KADAUGAN SA MACTAN

KADAUGAN SA MACTAN
Cebu City
April 27

The festival of Kadaugan sa Mactan is known to be celebrated in Cebu, Philippines in the month of April as the defeat of Magellan by Lupa Lupa is re-enacted annually at the beach of Barangay Mactan where the event had actually taken place (Mactan Shrine). This is a major attraction for the tourists and the locals in the city and draws a lot of crowd.

The 3 ships of Magellan are represented by the bancas or canoes and they are made to lead a river procession up to the beach. This act is followed by the re-enactment of the planting of the Magellan's Cross leading to the final act of Lapu-Lapu's victory. Kadaugan sa Mactan literally implies about the 'Victory of Mactan'. It was also called Bahugbahug sa Mactan or 'Melee at Mactan' when it was initially staged in 1981. The exact time of the commencement of the festival mostly depends on the tidal conditions and otherwise it is known to begin at around 8 in the early morning hours. This festival is mostly celebrated on the 27th of April with much grandeur and pageantry. This festival grants the Cebuano people a good opportunity to re-visit the days of Mactan Battle between Magellan and Lapu-Lapu and also to celebrate their history and events.

CUTUD LENTEN RITES

CUTUD LENTEN RITES
San Fernando, Pampanga
16-18 April

Prayer of a different meaning during the Lenten season, when villagers of San Pedro, Cutud, engage in the act of self-flagellation. This ancient ritual is executed in the morning of Good Friday during the Holy Week. Backs, arms, and legs are cut and then struck with burillo beats. The climax to this occasion happens at midday, when penitents are literally nailed to their waiting crosses.

The San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites is a Holy Week re-enactment of Christ’s Passion and Death complete with a passion play culminating with the actual nailing of at least three flagellants to a wooden cross atop the makeshift Calvary. Every year on Good Friday, a dozen or so penitents - mostly men but with the occasional woman - are taken to a rice field in the barrio of San Pedro Cutud, 3km from San Fernando,Pampanga and nailed to a cross using two-inch stainless steel nails that have been soaked in alcohol to disinfect them. The penitents are taken down when they feel cleansed of their sin. Other penitents flagellate themselves using bamboo sticks tied to a rope.

San Pedro Cutud is a town in Pampanga province in the Philippines, approximately 70 kilometers north of Manila. It is known for annual re-enactments of the crucifixion of Jesus. During Holy Week each year, thousands of penitents arrive in the area to watch and take part in a pageant commemorating the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, including the Good Friday flagellation and crucifixion rituals. A small number of participants choose to have their hands and feet temporarily nailed to makeshift crosses as a sign of faith and repentance; some undergo the ritual yearly.

Angono’s Easter Sunday Salubong

SALUBONG
Angono, Rizal
The salubong dramatizes the meeting of the Virgin and the Risen Christ. This year’s Easter presentation in Angono, Rizal begun with a procession of andas bearing images of key personalities present during the Resurrection of Christ. The andas were carried over the shoulders of devotees.
A stage was set in an open plaza. A curious dance of the tinyenta (female lieutenant dressed in a sky blue gown) who waved a short flag started the Easter presentation. This was then followed by the kapitana (female captain dressed in a colorful, ruffle-riched gown) declaiming a very long poem in rich Tagalog about the fulfillment of Christ’s promise.
Upon reaching the climax of the poem, birds of colored paper and bamboo swoop down from the corners of the four-posted structure called galilea to open a heart hanging at the center that conceals the girl dressed as a little angel. We were impressed by the little angel (girl) not only for spending hours suspended by rope inside the hollow heart but also for singing the Latin Antiphon “Regina Coeli Laetare” (Queen of Heaven, Rejoice).
The angel is then lowered towards the image of Mary below. She then slowly removed the black veil from the Virgin to signify that Her Son had already risen from the dead.
The salubong in Angono ended with the released of multi-colored balloons and another dance of exaltation from the kapitana.

Agoo Semana Santa

Agoo Semana Santa
March 24- March 25 | Agoo, La Union
In the oldest town of La Union, the life-size statues depicting the Stations of the Cross are pulled by devotees along the processional roads during the Good Friday procession. During the Holy Week, the town people of Agoo come up with religious activities to make the occasion more meaningful and sacred.

LENTEN FESTIVAL OF HERBAL PREPARATION

LENTEN FESTIVAL OF HERBAL PREPARATION
April 19 (Black Saturday) / San Antonio, Siquijor (1 hour 15 minutes from Manila to Dumaguete City by air; 1 hour 15 minutes from Dumaguete City to San Antonio, Siquijor by ferry/land)
A time when herbalists from all over Visayas and Mindanao participate in a ritual known as "Tang-Alap".

Moriones Festival, Marinduque, Philippines

MORIONES
Marinduque
Easter Sunday

One of the most colorful festivals celebrated in the island of Marinduque is the Moriones Festival. Morion means "mask" or "visor," a part of the medieval Roman armor which covers the face. Moriones, on the other hand, refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. This week-long celebration starts on Holy Monday and culminates on Easter Sunday when the story of Longinus is reenacted in pantomime. This is a folk-religious festival that re-enacts the story of Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one eye.

LonginusLegend has it that Longinus pierced the side of the crucified Christ. The blood that spurted forth touched his blind eye and fully restored his sight. This miracle converted Longinus to Christianity and earned the ire of his fellow centurions. The re-enactment reaches its climax when Longinus is caught and beheaded.

The festival is characterized by colorful Roman costumes, painted masks and helmets, and brightly-colored tunics. The towns of Boac, Gasan, Santa Cruz, Buenavista and Mogpog in the island of Marinduque become one gigantic stage.

The observances form part of the Lenten celebrations of Marinduque. The various towns also hold the unique tradition of the pabasa or the recitation of Christ's passion in verse. The Via Crucis is also reenacted and flagellants, known as antipos, inflict suffering upon themselves as a form of atonement. After three o'clock on Good Friday afternoon, the Santo Sepulcro is observed, whereby old women exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ.

FIRST MASS IN THE PHILIPPINES

FIRST MASS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Limasawa Island, Southern Leyte
March 31

On March 31, 1521 (Easter Sunday) Spanish friar Pedro Valderama conducted the first Catholic mass in Limasawa, Leyte. Rajah Kolambu, who forged a blood compact of friendship with Magellan two days earlier, attended along with Rajah Siagu.

The historical event, viewed largely in its religious context in the Philippines but more comprehensively in its global context as a fleeting episode of the 1,081-day circumnavigation of the world, came to pass when Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan and his Armada de Molucca of three sailing ships, landed in the western port of the island of Mazaua.

SINIGAYAN Sagas, Negros Occidental

SINIGAYAN
Sagas, Negros Occidental
March 19

Sinigayan is a convivial celebration of the Sagaynon heritage by the gentle, joyful and hardworking people of Sagay. The word is derived from 'sigay', the name of a hardy, bright-shelled mollusk that abounds in the sandy shores of Sagay.

The super-abundance of sigay in the coastal waters of the place in the old days betrayed the presence of marine riches that attracted settlers form other parts of Negros and from Cebu. This abundance caused the settlements to prosoer into villages then barrios.

Thirty years or so ago, Sagay's marine resource was reduced to scarcity by destructive and wasteful methods of fishing and over-harvesting. Saved from becoming totally depleted and sufficiently restored through the timely intervention of Sagay local government, the resources today provides small fishermen a sustainable source of livelihood.

In addition to being a way of preserving the City's heritage, the Sinigayan is also an affirmation by the Sagaynons of the desire to remain united in their pursuit of a common vision and aspiration as a city. With its people unite, Sagay City will continue to be progressive, peaceful and a happy place for all Sagaynons to live in.

MT. MANUNGGAL

MT. MANUNGGAL
Central Cebu
March 16-17

Mount Manunggal is located in Barangay Magsaysay in Balamban, Cebu and rises to a height of 1,003 meters above sea level. It is the crash site of the presidential plane Pinatubo which carried and killed President Ramon Magsaysay and seventeen of his presidential staff and some news correspondents during that unforgettable event on March 17, 1957 where an annual trek is held to commemorate his death. It is accessible through many trails but the trail from Tagba-o and at Cantipla in Tabunan, Cebu City is the main route from which the yearly Pres. Ramon Magsaysay Death Anniversary Climb is held.

Mt. Manunggal is within the enclave of the Central Cebu National Park and is protected by Republic Act 8457, otherwise known as the “Central Cebu Protected Landscape Act”; which also covers the Mananga-Kotkot-Lusaran river system, the Sudlon National Park and the watersheds of Buhisan, Mananga and Lusaran.

The trail to Mt. Manunggal from the jump-off point at the river that separates Cebu City from Balamban is quite steep and could be achieved in about four (4) to seven (7) hours for first-timers, depending upon your physical conditioning, and about two (2) to three (3) hours to those who are now very familiar with its terrain. The trail to Mt. Manunggal from Tagba-o is absent of forest canopies and wildlife and traverses through many upland farms planted with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, eggplants, cabbage, carrots, etc. It is wide enough to let two persons pass by each other at its narrowest part and there are no prominent barriers which impede movement save for the lack of shady areas to rest from the penetrating heat of the sun.

