A Bislig college performing group finished second in the Open Category of Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan 2026, the street dance competition at the heart of Davao City's Kadayawan Festival.
The Sindac Anib Performing Ensemble of Andres Soriano Colleges of Bislig (ASCB) placed second and also took the Best in Music special award, according to SunStar Davao's report on the results published August 17, 2026.
How the competition went
The Open Category showdown was held along the Davao Coastal Road (Tulip Drive) on Sunday, August 16, SunStar Davao reported. It was the first year the competition moved to the coastal road.
The champion was Balangay City High Performing Arts of Mati City, Davao Oriental, which won the title for a third straight year and took home the P2-million top prize. Under the competition's rules, a three-time champion sits out the following edition, so the Mati group will not compete in 2027.
Behind Sindac Anib in second place, the rest of the top five were:
- Third: Nagadaya Dance Artist Ensemble of Pantukan, Davao de Oro
- Fourth: Panay National High School Hamungaway Performing Arts Group of Sto. Niño, South Cotabato
- Fifth: Lumad Mainitnon Folkloric Group of Surigao del Norte
The Open Category is open to groups from across Mindanao, separate from the category reserved for Davao City schools. This year's Kadayawan competitions carried a total prize pool of nearly P10 million, according to SunStar Davao.
The city's commendation
Bislig's Sangguniang Panlungsod formally recognized the group in Resolution No. 2026-697, adopted per curiam, meaning by the whole council. The resolution commends the ensemble "for winning the Second Place Award of the Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan 2026, Open Category."
It credits the group's "exceptional artistry, discipline, masterful choreography, and captivating performance," and says the result "brought immense pride, honor, and prestige not only to the Andres Soriano Colleges of Bislig but also to the entire City of Bislig, highlighting the city's rich artistic talent on a major regional platform."
The resolution singles out "the artistic directors, choreographers, dancers, musicians, and school administration of ASCB" for recognition.
The resolution gives the competition date as August 15, 2026. News reports from Davao place the Open Category showdown on August 16.
A name from Bislig's own story
Andres Soriano Colleges of Bislig carries one of the most familiar names in the city. Bislig Today has written about the Soriano name and its ties to PICOP and Philippine Airlines.
Could the group get a city cash incentive?
Bislig enacted an ordinance this year that pays cash rewards to individuals and groups who win major awards in non-DepEd competitions, including dance championships. Bislig Today explained how those rewards work. The commendation resolution does not mention a cash award, and Bislig Today has not seen any city announcement on whether the ensemble's result qualifies under that ordinance.
For now, the result stands as one of the best showings by a Bislig group at a Mindanao-wide cultural competition this year.
Sources: City of Bislig, Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 2026-697, posted on bislig.gov.ph; SunStar Davao, "Mati's Balangay wins Indak-Indak 2026 grand slam" (August 17, 2026).