MBC and the City of Manila, in cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard, once more co-hosted the Manila Bay Seasports Festival on March 28-29.  An elite roster of participants were invited to take part in the Dragon Boat Race as well as the Motorized Banca competitions.   Enthusiasts and hobbyists were invited to cheer on Rowing clubs, student groups, and top athletes  who saw action in the Dragon Boat Race, while master bangkeros from all over the country pit their skills in an exciting  show of seafaring brains and brawn.  Noelle Wenceslao of Team Everest, who is also a membr of the Philippine National Team, led the oath of sportsmanship, while Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim fired the starting gun.

Motorboat racers from all over the Philippine archipelago competed in stock and formula races, traditionally dominated by boatmen from Batangas,  Cavite, La Union, Pangasinan, Mindoro, Iloilo, Aklan, and Dipolog.

Olympic rowers, Southeast Asian Games medalists, and members of the Philippine national team that copped the 2007 World Dragon Boat Championship in Sydney, Australia all saw action in the two-day event, which featured the Men’s Open, Women’s Open, and Mixed Open 500-meter competitions.  Among the teams who joined were the Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police,  De La Salle University, University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Aqua Fortis, Pyros, PDRT FIreblades, Manila Dragons, Manila Blazing Paddles, Manila Wave, Blue Phoenix, Maharlika, RCP Sea Dragons, Drago Pilipinas, and the ESC Dragon Club.