Water sources abound within the foot of the mountain like rivers, springs and waterfalls and a cool spring near the camping site give visitors a respite from thirst which never falters in water volume even in extreme drought and the el niño phenomenon.

The camping site is wide, rolling and grassy where second-growth trees rimmed the area, a result of aggressive reforestation campaigns in the past and present. A spring is located nearby and there are concreted VIP buildings and a comfort room for both sexes provided by the Municipality of Balamban for the benefit of visitors and climbers which would swell to about 500 during the annual trek. The view from the campsite is wonderful and exhilarating especially on early mornings and sunsets. The fabled Mount Tabunan could be seen right across the camping area as well as the valleys in between, the neighboring mountain ranges, the islands of Bohol and Camotes, Camotes Sea and the rivers and roads below which wound around hillocks like serpents.

On the campsite is where the monument of Pres. Magsaysay is located and the cylinder block of the Pinatubo's main engine is housed to remind visitors of the historical value of Manunggal in Philippine history. A chapel is also erected nearby during the height of a communist insurgency in the '80s to guide the local inhabitants' spiritual yearning.

Mount Manunggal could now be accessed by vehicles through a road from Gaas, Balamban and it is four (4) kilometers long, more or less, one-fourth of which is concreted. Obviously, it is the easiest way to go to Manunggal. It is for this reason that the numbers of visitors have increased through the years.

Normally, on the average, we spend two (2) days and one (1) night on Manunggal and we set it on weekends. Preparing a climb to Manunggal entails only a minimal amount unless you are not from here. However, if you are already in Cebu you could follow the itinerary enumerated below:

HOMONHON LANDING

HOMONHON LANDING
March 16
Southeastern Samar

Homonhon, Eastern Samar- Reenactment of the discovery of the Philippines in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan.

Finally, on March 16, the activities will start with the offering of the Holy Mass and will be followed by a re-enactment of Magellan Landing and the commemorative program.

Eastern Samar had been a significant backdrop of the country’s rich colonial history through the island of Homonhon, where Ferdinand Magellan first set foot on Philippine soil in 1521 on his way to conquer the Philippines for the western world.

In his account, Pigafetta, the chronicler aboard Magellan’s ship, describes the island of Humumu, now Homonhon, as so: "We found two fountains of very clear water, we called it the `Waters of Good Signs,’ having found the first sign of gold in the said island. There also can be found much white coral and tall trees that bear fruits smaller than an almond and look like pines. There were also many palm trees, some of the good kind, some of the bad. Thereabouts are many neighboring islands. Hence, we called them the St. Lazarus Archipelago because we stayed there on the day and feast of St. Lazarus."

Pintados de Pasi Festival

PINTADOS DE PASI
March 14-16
Passi City, central of Iloilo province

The Pintados de Pasi Festival, in Passi City, central of Iloilo province, is perhaps one of the best known and established festivals of the Visayan region that have evolved through the years. It has played a big part in the lives of most Passinhons. It is the most popular spectator cultural event and the most popular for the community that has a large following. Theatrical-like street dancing performances are a celebrated part of the Pintados festivity that is characterized by heavy and aggressive body movements. Here, performers adorned in traditional body tattoo with elaborate geometrical designs in their body, including their arms, legs and torso dramatizes stories in which the towns’ ancestral beings laid down every feature of the area, especially, their way of life.

Characterized by heavy and aggressive body movements, the dances seem to have developed independent of any external influences, as in the combat dances, folk plays, ritual actions, or character types. Historical or cultural sources are essential materials in sustaining a festival such as theirs. The festivity changed over the years, though its cultural presentation remained popular up to this day, and has resurrected and form part in a celebration that reflected function and transition. It also represented a major change in style and subject matter.

ImageTourism, through this cultural celebration brings thousands of local and international visitors interested to know the city’s rich history, considerable scenic beauty, and a number tourism attraction. The Passinhon 2000 Incorporated devotes their efforts of promoting the festival in the local and national scene. These efforts focus on the cultural festivity—at least in the early promotional stage, is the best way to keep it alive, and a variety of innovative efforts are underway to do just that.
With the theme “Passinhon nga Kultura, Sakdagon Ta” on its 9th Foundation Anniversary, the people of Passi City led by their municipal mayor, Hon. ELYZER C. CHAVEZ is inviting everyone to come and witness their many other special events enjoyed during the week-long celebration, including Garden Show and Food Festival on March 11, its opening day; the Karosa Parada and Carabao-Painting Contest with the Grand Coronation Night of the Search for Bb. Pintados on March 16; Sinadya sa Suba and the Pinta Lawas Contest of March 17; and the much awaited Tribe Competition on March 18. With this wealth of unique cultural and recreational events, Pintados de Pasi is surely one of the country’s top tourism festivals.

Passi City has played an important role in reaching its peak of progress. Centrally situated in the province, Passi City is locally important as the District Agri-Industrial Center of Iloilo. It is rich with agriculture resources that have long formed the backbone of its economy and agricultural diversification produces crops such as rice, corn, vegetables, coconut, sugarcane and pineapple. Passi City has been an important pineapple producer for years, it has long been known for other industries including fruit processing, wallboard production, metalworking production and cut-flower propagation. Its locally produced pineapple wine, jam and fruit preserves have already established captured market with its exposure to various local trade fairs and exhibits such as the annual Fiesta in the City celebration during May; TUMANDOK in September; and WOW Philippines: the Best of the Region.

Passi, a component city (RA No. 8469, 1998) is bounded on the north by San Enrique; Dumarao, Capiz on the south; east by Calinog; and Lemery on the west. Predominantly a mountainous area, it is politically divided into 51 barangays. It is about 50 kilometers from the city of Iloilo and has an area of 25,139 hectares---the largest in the province.

According to the 2000 Census, Passi City had a population of 69,601. An influx of Cebuano and Tagalog-speaking businessmen and investors in the years increased their numbers and were added. The Passinhon people are predominantly Karay-a-speaking, with Roman Catholicism as the religion of 95 percent of its population.

It is said that the first Spanish settlement was established in the area in 1766, marking the onset of Spanish colonial rule. In the traditional story, Spanish explorers anchored in Ansig, a place located at the mouth of Lamunan River. The name of the city is probably derived from Pasi, a Hiligaynon word meaning “unhusked grains of palay.”

ARAW NG DABAW FESTIVAL

ARAW NG DABAW
March 10-16

"Araw ng Dabaw" is a vibrant feast held every March 16, celebrating the oneness of our multi-cultural city.

Highlights of the festival includes the "Parada" (socio-civic parade), "Bandahan sa Kadalanan" (band parade), "Piging sa Dan" (food street party), "Kasikas" (part extravaganzas), along with other spectacles along the major city streets, and the much-anticipated search for the "Mutya ng Dabaw", the city's Ambassador of Goodwill. Other events, such as "Huni" (pop music song writing competition), concerts, arts and culture presentations, various sports competitions are also held during the festival.

SANDUGO FESTIVAL

SANDUGO
Tagbilaran, Bohol
Month-long (movable)

Bohol Sandugo Celebration or Sandugo Festival, also known as Blood Compact Commemoration, is an annual historical event that takes place every year in the island province of Bohol, Philippines. This festival commemorates the treaty of friendship between two people of different races, culture, religion and civilization: between Datu Sikatuna, a native chieftain and the Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi, representing the king of Spain. This treaty of friendship occurred on March 16, 1565 through a blood compact. This blood compact is the first international treaty of friendship between Filipinos and Spaniards and is known today as "Sandugo", meaning "one blood".

In honor of this occasion, the late Philippine President Elpidio Quirino established the Order of Sikatuna, a presidential decoration conferred upon diplomats.

ARYA ABRA FESTIVAL

ARYA ABRA FESTIVAL
Abra Province
March 7-10

ARYA! ABRA FESTIVAL, a week-long celebration that coincides with the founding anniversary of the Province of Abra, will be held from March 6-10. This year the Arya Abra Festival will feature the One-Town-One-Product program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to promote the products of the province. All the towns are expected to come up with their own booth where they would display their products in the trade fair.

Other activities include the usual karambola, horse race, the Tingguian Festival, youth day, farmers day and veterans day celebrations. This festival is a celebration of ABRA identity. ARYA ABRA which means "Onward Abra!", was originally coined by Governor Vicente P. Valera as his battle cry when he first sat as governor of the province. It later evolved into the ARYA ABRA Festival in celebration of ABRA Foundation day.

KAAMULAN FESTIVAL

KAAMULAN
Malaybalay, Bukidnon
March 3 - 7

Expect the Bukidnon to go tribal from the first to the second week of March, when the streets of Malaybalay take on that familiar fiesta theme. Banners, banderitas, and beer will be standard, as well as the sweet, haunting sound of native music. An early morning pamuhat ritual kicks off the festivities, to be followed by an ethnic food fest, trade fairs, and a lot of native dancing. The Festival is held in Malaybalay City from the second half of February to March 10, the anniversary date of the foundation of Bukidnon as a province in 1917,d to celebrate the culture and tradition of the seven ethnic tribal groups originally inhabited the province. It is the only ethnic festival in the Philippines.

