Masskara Festival

Thousands flocked to Bacolod City in Negros Occidental to withness the grand celebration of the famous Masskara festival held evry third weekend of October.

The masskara festival was conceived 25 years ago during a period of crisis and tragedy. It was a time when the sugar industry, the region’s main source of income, plunged to a devastating low. Multiplying the Negrenses’ sorrow was the sinking of the Don Juan, a vessel carrying many of Bacolod’s prominent families.

To ease their pain, local artists, civic groups and the government organized a festival of smiles. Coined from the words “mass,” meaning a multituted of people, and the Spanish word “Kara,” meaning “face,” the Masskara festival became a yearly showcase of the city’s talents and creativity and a celebration of their enduring spirit.

The highlight of the festival is the Masskara Street Dance competition where people wearing elaborate masks and garbed in colorful costumes move to rhythm of Latin music along the streets. This amazing display of joviality, coordination and stamina has become popular to local and foreign tourists and helped place the City of Smiles in the tourism map.

Bacolod’s Masskara Festival is just one of the many reasons why Negros Occidental, has become a premiere tourist destination in the country today.

The Department of tourism, Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation and Pfizer’s anti-motion sickness medication Meclizine HCI Bonamine, through it’s “WOW Philippines Biyahe Tayo!” travel advocacy campaign, encourages Filipinos to explore the wonders of nature and savor the richness of history and culture of Negros Occidental.

The charm of its people, the famous sugar plantations, their mouth-watering cuisine and the beautiful and mostly unexplored natural scenery, deserves in the ‘must experience’ list of every traveler.

Aside from the various festivals celebrated in each of its towns and cities , the region also boasts of several natural tourist attractions such as white sand beaches, therapeutic hot springs, abundant waterfalls, rejuvenating mountain streams and several hiking and trekking trails.

Outside the city of Bacolod, tourists can immense into the history and culture of Negros by visiting ancestral homes and sugar plantations and mills and discover how the Negrense elite lived during the turn of the century. Visitors should not miss Balay Negrense in Silay City.

This splendid house-turned-museum has become an important part of the region’s cultural history. It was originally the residence of Victor Gaston, the eldest son of Frenchman Yves Germaine Leopold Gaston who developed the sugar industry in northern Negros.

October 26, 2004, Manila Bulletin

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A Burdang Lumban Festival – Lumban celebrates ancient craft of embroidery

Lumban, Laguna – Known as the “Embroidery Capital of the Philippines,” the municipality of Lumban in Laguna held recently its “3rd Burdang Lumban Festival,” showcasing once again this renowned ancient craft of embroidery and the Filipino talent and artistry.

“We should take pride of the craft that has been handed down to us from the past generations. For it carries not only the heart and culture of our people but also the artistry that we can all be proud of,” said Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durango.

Almost all of the local producers participated in the event that featured an array of different hand-made embroidery products including its famed “Barong Tagalog” made from piña cloth which were sold for as low Php2,000, terno, shoulder and hand bags, veil, scarf, wedding gowns and other ladies’ wear.

Home accessories and decors made from jusi, piña cloth and chiffonille thread were also on sale like curtains, table cloths, napkins, handkerchiefs and bedsheets.

The intricate art of barong embroidery has, indeed, made a name for the skillful and artistic women of Lumban. In this rustic town, hand-embroidering barong is an art passed on from generation to generation.

Lolita Aquino, who is quite popular for her piña Barong Tagalogs worn by Philippine political luminaries including the late Presiña Barong Tagalogs worn by Philippine political luminaries including the late President Diosdado Macapagal, has been into hand-made embroidery for more than 30 years.

Her business, Loly’s Lumban Embroideries, is the product of her many years of hard work.

She revealed that it takes a few months to finish an embroidery for something elaborate like a wedding gown. And although there are machine-made products, hand-made are always regarded as special because a lot of work is put into it, thus, they are a bit more expensive.
The barongs from Lumban are the ones considered as authentic and original, and has already been a part of history, she said.
Durano added that the hand-made embroidery of Lumban has brought prestige to the province and the country as well “as it has find its way in the best stores in many parts of the world, eventually reaching the homes of highly appreciate owners and collectors.”
A few products from small cottage industries like “walis,” “bolos,” “yunot” and native bags were also displayed for sale at the town plaza. While local delicacies such as “kesong puti,” “ginataang hipon,” and “espasol” were a hit among tourists especially those made by Opring de Luna, who produces at least 450 pieces a day. Her “espasol” are considered to be the best-tasting here.

