BY GEROME M. DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – A total of 40 colorful paraws (double-outrigger sailboats) are set to participate in the main race that will conclude the 51st Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival on Sunday, March 3.
Joyce Clavecillas, the executive director of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. which organizes the event, announced that 40 participants have registered and fulfilled their requirements, qualifying them to compete in the three categories of the paraw race.
The paraw, a small boat equipped with two stabilizers, was extensively utilized for travel and trade in ancient times and continues to serve as a means of transportation and a source of livelihood.
Approximately 14 paraws are listed under Category A, while 15 and 11 participants have joined Categories B and C, respectively.
Category A is designated for sailboats measuring 25 feet overall, Category B for those with a waterline length of 16.1 to 22 feet, and Category C for paraws exceeding 22 feet at the waterline.
The race will cover a 30-kilometer course from Villa Beach in the Arevalo district to Guimaras Island and then back to Villa Beach.
Initiated in 1973, the regatta honors the double outrigger boats, aiming to preserve the paraw as a crucial element of early Ilonggo history.
Today’s paraw has preserved its original design from the sailboats used by the first settlers from Borneo, who arrived in 2012 A.D. in search of a peaceful home. Over centuries, paraws have remained an integral part of Filipino maritime culture.
In addition to the main race, other events include Pinta Tawo, Pinta Layag judging, the Paraw Lechon Contest, and beach sports at Villa Beach; along with Paraw Beach Bodies, Lighted Paraw and Fireworks, the Paraw Food Fest (Day 3), the Paraw Photo Contest, and the Awarding Ceremony, all scheduled for March 3.
The majority of these events, especially the principal sailing race, will take place at Tatoy’s beachfront.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has issued an advisory establishing a “no sail zone” along the race course, extending from the vicinity of Tatoy’s beachfront property in Arevalo to Buenavista town in Guimaras.
The PCG will deploy personnel in coastal areas to ensure the safety and security of all participants.
Capable of speeds between 20 and 30 kilometers per hour (kph), the paraw inspired the development of the trimaran, currently the fastest sailboat in existence./PN