Kaamulan started as a festival on May 15, 1974, during the fiesta celebration of the then municipality of Malaybalay. A town official thought of inviting some indigenous people to town and made them perform a few dance steps at Plaza Rizal to enliven the fiesta celebration. The celebration however proved very popular and together with national coverage the Kaamulan festival has become the regional festival of Northern Mindanao, as declared by the Regional Development Council of Region 10 on September 16, 1977. Kaamulan was formerly held on the first week of September but in 1996, it was transferred to the present date to synchronize it with the foundation celebration of the province.

SIBUG - SIBUG FESTIVAL

SIBUG - SIBUG FESTIVAL
February 17 to 26
Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay

Sibug Festival is celebrated during their foundation day on the province of Sibugay on February 26, with colorful Ethnic Street dancing with rituals illustrating good harvest, wedding and healing rituals. During the festival, it endorses it’s number one product which is the oyster or talaba in tagalong which has been known to be the biggest, juiciest, and meatiest oysters in the country. In this two week celebration, in the town of Ipil, “Talaba Longest Grill” has been the main attraction of the visitors and viewers. In this manner, Zamboanga can promote their oysters to the world. Zamboanga Sibugay recently achieved a world record for the Worlds Longest Talaba Grill with five to 12 inches-long oysters or talaba as the main feature. Because of this, the province of Sibugay earned a title as the Talaba Capital of the Philippines.

Zamboanga Sibugay is a major supplier of oysters from the Zamboanga Peninsula to neighboring countries in the Asia Pacific region. It has three major talaba farms in the municipalities of Kabasalan, Siay and Alicia.

A project of Gov. George Hofer, the longest oyster grill aims to make the province known worldwide for its export-quality oysters. Some 15,000 huge pieces of oysters weighing 1,500 kilograms from Barangay Concepcion, Kabasalan were served in the 1.2 kilometer-long grill. More than a thousand participants composed of local government employees, Sibugaynons and visitors joined the event which was part of the two-week-long Sibug-Sibug Festival held in the capital town of Ipil. Zamboanga Sibugay is a major supplier of oysters from the Zamboanga Peninsula to neighboring countries in the Asia Pacific region. It has three major talaba farms in the municipalities of Kabasalan, Siay and Alicia. Hofer said the oyster is one of the major economic boosters of the province. Around 200 families in Barangay Concepcion alone are dependent on the oyster business. Also a much-awaited event was the Sibug-Sibug street dancing competition.

Visitors were also given a glance of the locals culture and traditions through a Western Subanen cultural show. The native Subanens presented their rituals in war, marriage and birth. Subanens are the aborigines of Zamboanga, believed to have developed in the province even before the Spanish period. Zamboanga Sibugay was declared a separate province through a Republic Act in 2001. Local officials claimed that the province holds the record of having the lowest crime-rate based on the Philippine National Police (PNP) report for the period 2002-2003. The rubber business is its second income-generating industry next to the export of oysters. It has been recognized for having the oldest rubber plantation in the country.

ITIK-ITIK Festival

ITIK-ITIK Festival
Every Last Sunday of February
Pasig City


The Itik-Itik Festival is held every last Sunday of February in Brgy. Kalawaan. Men, women and children take part in the activities and merrymaking which features the "itik" or native duck. The celebration includes street dancing, duck cooking contest, outrigger boat race and fluvial procession. However, the significant event is not only limited to these colorful activities, sumptuous food, revelry and fun, but it also draws people closer to God and to one another. It is a rich showcase of Filipino culture and tradition usually celebrated on the Feast of the barangay’s beloved patroness, St. Martha.

KALILANGAN FESTIVAL

KALILANGAN FESTIVAL
General Santos City
Every 27th day of February


EACH year, General Santos City marks its foundation anniversary on February 27 with various activities culminating the weeklong celebration of Kalilangan Festival. The anniversary celebration commemorates the landing of the city's founder, General Paulino Santos, along with the first settlers from Luzon, at the shores of Sarangani Bay.

As the "Generals" (as General Santos City residents proudly call themselves) mark Gensan's 69th Foundation Anniversary on Wednesday, they are expected to flock the city's major thoroughfares to witness anew the Kadsagayan, one of the highlights of the colorful 13th Kalilangan Festival.

Kadsayagan is a street dance competition starting from the historical Lion's Beach to the Oval Plaza where the final showdown is held, Performers, representing each of the city's barangays, outwit each others in this cultural competition, showcasing marvelous performances to the delight of the crowd.

All contingents depicted the arrival on February 27, 1939 of 64 Christian settlers and 17 employees of National Land Settlement Administration led by General Paulino Santos.
Lending a colorful backdrop to this dramatization was the energetic display through reengineered dance steps and costumes of welcoming Bilaans and Maguindanaons.

Humble beginnings
Twelve years ago, the city government, encouraged by the success of Davao's Kadayawan, Cebu's Sinulog and Iloilo's Dinagyang, institutionalized the foundation celebration by introducing the Kalilangan Festival. The city then appointed the Kalilangan Foundation Inc., an accredited non-governmental organization, to oversee the management of the festival.

From its humble beginnings, the city was able to hurdle the challenges that goes with a young festival.

"Year in, year out, we were able to generate an enthusiastic response not only from the local constituents but also people from other places," the energetic City Mayor Pedro "Jun" Acharon had said.

What is Kalilangan
Kalilangan is derived from the root word "kalilang" which typically means celebration or commemoration in the Maguindanaon dialect.

In a broader perspective, Kalilang projects a positive and dynamic meaning for it engulfs the artistic, humane and altruistic aspects of social interaction that takes place in any occasion or celebration.

For 13 years now, the festival has become a social gathering marked by exchanging of amenities among traditional leaders, elders, allies and subordinates in varying tones.

It is also a pageantry of unique and colorful ethnic rites, rituals and traditions like marriage celebrations, religious ceremonies, anniversaries, funerals, enthronement of royal dignitaries, thanksgiving and other forms of social, political and economic activities.
It is not just an economic activity, but a continuous season of merriment, gaiety and merrymaking accentuated by sharing of gifts, traditional sports competition, dancing, singing and instrumental rendition and other forms of exhibition games, entertainment and amusement.

Kalilangan is also a noble tradition. It is a complete work of art nourished and nurtured by rich cultural heritage that has withstand the test of time from generation to generation.

"GenSan as our city is fondly called has shown its resiliency through the many debacles it has undergone. Being tagged as a Mindanao city surely carries a stigma of a troubled area. Despite all these, the city with the support of the different NGOs and the private sector remained focus on our goal to put our beloved city in the map of investors and tourists alike," Acharon said.

Grand Opening
At the festival's grand opening on February 16, thousands of "Generals" braved the not-so-good weather to be entertained as grade school and secondary school dancers in colorful costumes performed favorite folk dances.

A colorful fireworks display later awed the crowd with children cheering and shouting with joy and excitement.

In his short message, Acharon said the celebration of the city's 69th Foundation Anniversary is another milestone in the pages of its history.

He narrated how the city's forefathers, the pioneers, transformed this barren place into a highly urbanized city and the Tuna Capital of the Philippines after 69 years.

"This did not happen overnight but through the hard work of our leaders and the cooperation of our people," he said.

"If there is peace comes development. And with development, is the opportunity for celebration in thanksgiving," he said, citing this as the reason for the festival theme: Kalinaw (peace), Kalambuan (progress), Kasadya (pageantry).

"Daghan and gusto mag-isturbo sa atong dakbayan busa gikinahanglan kita magtinabangay sa kanunay og atong ipadayon ang kasadya," he added.

Four people were killed and at least 27 others wounded when a powerful explosion rocked the gate of tuna canning plant, Philbest Canning Corp. owned by RD Group, on January 30.

The city's economy is anchored mostly on the fishing industry where officials estimate a cash circulation of about P35 million daily on fish trading alone.

Six of the eight tuna canneries in the country are located in Gensan with annual export revenues of up to $400 million.

Travel advisory
The recent bomb attack in the city prompted the regional office of the Department of Tourism to issue a travel advisory ruling out possibility of another violence to happen during the staging of the festival.

DOT- Central Mindanao Regional Director Sohura T. Dimaampao, in an advisory, enjoined everyone to witness the festival, welcoming would-be guests and visitors from anywhere in the country and elsewhere who wish to experience the cultural presentations, events, exhibits and merry-makings of the grandest fiesta in the Soccsksargen area.

Dimaampao expressed unwavering support to all festivities and undertakings in the promotion of tourism industry in the region.

The Kalilangan 2008 organizers also assured the public the events and activities this year will enhance the people's awareness of the city's cultural heritage and promote an avenue for peace and unity among the constituents. (With reports from CPIO)

SUMAN FESTIVAL

AURORA DAY AND SUMAN FESTIVAL
February 14- February 19 | Baler, Aurora
Baler, Aurora

The biggest and grandest of all feasts in Aurora is a parade of floats uniquely designed. Main streets and homes are decked with suman, a native delicacy.

A weeklong celebration marked by trade exhibits, fairs and competitions capped by the Search for Ms. Aurora.
Suman(súmahn) is the filipino steamed rice cake. it comes in as many different forms as there are provinces, but the basic recipe is waxy (sweet) rice wrapped in leaves, then cooked.

Suman is the ritual gift of HAGISAN. It is cooked with great enthusiasm by Tayabenses because Hagisan is an opportunity to share their prosperity. Bundles of suman are gaily tied in the pabitin, which is made out of a special kind of bamboo called bagakay.