Adding spice and color to the event are the street dancing competition, beauty pageant and a fashion show.
With its proximity to Manila, Laguna easily lures the city dwellers who wish to escape from the urban jungle. It offers a convenient alternative for those who want to relax without going too far, just a mere two-hour drive from Manila.

Laguna might just as well be dubbed as the ‘Resort Province of the Philippines’ because of the abundance of hot springs, lakes and waterfalls. This is attributed to the fact that Laguna is the only province with ground water that flows at 300 million gallons a day.
With Southeast Asia’s largest fresh water lake, the Laguna de Bay, plus innumerable springs, the seven lakes of San Pablo, the famous Pagsanjan Falls and the regular blessings of rain showers, Laguna stays lush throughout the year.

Laguna has much to offer, having been successfully able to preserve most of its rustic beauty and appeal despite the level of industrialization that it has achieved. It manage to blend the best of boththe agricultural and industrial worlds.

Its economy is still based on agriculture. However, in the recent years, agricultural development has been complemented by the proliferation of light to medium scale industries. Before, the processing of agricultural products and making light handicrafts were the major manufacturing activities here. Today, textile spinning, weaving and finishing, chemical, automotive parts, ceramics, wood and paper products industries have been established.

Jaser A.Marasigan,October 3,2004,Manila Bulletin

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Gensan’s 6th Tuna Festival

A City Honors Its Most Precious Marine Resource
Situated on the northern fringes of the picturesque, ring-shaped Sarangani bay in South Cotabato, the boom city of General Santos looks like a diamond sparkling in Southern Mindanao.

Unlike most cities in the country, General Santos was well planned. They say the city was patterned after Washington D.C; that’s why it has wide streets radiating towards the scenic bay, giving its almost 350,000 residents a lot of breathing space and almost traffic-free environment. Called Dadiangas in the olden days, the city has world-class infrastructures and facilities that support its robust economy.

Located in what is popularly called SOCSKSSARGEN (South Cotabato/Sultan Kudarat / Sarangani/General Santos), GenSan (as General Santos is popularly called in Mindanao) is the center of a bustling economic growth area in Southern Mindanao that are interconnected by well-paved highways. Complementing its good roads is its brand-new international airport overlooking the picturesque bay whose runway could accommodate even the big, double-decker passenger jets of the future. But its most vital facility is its ultra-modern fish port.

With more than 1,000 tons of fish offloaded daily, GenSan ranks second after Manila for fish production, the prize catch being the giant yellow-fin tuna caught by its fishermen from as far as the Celebes Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Because of this huge volume of tuna catch, the city has seven major tuna canneries that produce 27 million cases – that’s 238,443 metric tons of canned tuna in 2002!

Because of this marine bounty whose gross exports reach more than US$150 million annually, a foundation aptly called Tuna Festival Foundation, Inc. was formed and, in cooperation with the city government, organized, the first tuna festival during its week-long city charter day celebration on September 1 to 5, 1999. Now in its sixth year, its bigger and grander than ever.

So, if you are a tuna lover, you should go to GenSan’s fish port on September 4 for this year’s version of a pelagic fun Olympics. There will be a search for the biggest and heaviest tuna-which means more than 30 kilos in weight! Also included are the fastest tuna handling and preparation, and the karga tuna (carrying the heaviest fish) contests. Capping the tuna games are water sports like bilis langoy, karera ng Banka, balik bugsay, tuna relay, huli hito, and how to dress up a huge tuna!

Starting last Friday, August 27, up to September 5, there will be a “Tuna Fiesta” every night at the Oval Plaza where everyone’s invited to join in street parties with live bands playing onstage. For visitors who’d like to bring home tuna pasalubong they can buy a wide array of prime cuts – panga, belly, buntot and of course, the freshest sashimi in this part of the world at the “WOW (wealth of waters) Tuna Trade Fair” in the same venue.

