CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Dancers and dance pairs from across Mindanao showcased their skills Monday at the Nazareth Barangay Gymnasium during the First Higalaay Dancesports Invitational-Mindanao Open.

The inaugural competition, held as part of the monthlong Higalaay Festival 2026, gathered competitive athletes representing various cities and provinces throughout the region.

Participants competed in International Standard disciplines — including the waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, slow foxtrot and quickstep — as well as International Latin categories, featuring the cha-cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive.

Organizers designed the invitational to elevate dancesport standards in Northern Mindanao while encouraging sportsmanship, cultural exchange and grassroots development.

The dancesport event forms a key highlight of Cagayan de Oro’s annual Higalaay Festival, held in honor of the city’s patron saint, St. Augustine.

The monthlong celebration also features a religious fluvial parade traveling from Puntod in Macajalar Bay to Duaw Park near the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral, alongside a civic-military parade from the Velez Rotunda to the Pelaez Sports Center and a street dancing competition.

Local officials implemented strict security protocols to manage crowds during the main festivities. Nick Jabagat, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department, said safety measures include regulating drone operations over festival sites.

Under the guidelines, drone operators must register with the Public Information Office and the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, which designated specific areas for aerial piloting.

“Bloggers and news reporters were given specific areas where they can pilot their drones,” Jabagat said, adding that authorized drone footage would assist authorities in monitoring crowds.

As an additional security precaution, authorities temporarily disabled mobile phone signals near the routes of the street dancing and civic-military parades.

To manage traffic flow, the Road and Traffic Administration deployed enforcement officers along major thoroughfares, advising spectators to gather at the Rio de Oro Boulevard along the Cagayan River to view the religious fluvial procession.

The annual celebration traditionally opens at the Rio de Oro Boulevard and concludes with the religious river procession. Mayor Rolando Uy previously commended residents and local organizations for their continued support in ensuring the festival’s ongoing success.