SAMBALILO February 1 – 28

SAMBALILO Festival
February 1 – 28
Parañaque

MY FIRST encounter with Parañaque’s famous Sambalilo dancers was in 1996, when pop demi-god Michael Jackson came to Manila for a one-night concert.

Since the much-publicized performance was held in the reclaimed area on the Coastal Road in Parañaque, Jackson was given a festive welcome at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) by a troupe of dancers wearing lively costumes and brightly colored hats.

The dancers also performed at the lobby grounds of the Manila Hotel, where the pop superstar was billeted.

It was the first public appearance of the Sambalilo dancers after Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez introduced them late that year in the "Araw ng Palanyag" celebration.

Today, the Sambalilo has evolved into an annual cultural activity participated in by groups of dancers who inventively don hats in different shapes, colors and fashion.

The term Sambalilo originated from the Spanish word "sombrero," which means hat. It really signifies the costume of hardworking Parañaqueños during the era of salt-making, when they would don large hats to shield them from the sun as they worked on the salt beds.

"It is also one way of promoting Parañaqueñas of the National Capital Region and the city as a Philippine tourist destination," Marquez explained.

"After I saw the ‘Sinulog’ dancers performing on the streets in their colorful costumes, I told myself we should have something like that in Parañaque," Marquez said. "Since the Sambalilo was there, I thought of turning it into an annual festival and making it into a contest with groups of dancers."

Grand event
Marquez is particularly proud about the Sambalilo Festival because it’s a grand event that marks the city’s celebration of a historical event in style.

In the past, the Sambalilo Festival was participated in by groups composed of employees in the city offices and residents of the 16 barangays in Parañaque.

This year, however, the 4th Sambalilo Festival extended the invitation to other cities and municipalities. It was the culminating activity of the week-long celebration of Parañaque’s third cityhood anniversary. Other activities included an on-the-spot painting contest, an inter-barangay dance mania and the Binibining Parañaque beauty pageant.

The program last Sunday, Feb. 18, held at the open-air grounds of Casino Filipino, featured 24 competing groups, divided into three categories. Each group did its own interpretation of a standard, eight-minute piece. The champion in each division also brought home a cash prize.

The open category had groups from Makati, Pasig, Taguig and Caloocan, with Makati romping off with the top cash purse of P200,000.

The elementary division had four entries from the primary schools in the city led by eventual champion Baclaran Elementary School Central, that came home richer by P50,000. The others represented 14 of the 16 barangays in Parañaque. Dongalo copped the grand prize of P100,000 here.

The dance competition kicked off with a grand parade from Kabihasnan all the way to the parking lot of Casino Filipino. The groups donned their colorful costumes and attractive hats, while dancing and marching to the beat of the drums.

It was not May, which is the traditional month for town fiestas. But the Sambalilo festival brought about a festive atmosphere not only among Parañaque residents, but also its guests from the other cities and municipalities.

The Sambalilo dance competition is not only a showcase of beautiful hats and colorful costumes. It is also a veritable display of terpsichorean skills and other talents of the participants.

It was a sight to behold when the dancers did backflips, cartwheels and bamboo splits.

Innovative
Some groups should also displayed innovative props such as bamboo torches, flags and horns.

Although the contest motif was Filipiniana, the standard music was a medley of upbeat hits by top artists such as Ricky Martin and Lisa, Lisa and the Cult Jam.

The Pasig City group was dressed in Caribbean-inspired attire, complemented by native buri hats impressively adorned with colorful boa feathers, straw, sticks and aluminum foil.

The Taguig dancers were innovative in their red-white-blue-and-yellow body paints to accentuate their hats made of straw.

The Makati group gyrated onstage in their native costumes -- multi-colored ternos for the ladies and barong tagalog for the guys. Their sambalilo was a glittering headdress of colorful tulle adorned with mini-hats. They also carried a giant salakot onstage, which should have given them a special prize for their effort.

Caloocan City opted to go environmental by decorating their sambalilo with plants, flowers and stems.

The barangay entries, meanwhile, were not easily upstaged. The troupe from San Martin de Porres impressed audiences with its dancers wearing Las Vegas-inspired costumes in bright fuschia and purple.

Barangay Vitales took on the underwater concept and barangay Tambo adopted the Moro-Moro fashion.

No one was more amused at the dancers than perhaps Mayor Marquez, who sat on the podium fronting the stage, beside the winners of the Binibining Parañaque pageant.

The 150-member Tangub City dancers, grand prize winners in Cebu City’s "Sinulog" festival last month, was the guest performers in the Sambalilo event.

Actress Alma Moreno, Mayor Marquez’s spouse, delighted the crowd with her dance number with The Kitkats, to the tune of the Sambalilo theme. The group regularly performs at Another World Resto-Bar and has also staged well-received shows in various provinces.

Alma’s graceful moves and sexy grooves reminded the crowd of her glorious tanga-clad dancing days on TV’s "Loveli-Ness," the musical variety show she hosted in the ‘80s.

The Sambalilo Festival was undoubtedly a huge success, so that Mayor Marquez, this early, is reportedly thinking of an even bigger and better event next year.

Clearly, the festival adheres to Marquez’s vision for Parañaque as a progressive community. It is also a strong motivation for the residents’ common efforts towards unity, cooperation and understanding.

Panagbenga Festival

The Panagbenga Festival is held yearly during the month of February. The celebrations are held for over a month and peak periods are the weekends. The Panagbenga Festival showcases the many floral floats and native dances. The fragrant smells that could be presently teasing olfactory senses are probably less from the now-dried flowers from Valentine's Day than air floating all the way from Baguio City. At this time of year, the City of Pines is almost surely in flower fury over Panagbenga festival, the city's biggest festival.

Panagbenga is a kankanaey term for "a season of blooming." It is also known as the Baguio Flower Festival, a homage to the beautiful flowers the city is famous for as well as a celebration of Baguio's re-establishment. Since February 1995, it has been held to help Baguio forget the 1990 earthquake that distressed much of the city.

Panagbenga festival will have spectators enjoying a multiple floral and float parades over two days. The Baguio Flower Festival Association (BFFA) will have a street dancing parade and band exhibition. The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation (BFFF), meanwhile, will hold a parade. So where should spectators be stationed to not miss any of the float and floral parades? Session Road and Burnham Park. A search for the Mr. and Ms. Baguio Flower Festival, FM Panagbenga Pop Fiesta, Skateboard competition and Dolls of Japan exhibit were added to the BFFA calendar. The festival is supported by constituents of La Trinidad, La Union, Pangasinan, Marinduque and Masbate.

Often a Cañao is an undertaken to kick-off & celebrate the occasion. A Cañao is a dance that also is regularly performed at special occasions such as fiestas. In this two-person dance, the men hang blankets usually woven with an indigenous pattern or design-over each shoulder. The woman wraps a single similar blanket around her. The man leads her and dances in a circle with a hop-skip tempo to the beat of sticks and gongs. The dance must continue until the viewers decide to honor the dancers twice with a shout of "Ooo wag, hoy! hoy!" Once this has happened, the dancers can stop. It is an honor to be invited to join the dance, and elders and other respected members of the community are expected to join in at every occasion.

Other notable events:

Bulaklak Rock Battle of the Bands at the Skating Rink; Local Arts Show at the People’s Park; Veteran Records Skateboard Competition at the Skating; Dolls of Japan Exhibit and Eiga Sai at the Baguio Convention Center Lobby; Kitefest at the Athletic Bowl.

GETTING THERE

Baguio is easy to get to by air and land transportation. From Manila, the latter is the more popular choice, although at this time of the year, it may prove to be a hassle. If you prefer to fly to the City of Pines, some airlines maintain a daily schedule of flights from Manila to Baguio and back, like Asian Spirit. If, however, you go for a four-hour joyride, there are a variety of bus companies, garage cars, and tour operators for the convenience of tourists and visitors.

Dia de Zamboanga

Dia de Zamboanga
26th of February
Zamboanga City's

Dia de Zamboanga is a festival with a unique combination of ethnic diversity. This festival is organized by and for Muslims and Christians. The activities during this event include cultural offerings, exhibits, and regattas as well as religious ceremonies whereby the old Muslim and Spanish traditions of the city are expressed.
The celebration underscores the real historical importance of Zamboanga in its political history as Zamboanga was founded when the first cornerstone for the Fort Pilar was laid on June 1, 1635 – making Zamboanga as the third oldest city in the whole Archipelago, after Cebu and Manila.

President Manuel L. Quezon signed the Commonwealth Act No. 39, authored by Congressman Juan S. Alano, on October 12, 1936, coinciding with the celebration of the Fiesta in honor of the Patron Saint of Zamboanga "Nuestra Señora del Pilar"

Zamboanga, then before the Commonwealth Act No. 39, continued to experience economic progress and social stability – making the city a leading commercial and industrial city of Mindanao.

Its modern port (pantalan) served as an important port of call of international shipping lines and commerce, such as lines plying Yokohama, Hongkong, Borneo, Singapore and Australia, as well as direct lines from the U.S.A., making the city the most cosmopolitan and westernized city in Mindanao with a confluence of cultures. These international lines traded goods for products like copra, rubber, timber, coal and other minerals.

