection of the best rowers to represent their respective Barangays. Selection process or elimination rounds should be conducted in their respective Barangays to ensure that the participants are highly qualified to represent their Barangays.

3. Only certified Pandananons and bona fide residents of the Barangay with a minimum of two years experience as fishermen/rowers who are between 18 and 50 years old are qualified to join the race. Resident foreigners are not allowed to participate in the competition.

4. The boat or "baroto" should be the original "palabadan" boat that is made of hard wood with its floater or "katig" made of bamboo.

5. The decorations and designs of the boats and rows will be limited to wood paints only. The use of sail and buntings are not allowed as part of the decorations as these will hinder the natural speed of the boat.

6. The colors of the boats and the uniforms of the rowers should be of the same color.

7. Deadline for the submission of the names of the participants will be on March 30, 2001. In the event that the official participant is unable to participate due to valid reasons, the participant may appoint his replacement subject to the approval of the Bankathon Committee.

Guidelines and Rules of the Competition:

1. All participants must register at the registration counter for inspection before the start of the race. All participants must be at the starting line at 7:00 in the morning. The race will formally start upon the signal of the authorized official.

2. There will be markers or buoys that will be positioned in Barangays Dionela, Bautista and Sta. Fe to mark the points where the race will begin and end. The race will start in front of the Bautista residence in Barangay Dionela. It will race towards Barangay Bautista then turn around racing all the way to Sta. Fe point before coming back to Barangay Dionela to reach the finish line.

3. There will be two categories for the championship awards:

Barangay Team Championship Awards and

Individual Championship Awards

4. The 1st Barangay Team who reaches the finish line first will be declared as the Team Champion in the Team Championship Category

5. The 2nd Barangay Team who reaches the finish line second will be declared the 2nd Prize winner in the Team Championship Category

6. The 3rd Barangay Team who reaches the finish line third will be declared the 3rd Prize winner in the Team Championship Category

7. The 1st Rower who reaches the finish line first will be declared as the Champion in the Individual Championship Category

8. The 2nd Rower who reaches the finish line second will be declared the 2nd Prize winner in the Individual Championship Category

9. The 3rd Rower who reaches the finish line third will be declared the 3rd Prize winner in the Individual Championship Category

10. The winners will be declared by a panel of judges composed of representatives from the local government, Pandan Antique Foundation, and special guests of "Dasigay Bugsay" event organizers.

11. Decision of the judges will be final and executory.

Awards and Prizes

The winners will receive trophies, medals, cash prizes and giveaways, as follows:

The Barangays who will receive the Team Championship Awards cash prize may share 20% of the cash prize won by its team.

Criteria for winning the Special Prize: 50% for the concept and design of the team's boats (relevance to the theme of this year's town fiesta), 30% for teamwork and performance, and 20% for uniforms (this is still subject to approval by the Awards Committee).

Presentation of Awards and Prizes

April 18, 2001

Volume 1, Issue 4