ILOILO CITY — Ilonggos can look forward to more events in next year’s Paraw Regatta Festival under a new management, following the resignation of Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation Inc. (IPRFI) president, Dr. Ronald Raymond Sebastian.
Sebastian announced his resignation during the awarding ceremony on Sunday evening, saying he needs to focus on his work as chief executive officer (COO) of the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU).
“I will not leave Paraw Regatta in a very bad note. I left them with good people to sustain the activity,” he assured.
Sebastian will be replaced by incoming chairperson Vincent Tajanlangit of the Iloilo Water Club Association, the biggest water-related club in the Philippines.
“We are making sure that everybody who wants to have fun in the water is safe and we want to promote anything that is sea or maritime-related,” Tajanlangit said.
Among the big events this 47th year of the festival were the Sinamba de Regatta, Slalom competition, miniature paraw making contest, beach volleyball, pinta layag, and the main sailing event.
On Sunday, entries from Malay, Aklan bagged the first four spots in category C of the main sailing competition, bringing home big cash prizes of the 47th Iloilo Guimaras Paraw Regatta Festival.
The main sailing competition has three categories. Category C is open to paraws measuring more than 22.1 feet on the waterline; while categories A and B are smaller, with the former measuring 25 feet from the tip of the stern to the tip of the bow; and the latter measuring 16.1 feet to 22 feet on the waterline.
Emerging as winners in the category C were: Kim Aron owned by Efren Aguirre from Brgy. Sambiray the first placer; Good Shoot Baby owned by Rona Casidsid from Brgy. Argao, second; Happy Hour of Ronel Cahilig from Brgy. Cubay Norte, third; and Ashley owned by Teody Belejerdo from Brgy Sambiray, fourth placer, all from Malay, Aklan.
The first placer bagged the PHP90,000 cash prize; PHP67,500 for the second placer; PHP45,000, third placer; and PHP13,500 for the fourth placer.
Other top 10 finishers also received cash prizes worth PHP11,700 for the fifth placer; PHP9,000 for the sixth; PHP8,100 for seventh; PHP7,200, eight placer, and PHP6,300 for the ninth and 10th placers.
Meanwhile, Ilonggo entries dominated the category A, such as LD and KD owned by Wennie Demetillo Sr. and Kivem de Asis, both from Barngay Camangay, Leganes, Iloilo. They won the first and second places, respectively.
Entries RB owned by Rogelio Gareza and Ninia & Issiah owned by Hector Espinosa landed in the third and fourth spots, respectively. Gareza came from Guimbal, Iloilo while Espinosa was from Barangay Sto, Niño Sur in this city’s Arevalo district.
A cash prize of PHP8,100 was given to the fifth placer; PHP4,500 for the sixth and ninth placers; and PHP3,600 for the 10th placer.
Ilonggo entries also dominated the category B, such as Jolina owned by Reuven Tajanlangit from Barangay Parara Sur and Kiss owned by Ricardo Gabales of Barangay Parara Norte, all of Tigbauan, Iloilo. They were first and second placers, respectively.
Third placer was Kristine & Kassie owned by Oscar Espinosa of Sto, Nino Sur, Arevalo; while the fourth placer was Justine, owned by Danny Diomon of Barangay Camangay, Leganes.
The first to fourth placers bagged PHP67,500; PHP45,000; PHP18,000 and PHP13,500 prizes, respectively.
Meanwhile, the fifth to eighth places won PHP10,800; PHP7,200; PHP6,300; PHP5,400 while the ninth and 10th placers got PHP4,500 cash prizes each.
The first placer for each category also got a cash prize of PHP5,000 each.
The Paraw Regatta is considered as the oldest sailing event in Asia.
The annual competition manifested the ingenuity of local seafarers in search of a perfect wind, as they try to cross the 30-kilometer route starting in front of Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafoods in Arevalo district towards Bundolan Point in Jordan, Guimaras, and back to Arevalo.