Domestic vessels would load rice, corn, salt, and other agricultural products. This enabled Zamboanga to increase its foreign trade. Its income amounted to 3 million pesos under the American Military Governor. Zamboanga, before it became a city, was considered to be the richest province in Mindanao. It had reached a point where it no longer had to call on the National Government for aid.

Pioneers, settlers, and plantation owners organized the first American-Filipino Chamber of Commerce for Mindanao, and proposed a resolution to make Mindanao a separate entity from the National Government – which was Manila based – "proposing to annex Mindanao as a part of America, making it the agricultural capital and "coaling" station of U.S.A."

The idea of self-reliance was the consciousness of that era – as Zamboanga was pushed into the frontlines of progress and development that paved the way for its conversion into a Charter City. As it continues to be a positive symbol towards the attainment of peace and prosperity for all.

In 1986, Julio Cesar F. Climaco, Officer-In-Charge of the Office of the City Mayor, this city, made history when he signed City Proclamation No. 1 (Series of 1986) declaring February 26, 1987 as the 50th Anniversary of the formal inauguration of the City of Zamboanga as a charter city. He proclaimed February 26th of every year as "Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga".

Climaco enjoined all sectors of the Zamboanga community to observe this annual historical event with appropriate festivities and activities to fit such an occasion.

Tawo Tawo Festival

Known as the “Agricultural Capital of Negros Oriental”, the city anticipates a better production yield of crops in its magnificent fields of rice. This is where the people look upon the Tawo-Tawo, the scarecrow which repels those pesky “Maya” birds that feed on the rice grains, ensuing a much bountiful yield. With such an effective way of protecting the crops, the people are overjoyed with the abundance of their produce, thus the Tawo-Tawo festival was born in celebration and remembrance of such bountiful harvests, portraying the two important elements of the fields: the scarecrow and the mayas. Woven together, the two form a spectacular portrait of rich history and culture.

Each year the people of Bayawan city set up street dances, performances, and presentations which tell about the city’s rich agriculture. Dancers wore costumes representing farmers, scarecrows, mayas, and carabaos dance on the streets in a beautifully choreographed synchronization of movements. Previously the dance is a competition that is open to everyone on the city, but now the participation has been confined to the 28 barangays present in Bayawan.

The main event of the field presentation is the dance drama telling the city’s famous legend “How Bayawan Got Her Name.” The legend tells that the coming of the Spaniards to the Philippines was the start of the Christian Era here in our country, despite the fact that the foreigners were not welcomed with utmost hospitality, in fact Bayawan was among those who resisted the white-skinned conquerors. The most memorable part of the legend is on a certain Sunday morning where an enraged Bukidnon stormed into the chapel where a mass was held and killed the priest by throwing a lance. That was a sign of open defiance to the Christian faith which took city by storm.

THE INTERNATIONAL BAMBOO ORGAN FESTIVAL: A MUSICAL LEGACY

THE INTERNATIONAL BAMBOO ORGAN FESTIVAL: A MUSICAL LEGACY
MANILA
FEBRUARY 19, 2008

MANILA, FEBRUARY 19, 2008 (STARweek) By Ida Anita Q. del Mundo - Bamboo is known for its strength, its flexibility and its ability to last through time. In the same way, the International Bamboo Organ Festival (IBOF) has endured and flourished. Now on its 33rd year, the festival has consistently supported and showcased Filipino talent.

Declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2003, the famous Las Piñas Bamboo Organ was created by Spanish priest Fr. Diego Cera de la Virgen del Carmen. The Agustinian priest – who was also a scientist, chemist, architect, and organist – served as the community’s parish priest. Fr. Cera started working on the bamboo organ in 1816 and completed it in 1824. He is also considered the organ’s first restorer as natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes damaged the organ throughout the time that Fr. Cera served in the church. Last July 26, 2007 marked Fr. Cera’s 245th birth anniversary.

This year’s IBOF, scheduled from February 21-29, will feature tenor Randy Gilongco, singers Isay Alvarez and Robert Seña, the Festival Orchestra under the baton of Chino Toledo, the Las Piñas Men’s Choir, the Las Piñas Boys Choir led by Armando Salarza, Coro Tomasino, organists Alejandro Consolacion II and Rea Jimenez, and guest organist Ghislain Leroy.

Frenchman Leroy was born in Tourcoing in 1982 to musician parents who are both organists. Between 2001 and 2003 he studied at the Ruiel-Malmaison Regional National Conservatory where he was recipient of the First Prize and the Prize of Perfection in the Organ discipline. In 2004 he won the Harmony prize at the Paris Dance and Music Conservatory, while also attending organ classes at the Lyon Dance and Music Conservatory. In the same year the jury of the Fifth International Organ Competition of the City of Paris awarded him the Premier Grand Prix d’Inter-pretation. At present he continues his musical training in Lyon with Liesbeth Schlumberger and Francois Espinasse; he also regularly gives concerts in Paris (at Notre Dame, La Madeleine, Ste. Clotilde, and St. Eustace) as well as all over France and around the world.

Holding their own in the international festival, the young talents of the Las Piñas Boys Choir are full of enthusiasm and determination. The IBOF has definitely brought light to their talent and has opened up many opportunities for them and their music. The choir has come a long way since Belgian priest Fr. Leo Renier founded it in 1969. Since then, the young musicians have given performances all over the Philippines including at Malacañang and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. They also won first place in the Third National Competition of Children’s Choirs. The choir is now preparing to make their international debut in the World Choir Olympics to be held in Austria from July 9 to 19.

The 33rd IBOF kicks off with an invitational gala concert on Feb. 21 specially prepared for guests and sponsors. Feb. 22 marks the start of public concerts with an evening of organ music featuring Ghislain Leroy who will perform both on the bamboo organ and the contemporary organ. The Las Piñas Boys Choir will shine in concert on Feb. 23 under the baton of Armando Salarza with organist Alejandro Consolacion II and the Las Piñas Men’s Choir. Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez will perform popular songs in a concert under the stars in the church patio on Feb. 24. The gala concert will be repeated on Feb. 25 featuring organists Rea Jimenez and Armando Salarza.

The festival culminates with Messa di Gloria on Feb. 27 and 29, in celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of opera composer Giacomo Puccini. Written in 1880, the Messa di Gloria is the composer’s only mass. Featured soloists for the night will be Randy Gilongo, tenor, and Noel Azcona, baritone, together with the Coro Tomasino and the Festival Orchestra led by Chino Toledo.

Throughout the years, the IBOF has come to highlight not just a simple instrument but more importantly, the music and talent of Filipinos. This year’s concert series promises to continue this legacy of thriumphant music.

Though it was deemed unplayable for years because of wear and tear from natural and man made causes, the bamboo organ, true to the nature of its material, withstood the elements. The International Bamboo Organ Festival is a testament to the bamboo organ’s endurance and a celebration of a community’s determination to keep their music alive.

Tinagba Festival

Tinagba Festival
Bicol
Feruary 11

Iriga City in Bicol will come alive as the city celebrates its annual Tinagba Festival which started Feb. 5 and ends tomorrow, Feb. 11. Tinagba Festival is an ancient Bicol first harvest offering that features a caravan of gaily-decorated bull carts/motorized floats. It also features revelers in mardi gras and native costumes who dance and parade around the city.

Iriga Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen and the Irigueños are preparing for this big celebration. Highlight of this week-long festival is a spectacular street parade competition tomorrow which coincides with the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The festival will transform Iriga City Park into a Science and Technology Park. Various activities are also lined up such as acrobatics, animalandia, quiz show, film showing, technodance expo, wall climbing and science exhibit.

Iriga City is a fast growing urban center in the Bicol Peninsula which offers breathtaking natural wonders, a safe community and the warm company of kind, creative people. It is known as the City of Crystal Clear Springs with more than 30 natural springs spread everywhere in this booming city. It is also famous for its most prominent natural landmark, the majestic Mt. Iriga that offers a captivating view of the Bicol River basin area.

The city’s other major activities this year include the annual Miss Iriga, Miss Rinconada and Miss Tourism Pageant and the Charter Foundation Anniversary.

Mayor Alfelor-Gazmen and the Irigueños invite everyone to visit Iriga City to celebrate the festivities and experience the hospitality, honesty, and warmth that Irigueños are known for.

San Fernando City Fiesta in La Union

San Fernando City celebrates its annual fiesta in honor of Saint William the Hermit every month of February. There are various religious activities being held like National Bible celebration, thanksgiving mass, Parish Pastoral Night and a Fiesta Mass. Other highlights include sports activities (boxing, mountain bike/BMX race kicked off), social and cultural activities (acrobatic shows, disabled persons program, field demonstration of schools, dog show, bingo socials, band concert, and more), grand civic and military parade, agricultural trade fair and beauty and talent searches.

Pamulinawen Festival

Pamulinawen Festival
LAOAG CITY AND PROVINCE
February 7 to 10

Pamulinawen Festival held every first week of February. Fiesta celebration has become an integral part of the religious and cultural heritage of every town in the Philippines.

From February 02-11, join Laoag City as they celebrate the Pamulinawen Festival. Originally perceived by the early Spanish friars and conquistadors to attractatives to their religious fold, fiestas indeed became a successful way of converting them to the Catholic religion, thus it became a yearly festivity handed down to us the passage of time.

