IRIGA CITY - The famous Lapay Bantigue festival of Masbate province dominated the 2010 festival of festivals showdown, a street dancing competition among selected festivals from different parts of the region recently held in this city that highlighted this year's Tinagba festival.

        As the first prize winner, the street dancers from Masbate province apart from a whopping P350,000. 00 also received additional cash prizes and gifts from the city government for winning special awards such as best in costume.

        Second and third prize winners were the Sorsogon festival of Sorsogon City and Pulang Angui festival of Polangui, Albay which cash prizes of P250,000 and P150,000 pesos, respectively.

        For the float competition which was participated in by clustered villages and some government and private entities, 1st prize winner was cluster 5 (Santiago, Sta. Elena, Sto. Domingo, La Anunciacion and San Juan) 2nd was cluster 9 (Casureco 111 - ICWD), and 3rd was cluster 4 (San Nicolas, San Roque, San Agustin and San Isidro).

        The city government shelled out a total of P400, 000 as cash prize for the float competition an additional P 50,000 each from Congressman Felix Alfelor Jr.

        City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen when interviewed by local newsmen said that hosting a well-budgetted event is like a business.

        "If you want to be recognized and put the city on the map, you have to spend more if you are expecting more gain in return," the lady mayor stressed. "It is one way of helping boost our economy," she added.

        An unconfirmed report claimed that the city government spent a little less than P 9 Million for hosting such a grandiose event.

        During the floats parade, the center of everyone's attention were some showbiz personalities and invited guests which include: Senator Lito Lapid, Atty. Raymund Fortun, vice presidential bet Edu Manzano, Mark Herras, Jericho Rosales, Angelica Jones, Chynna Ortaleza, Raiza Cenon, lya Villania, Rainer Castillo and Christine Hermosa.

        Dance choreographer, Douglas Nierras, Regional Director Nini Ravanilla of the Department of Tourism, along with Bicolano prosecutors who took part in the first regional convention of prosecutors in Bicol last February 10-11 at Iriga Plaza Convention Center also graced the affair.