KAPAMPANGAN CULTURE. Irving Wu, operations director for Luzon of Robinsons Land Corp. turns over P1.5 million check to Rolly Rodriguez, chair of Foundation for Lingap Kapampangan Inc. for the holding of Sinukwan Festival 2014 with FLKI officers led by President Ma. Teresa Laus and RLC staff led by Jodee Paulette Arroyo as witnesses.
Photo by Bong Lacson
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Pampanga’s signature fest, the Sinukwan Festival, opened its preparations for its 17th edition during the weekend at the Robinsons Starmills here. Themed Tetagan at Kapagsadian.. Kasiguraduan Ning Kulturang Kapampangan (Steadfastness and Readiness.. Ensuring Kapampangan Culture), this year’s festivities are slated from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6.
On Saturday, a memorandum of agreement was signed by officers of the Foundation for Lingap Kapampangan Inc. (FLKI), the initiator of the Sinukwan Festival, and the Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), its principal sponsor for the past nine years.
A check for P1.5 million was turned over by Irving Wu, RLC operations director for Luzon, to FLKI Chair Rolly Rodriguez after the MOA signing. “The imperative to preserve Kapampangan culture was dictated by the Mount Pinatubo eruptions in 1991, when the very existence of the province was in peril,” said FLKI President Ma. Theresa Laus in her brief remarks during the short program.
It was in 1998, with the lahar rampages still threatening the province, that the Sinukwan Festival was first staged with 13 of the then 21 municipalities participating. “It has grown in scale and scope from there,” said Irwin Nucum, this year’s festival chair, citing the “enthusiastic participation” of the local government units.
For this year, the events include a Kapampangan variety show, photo contests, food and craft fair, dance workshop, drum and lyre competition, hiphop competition, the signature street dance competition and free interpretative dance, and the festival staples Mutya and Lakan ning Sinukwan pageants.