The celebration is held on the feast day of the town's patron saint. Just like any other town in the country, Laoag City celebrates its annual fiesta on the 11th of February, the feast day of Saint William the Hermit, its patron saint. It is an affair, which is primarily done to give honor, pay our homage and extend our thanks for the benevolence and generosity of Saint William. Through his intercession to the Lord, Laoag City has been blessed and spared from calamities and disasters. The Laoagueños wait for and look forward to every celebration of the city fiesta, making it an extension of the fun and the frolics of the Christmas season.

As early as the first week of January, preparations start for the festivity. All government offices, national as well as local, all non-governmental organizations, people's organizations, the religious and business sectors are tapped to actively participate in the different planned activities. Given special participation are our "kailians" who are now residing abroad, particularly those in Hawaii, Mainland U.S.A. and even those overseas workers who wish to come home and celebrate with us.

Merry-makings begin days before the Feast Day. The City Fiesta officially starts with a Civic and Military Parade and the opening of the Agro-Industrial Fair, among others. Matinees are held in the afternoon at the City Amphitheater sponsored and coordinated by Laoag City DECS. These matinee shows are venues where pupils/students manifest the Ilocano culture and spirit through songs and dances. Evening affairs are sponsored and taken cared of by different groups... Association of Barangays Councils, the City Government, the NGO, the Balikbayans, to just name a few.

The highlights of the celebration are varied. People flock the City Amphitheater to witness the search for Miss Laoag City, they line up the streets to view the floral parade on the 9th of February and the Dance Parade on the 11th. Floats became more elaborate with more significant themes. Students, barangays and city officials, employees and even the private sector join in the floral parade.

And the number of participating floats increases yearly. Not to be outdone is the Carnival Fair, which occupies the riverbed portion of the mighty Padsan River, just below the Marcos Bridge. This is an attraction not only for kids but also for fun-loving adults. They go and see the Circus, to have joyride on the caterpillar, ferries wheel, merry-go-round, octopus and others.

FESTIVAL OF HEARTS

FESTIVAL OF HEARTS
February 1- February 14 | Tanjay City, Negros Oriental

In celebration of Valentines, the city tourism council of Tanjay is coming up with a festival of romance showcasing a nightly Harana, Baile ng Bayan, Mass Wedding/Renewal of Vows and coronation of SK''s search for Miss Valentines.

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF CANDLES

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF CANDLES
February 2 - Jara, Iloilo City
The biggest and most opulent religiuos pageanty in Western Visayas. The blessing of candles and the yearly procession of the patroness, the Nuestra Senora de Candelaria is followed by the fiesta queen and her court which highlights the celebration.

The highlight of the fiesta is a grand parade lead by the young women of the elite Jaro families and followed by the blessed Mother Mary in her several personas. This year 2009, the Jaro Fiesta Queen is Angelica Chan, youngest daughter of songwriter/businessman, Jose Mari Chan and Mary Ann Ansaldo.

The Jaro Fiesta is also known for its multi-million Cock Derby, which attracts cock fighting enthusiasts from all over the country.

The Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Candles
The enshrined image of Our Lady in Jaroís Cathedral is said to be miraculous. People believe that the image grew from almost a feet tall to now more than six feet and growing. To where it was originally framed, one could compare how much the image had grown.
Legend has it that a long time ago, a fisherman discovered the image in the banks of Iloilo river in 1587. It was very heavy amidst of its size which was almost a foot high. Many people attempted to lift it but was unable to. Only until the people agreed to bring the statue to Jaro church, which eventually became the home of the Lady did a single person managed to carry it.
The statue was placed in front of the Cathedral letting her see the entire town.
This convinced the townsfolks that the Lady has miraculous powers as strange incidents in the surrounding of the image. In the old days, people say, the image suddenly dissapear early in the morning and mist would miraculously fill the pediment of the Cathedral. During this time, a beautiful lady with long hair would be seen with a child in her arms buying for oil for lamp and in the plaza where she would bathe her child at the artesian well.
Soon, townsfolk started to bathe in the same well and believed to have cured from their ailments.
The Lady of the Candles is the only female image to have displayed along the walls of the cathedral.

Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

The annual Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) is the country's biggest aviation sports event today. Hot air balloon and airplane pilots from all over the world fly into the Philippines to join their local counterparts in this breathtaking event. In addition to daily flights of the hot air balloons, other activities include: skydiving, daily flag jumps (a skydiver jumps with the Philippine flag while the National Anthem is played to the start of the day's activities); micro light demonstrations; small planes fly-bys and fly-ins; remote controlled airplanes exhibitions; aerobatics; light airplane balloon bursting competition; ultra-light formation flying and bomb dropping exhibitions; helicopter fly-ins and exhibitions; an air rally from Clark to Vigan; rocketry demonstrations; kite flying exhibitions; and races between ultra lights and motorcycles.
Getting to the Clark Special Economic Zone by car is easy. One simply needs to take the North Luzon Expressway from Manila and exit at Dau, Mabalacat. After which, a left turn towards Angeles City would bring you to within an easy right turn to Clark itself. The trip should take about an hour and a half from Manila.

Dinagyang Festival

DINAGYANG
Iloilo City
Fourth Weekend January

The Dinagyang Festival is celebrated every fourth weekend of January to honor the Christianization of the natives and to respect the Holy Child Jesus. On this day, streets of Iloilo City will once again come alive as the Ilonggos celebrate the annual festivity. It is a very colorful parade coupled with a dramatization in honor of the patron Saint Sto. Niño as the object of performs offerings and prayers amidst the cracking of drums and shouts of "Viva Señor Santo Niño." The thundering of "Hala Bira" by the tribe members makes the celebration a lively one. It is also a very popular tagline used by Ilonggos to express their warm participation during the "Dinagyang" celebration. A tribute in honor of Señor Sto. Niño whom Ilonggos believe was very miraculous in times of famine and drought.

Dinagyang is an annual event, when the whole town rejoices, shouting their pride of being an Ilonggo and telling their culture. It is a wonderful looking back to the past. It is not just a celebration, it is a religious evangelization. Going back to Iloilo is more like a past fulfilled and a looking forward for future celebrations. It is our culture. The Aeta culture. That's why it is painting the town black.

The Birth and Evolution of Dinagyang

The root word is dagyang. In Ilonggo, it means to make happy. Dinagyang is the present progressive word of the Ilonggo word, meaning making merry or merry-making. A religious and cultural activity, it is a celebration of Ilonggos whose bodies are painted with black in effect to imitate the black, small and slender Negritos who are the aborigines of Panay. The warriors are dressed in fashionable and colorful Aeta costumes and dance artistically and rhythmically with complicated formations along with the loud thrashing and sound of drums.

Before, Dinagyang was called Ati-atihan like that of the Kalibo festivity. History tells that it started when a replica of the image of Señor Sto. Niño was brought to the San Jose Parish Church in Iloilo from Cebu. The people of Iloilo honored the coming of the image and then became devotees. Until they made the day of the Image's arrival as his feast day which falls on the 4th Sunday of January. Since 1968, it was already considered a yearly celebration, culminated by a nine-day Novena, an Ati-ati contest and a fluvial procession on the last day.

Recognized now to the annual, socio-cultural-religious festival of Iloilo City, the word Dinagyang was made up by an old-timer, Ilonggo writer and radio broadcaster, the late Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario, and first used to name the festival when it was launched in 1977, to make it unique from other Ati-atihan celebrations.

Iloilo City's Dinagyang has its early beginnings in 1968, when a model of the image of Sr. Santo Ni¤o was brought from Cebu City to the San Jose Parish Church by Fr. Suplicio Ebderes, OSA with a delegation of Cofradia del Sto. Niño, Cebu members. The image and party were enthusiastically welcomed at Iloilo City by then parish priest of San Jose Church, Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, OSA, then Mayor Renerio Ticao, and the devotees of the Sto. Niño in Iloilo City. The image was brought to San Jose Parish Church and preserved there up to this time, where a novena in His honor is held every Friday. The climax of the nine-day novena was the Fluvial Procession.

In the early morning light of dawn, the respected Santo Niño image is borne on a decorative banca in a fluvial procession, starting from the mouth of the Iloilo River at Fort San Pedro, winding all the way to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol which stands on the bank of the Iloilo River.

If the festival had to be developed into a major tourist attraction, it would be so big in magnitude and the Confradia thought that it could no longer cope with the demands of a tourist come-on. The year 1976 also brought another feature of the festival. Street celebrations and audience participation were introduced and encouraged.

At that point, the Santo Niño is met by the Hermano-Hermana Mayor devotees, and Ati-atihan tribes. With the Santo Niño leading, the foot procession starts, passing through the main streets of the city and ending up at San Jose Church, where a high mass is then celebrated. As years went by, the celebration continued to be highlighted by a mass at San Jose Parish at the break of the dawn; by a "Kasadyahan" which is the opening event of the celebration, also a merrymaking but is a dramatized dance presentation about the Aeta's survival, the landing of the 10 Bornean Datus in Panay and the colonization; and by dances and more merry making which have become a tourist attraction.

As more and more tribes from the barangays, schools and nearby towns and provinces participate, the contest became more competitive in terms of costumes, choreography and sounds. The tribes compete for the following Special Awards: Best in Discipline, Best in Costume, Best in Performance, Best in Music and Best in Choreography. These are aside from the major awards for the champion, first runner-up, second runner-up, third runner-up and fourth runner-up. Participating tribes learn to design artistically and with originality in making use of Ilonggo native materials like dried anahaw leaves, buri or coconut palm leaves and husks and other barks of Philippine trees. Choreography was studied and practices were kept secret. Sounds were seen as an authentic medium that keeps the tribes going in uniform.

They also include a brief dramatization of how Christianity was brought to Panay and the arrival of the 10 Bornean Datus telling about the exchange of the Aetas of their land for the Borneans' Golden Salakot (native hat) and a long pearl necklace which is also parallel with the Kasadyahan celebration. During the celebration, people participate with the Kasadyahan. Some dressed in Aeta costumes, some paint their faces with black paint, some put on colored artificial tattoos and wear other Aeta ornaments. At night, there is public dancing on selected areas.

Vigan Town Fiesta

A week long of fiesta of Vigan characterized by carnivals, parades, musical extravaganzas, beauty and popularity contests, and nightly cultural shows, culminating with the celebration of the "conversion" of St. Paul the apostle, the town's patron saint, on January 25.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

The observance of the Holy Week is one of Vigan's foremost tourist attractions. Tourists flock to join local devotees in the religious processions with life-size statutes in "carrozas" and participate in the traditional "pasion" and "visita iglesia". Its own share of religious pageantry and the people's public demonstration of sanctity and piety make its local rendering a memorable experience for all.

Viva Vigan Festival of Arts

In an effort to increase public awareness of Vigan as a unique historic town to be conserved and protected, the Save Vigan Ancestral Homes Association, Inc. (SVAHAI), a local non-government organization involved in the conservation of Vigan Heritage, initiated the 1st Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts in May 1993. The highlights of ancestral houses. With the help of members of print and broadcast media, as well as Manila-based proponents of conservation, the first festival was a success.

Encouraging public response has made festival a yearly. It has also proven to be a stimulus for the local tourism industry. Over the past years, the Viva Vigan Festival has become one of the biggest cultural events in the North, attracting domestic and foreign visitors who come to Vigan on a pilgrimage to our heritage.

Makati - Caracol Festival

Caracol Festival is not a held in commemoration of patron saints, but aims to instill in the minds of the new generation the importance of preserving and conserving Philippine’s ecology and natural resources. This makes the Caracol Festival a effective campaign for an environmental awareness in a form of celebration.

People who will take part in the festival are encouraged to wear body paints, masks, and other costumes of anything environmently associated.

The Festival is a joint project of Makati City Government, Makati Festival Foundation, Inc., and the Museum and Cultural Affairs Office.

Well, Caracol Festival was derived from a Spanish word means “Snail Shells” and it signifies the City being a shell of fun and merrymaking even at the time of hardship. The festivals theme is the preservation of Mother Earth and it was shown on the participant’s costumes. Participants from Elementary schools were mostly dressed in animal costumes like dogs, bees, cats and the most popular was the birds’ costume. While the High school and College students were dressed as fairies, butterflies, flowers, jellyfish, seahorses, Indians, squids, illegal loggers and a lot more. The participants also had a lot of props and special effects to emphasize their point.

Sinulog Festival

Sinulog Festival
Cebu City
third sunday of January

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is fundamentally a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people's pagan past and their recognition of Christianity.

The festival features some the country's most colorful displays of ceremony and pageantry: participants clothe in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums and native gongs. The streets are generally lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in different parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a Sinulog sa Kabataan, which is performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the Grand Parade.

Recently, the cultural event has been commercialized as a tourist attraction and instead of traditional street-dancing from locals, Sinulog also came to mean a contest highlighting groups from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is traditionally held in the Cebu City Sports Complex, where most of Cebu's major provincial events are held.

Daro Sinulog Festivals

Daro Sinulog
(Dumaguete City; 3rd week of January)

DARO SINULOG FESTIVAL
Daro Sinulog of Dumaguete Negros Oriental, which is a moving pageantry depicting the Holy Child’s conversion of pagan tribes. A street dancing and showdown competition participated in by the different puroks of Barangay Daro, in honor of Senor Santo
Nino

Philippine Festivals - ATI-ATIHAN

ATI-ATIHAN
Kalibo, Aklan
Third Week





The Ati-Atihan Festival honors the 13th century land deal between 10 migrating Bornean chieftains and the indigenous Ati King Marikudo. It also honors the town patron, the infant Sto. Niño. The constant, rhythmic pounding of drums get to you, and before you know it you are on the street, shuffling your feet, shaking your head, waving your hands - and joining thousands of soot-blacked, gaily-costumed revelers in an ancient ritual of mindless happiness. A familiar battle cry reaches your ears, and amidst all this bewilderment you remember where you are: Kalibo, Aklan. "Viva, Sto. Niño!" The Ati-Atihan celebration is boomed in many parts of the country.
more on ati-atihan festival

Time to Party and Dance to the Beat of the Drums in Kalibo! ENJOY LIFE! DANCE in the STREETS! PARTY til You Drop!

The name Ati-Atihan means "make-believe Atis. " It has been known as the wildest among Philippine fiestas. The Ati-Atihan is a festival in honour of the Santo Niño. During the last three days of this week-long festival (fiesta), a parade is characteristic. A colourful happening with celebrants who paint their faces in many different ways and who are dressed in the most outstanding costumes.
The Ati-Atihan festival is named after the Ati, the indigenious natives of the island before the arrival of the Malay in the 10th century and the Spanish in the 16th century.
The festival is held on the third week of January every year on the second Sunday after Epiphany in Kalibo in the Aklan province on the island of Panay. The festival is to rejoice the arrival or gift of the Santo Niño by Magellan to the native Queen of Cebu in 1521 and is manifested by hyperactive merriment on the streets . The dancing on the rhythms of the drums makes this festival very similar to the Mardi Gras celebration in Rio in Brazil.

ATI-ATIHAN is one of the greatest, most colorful and fun festivals. It's nickname, "The Filipino Mardis Gras" and takes place the 3rd weekend in January every year in Kalibo, Aklan, Panay Island,
Philippines. Iloilo and many other smaller towns on Panay Island also party the festivals during the weekends from mid January to early February so if you miss the Kalibo festival you could still experience fun elsewhere. The informality of the festival is what makes it so terrific and allows everyone to participate, dance, beat on a drum or just take photos while in the middle of the tribal groups. The groups include all age groups - another wonderful aspect of the festival. Some of the most creative costumes distinct to the tribal themes are displayed by a few of the local gays. The festival includes every local group in Aklan with a unique tribal tradition, various civic or commercial organizations and individuals that create new costumes every year.

The key activity of the festival and one of the main reasons tourists gather to the island is the native dance competitions pitched to rhythmic and mesmerizing drumbeats that run nonstop for several days. Competitors rehearsed for weeks before the festival and dress in very colorful costumes, wearing masks and headdresses, and paint their bodies with black ash to turn up like the native Ati. Dancing troupes, some numbering 40 or 50 children or teenagers, dance for local prestige and cash prizes.
Hotels and resorts for miles around are reserved solid months in advance, but many houses near the festival have spare rooms that families let out. While there is much drinking and revelry there is a noticeable police presence that is there to safeguard foreigners and tourists. The other attraction is Boracay beach is less than an hour away so many tourists and visitors view the festival and then visit Boracay for a complete and well-rounded vacation.

The origin
The museum on the town square is worth a visit to learn more about the origin of Ati Atihan. In the thirteenth century, long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, light-skinned settlers from the island of Borneo (Kalimantan) in Indonesia arrived on Panay. The local people of Panay, the Ati (negritos), a small and dark (black) kinky-haired people, sold them a small piece of land and permitted them to settle down in the lowlands. The Atis themselves, lived more upland in the mountains.
One time the Ati people was in need of food because of a bad harvest in their homelands because strong rains wiped out hillside crops. They came down to the lowlands of the Maraynon and asked them food. Every year since then, the Atis came down to the lowland people to ask for some food. The lowlanders who had a good harvest shared their blessings with the black, kinky-haired people. They danced and sang in gratefulness for the helping hand. A real friendship was born and the Maraynon started to paint their faces black in honor of the Atis and took part in the fiesta.

Sometime in the 13th century, ten datus from Borneo fleeing the oppression of Datu Makatunaw purchased some land in Panay from the Ati Marikudo, son of the old chief Populan. The price agreed upon was a solid gold hat and a basin. In addition, the Ati chief's wife wanted an ankle-length necklace for which the natives gave a mass of live crabs, a long-tusked boar, and full-antlered white deer. Datu Puti, leader of the expedition and a relative of Makatunaw, established the Panay settlement and left Datu Sumakwel in charge.
Datu Puti went on farther north to the island of Luzon and left Datu Balensuela and Datu Dumangsil in a settlement in Taal. Datu Puti later returned to Borneo. These we gather from Maragtas, a book written by Pedro Monteclaro in 1907 and supposedly based on an ancient manuscript that nobody has ever seen.

Aklan is the oldest province in the Philippines, structured in 1213 by settler from Borneo as the Minuro it Akean to include what is now Capiz. The festival is a festivity of the king of the "Aetas", the original indigenous inhabitant’s agreement with the leader of the Malays that came by "banca" from Sabah's sultanate in the 1200s, 800 years ago. Aklan's capital presently, Kalibo but has changed location several times throughout their history.


While the small provincial capital of Kalibo is always overbooked it's best and more beautiful to stay on Boracay Island. It's easy to hire a jeepney with driver 6AM until sunset for $40 (easily shared by a group of people you meet on the beach usually) or a Toyota van with aircondition with driver for $60 with room for six persons. In case you miss it there's a much minor version of the festival that is called " the original Ati Ati Han" held one week later in Ibajay, a town located half way between Kalibo and Boracay Island on the provincial road.

When you have drank and danced until you are ready to drop then return to Boracay in time for a beautiful sunset.

A picture is truly worth a 1000 words. When our memories are foggy our memories can captured and treasured with photography. Sightseeing, temples, historical landmarks, scenic beauty and intellectual institutions like museums enrich our travel experience but the PEOPLE WE MEET ON OUR TRAVEL ADVENTURES STAY WITH US FOR A LIFETIME.

Spanish influence

After the Spaniards settled down in the Philippines, some Catholic elements get into in the fiesta, especially honoring Santo Niño. A Spanish representative arranged a deal with the local leaders of the Atis and the leader of the immigrants from Borneo. The outcome of the deal was, that in the future the existing native celebration would be devoted to the Santo Niño. Nowadays it is a mix of parades, procession and dancing people on the beat of monotonous music of drums or the rhythmic tinkling of metal and stone on bottles. It looks as if the dancing never stops! The ritual dance originates from the Atis.
Viva kay Santo Niño!

It is said that the procession is the peak of the fiesta. It is held on the last Sunday. The street dancers never fail to enter the Kalibo church every time they pass by.
The jingle "Viva kay Santo Niño!" is repeated commonly. It is clear that it is Santo Niño who is honored.

The Beat and Rhythm

Although the Ati-Atihan appears to show only revelry, a closer look shows that it has historic origins.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BO BOOM BO BO BO BOOM!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BO BOOM BO BO BO BOOM!

The beating of bass drums and the rhythmic tinkling of metal and stone on bottles echo in the air during the celebration. Monotonous and vivacious, the music blasts a while then stops to wait for a response from others. Drums beat continuously and everyone talks and shouts,

HALA BIRA, PUERA PASMA!

By midmorning, small groups gather in their respective neighborhoods. They are prodded by drums as they dance their way to the town center. They grow in numbers as different groups from remote areas merge into one as they get closer to the center of town. Sometimes the crowd thins as a few drops out to worship in silence and offer themselves to their own gods. But they always come back to rejoin the group to disappear in the gyrating crowd. The dancing never stops.
All week long, celebrants arrive by land, sea, and air. As inter-island boats dock, they are greeted by pseudo-New Guinea tribal drummers. Tourists are ferried across rice fields and coconut plantations to Kalibo hotels while others are accommodated in private homes and public buildings. Others camp on the beach. By weekend all accommodations are gone although there seems to be no need for them as nobody bothers to sleep anyway. There is music everywhere and the loud crowd often finds itself inside improvised halls dancing all night long.
The steady beat of drums can sometimes be heard late in the night as a single drummer is suddenly inspired to pick up the rhythm.

VIVA EL SEÑOR SANTO NIÑO!

Celebrants ape the dance of the Atis. This ritual is said to be the result of the sale of land in Panay by the Ati chieftain Marikudo to Datu Puti and the Borneans so that they can have a place to settle.
It has been observed that the unyielding street dancers never fail to enter the Kalibo church every time they pass by. Repeated shouts of "Viva kay Santo Niño!" and placards carried around with the same slogan make it known to everybody that this profane merriment is the participants' rowdy way of honoring the Santo Niño.

The coming of the Santo Niño into the fiesta started with the involvement of the first encomiendero of Aklan, Don Antonio Flores. He made arrangements with Datu Malanga and Datu Madayog to have their then existing native celebration be dedicated to the Santo Niño.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BO BOOM BO BO BO BOOM!

Among the Visayans, the Spaniards wrote, it is not quite proper to drink alone or to appear drunk in public. Drinking is done in small groups or in "gatherings where men as well as women sat on opposite sides of the room, and any passerby was welcome to join in." Father Loarca admired their control for they rarely got angry when drunk and Alcina relates that the Visayans could decide disputes in the "best, quickest and most equitable way" when wine was used to enliven the discussion. "After drinking something, he who proposes does it with eloquence, those who respond, with discretion, those who decide, with attention, and all with fairness."

One of the first things the Spaniards learned about the Visayans was that they were good drinkers. Magellan had no sooner landed in Homonhon, when people from nearby Suluan presented him a jarful of what Pigafetta recorded as uraca--that is, arak, the Malay-Arabic word for distilled liquor. In Limasawa, Pigafetta drank from the same cup as Rajah Kolambu, and his translator, Enrique de Malacca, got so drunk he wasn't of much use; a few days later, the local harvest was delayed while Kolambu and his brother Awi slept off a hangover. In Cebu, Pigafetta drank palm wine, tuba nga nipa, straight from the jar with reed straws together with Rajah Humabon, but in Quipit he excused himself after one draught when Rajah Kalanaw and his companions finished a whole jar withour eating anything.

Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino

The early acceptance of Catholic rituals had much to do with the eventual suppression of the natives' ritual drinking. The Spanish clergy did not oppose moderate drinking but were able to attack excessive indulgence as a threat to public morality. What aroused the friars was that drinking was tightly bound to pagan celebrations of betrothals, weddings, and funerals. These activities would eventually be eliminated among Christianized Filipinos. (Phelan, 76-7)
However, this did not happen with the Ati-Atihan.

HALA BIRA!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BO BOOM BO BO BO BOOM!

In spite of the isolation of some native settlements, the fiesta enabled the religious orders to reach out to their scattered flock. "There were three fiestas of consequence to the Filipinos, namely, Holy Week, Corpus Christi, and the feast in honor of the patron saint of the locality." The natives would flock to the cabecera and it was also an opportunity to teach them in Christianity. Fiestas offered religious processions, dances, music, and theatrical presentations to the people. Although it may be "sacred or profane blended together...it is highly doubtful that the Filipino were aware of the ceremony's elaborate liturgical symbolism, but they obviously enjoyed the pageantry involved." This statement seems particularly appropriate for the Ati-Atihan. Wherever the flock may be, they can hear the drumbeats from far-away Kalibo calling them at the start of every year.
Kalibo's Ati-Atihan has become so admired that similar festivals have cropped up all over Western Visayas. Antique has its Binirayan and Handugan festivals while Iloilo City has a more lavish and choreographed edition called Dinagyang. Bacolod, not one to be left behind, has also started its own version. (Hoefer, 255) In Cebu, it comes as Pit Senyor, a hopping dance to drums, (Joaquin, 18) or Sinulog. Today, Ati-Atihan is celebrated in the Aklan towns of Makato, Altavas, and Ibajay, a small town northeast of Kalibo which claims to be the original site where the Negritos came down from the hills to celebrate with the lowlanders. Of course, this claim is recounted in various towns along the northeast coast of Panay but through the years, Kalibo has established itself as the Ati-Atihan center.

PUERA PASMA!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BO BOOM BO BO BO BOOM!

The original commemoration of a land barter and thankfulness to the Provider for the post-monsoon harvest has turned into a feast day for the Santo Niño. He is the direct link to the Father, the God of all, the Redeemer from infamy, the Absolver of all sins, the Deliverer to a better life. That is why Filipinos carry Him close to their hearts as a talisman, or anting-anting, and as protection from the unholy.

HALA BIRA! Boom pak. PUERA PASMA! Boom pak.
HALA BIRA! Boom pak. PUERA PASMA! Boom pak.

There is so much to be thankful for. It could be the achievement of a good trade, a bountiful harvest, release from famine and storm, a peace pact between military people, a prayer answered, a vow reaffirmed, or just plain ecstasy for life. The beat goes on and frenzy builds up in the noonday heat as sweat and brew eats up the senses. Icons of history, pop characters, and political personages dance with Congolese warriors in mock battle with caballeros. The celebrants' dreams are reinforced by rosaries and prayers which absolve them from their sins and resurrect them as new persons, maybe with a hangover, but definitely saved again.
Once inside the church these costumed revelers would kneel along the communion rail to have their heads, shoulders, and backs rubbed by the now exhausted sacristan, priest, or church helper with a small statue of the Santo Niño. And just as the Ati-Atihan is an outward display of revelry and adoration, the devotee is in search of something which is missing from within. That which was empty is now filled, probably as much with spirit from the bottle as much as anything else. The celebrant becomes at peace with himself, the world, and his god. The loob (inner self) is once again purified by the performance of the ritual of the (celebration) panlabas.
With church bells ringing to the rhythm of HALA BIRA! PUERA PASMA! a now cleansed assembly of revelers stagger back to the streets of the Ati-Atihan climax, the end of a long precession where muggers, gropers and thieves have rubbed elbows with schoolgirls and church ladies tearfully singing religious hymns. The twin lights of media and tourism have done their bit in egging the frenzy on, but at the core, it is only the Filipino pulling two polar ends of his soul together.