Another culinary event that’s not to be missed is the “Lutuna Culinary Competition” on August 31, where GenSan’s noted chefs” TV show on how to prepare the most delectable tuna dishes. Spectators can pamper their palates even by just ogling (and smelling) at the mouthwatering tuna dishes.

The tummy- filling Tuna Festival will not be complete though, without experiencing the extraordinary “Sashimi Night” on September 4 at the city’s Anchor Driving Range. Its organizers promised the event to be a gastronomic evening for people who love this prime raw dish while popular bands play onstage.

Like all festivals, there will also be a lot of amazing events all week-long like the “Tuna Revolution Float Parade” competition, one of the 39 events lined-up, where folks from all barangays of the city, including people engaged in fish-related businesses, will join hands to come out with their respective giant floats. This will be a treat because big tuna canning companies will outdo each other in coming out with the biggest and the most outlandish tuna themed floats.

The highlight of the 10-day tuna festival is the annual Tuna Congress on September 2 at the Family Convention Center. There, major industry players will plan the sustainability of their prime marine resource. The business sector will also be updated on new policies affecting the tuna industry and its other opportunities here and abroad.

So, come to GenSan and discover its “wealth of wonders” – visually and gastronomically!

Randy V. Urlanda, August 29,2004,Philippine Panorama Manila Bulletin

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Liliw’s Tsinelas Festival: A Boost to Laguna’s Local Tourism and Footwear Industry

In April 2002,, the first "Liliw Gat Tayaw Tsinelas Festival" named in honor of Gat Tayaw, the founder of Liliw, was celebrated with no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the guest of honor.

Since the holding of the first Tsinelas Festival, Liliw has been flocked by more buyers, tourist, and businessmen.Somehow, the festival has improved the Liliweños way of life.The past years,they noticed that the demand for their products has increased.

Their limited manpower hardly meets the demand for supply.Today, Biñan and Marikina footwear workers saturate Liliw.Most of their workers coming from the said places find their opportunities in LIliw.

According to Vic Camello, president of Liliw Tourism Council, Who was among those who initiated the Tsinelas Festival together with some members of the local development council and sectors of the municipality, each year, the number of tourist who come to Liliw for the festival has increased.

Liliw formally became the "footwear capital of Laguna" through Resolutions No. 38-S-2003 of the Sangguniang Bayan of Liliw and approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Laguna through Resolution No. 405-S-2003 dated August 4, 2003.

Founded in 1571 by Gat Tayaw, the small, peaceful, and picturesque town of Liliw is nested at the foot of Mt. Banahaw, 17 kilometers away from Sta. Cruz, Laguna’s capital.

According to a story, Liliw got its name from a bird. It was said that Gat Tayaw and his followers decided to erect a bamboo pole within four days. A crow, however, was the first bird to alight Tayaw and his men moved south and erected another bamboo pole. With constant vigil, a beautiful bird alighted on the pole and sang, “Liw, liw, liw.” Thus, the town became Liliw.

Throughout the Spanish regime, the name Liliw was used. When the Americans came, however, on June 11, 1965, the municipal council passed Resolution No. 38-S-65, which declared Liliw as the official name and spelling of the town. It became Lilio since the Americans found it easier to pronounce it than Liliw.

The goal to develop and unite Liliweños did not stop at being mere intentions. Liliweños made sure their dream for their town could be accomplished through good works in order to develop and promote their footwear industry as a viable economic activity that spurred not only the social but entrepreneurial growth of its citizens.

Aside from the footwear products, the town of Liliw boasts of other products like the tasty uraro biscuits and lambanog coconut wine.
One of the highlights of the festival was the street dancing event.

It was participated in by spirited elementary and high school students, local government employees, and footwear manufacturers dressed in colorful costumes displaying miniatures of multicolored slippers either as earrings, necklace, headdresses or knick-knacks.

The town folks, young and old, went of their abodes and lined up along both sides of the narrow downtown roads to witness the participants. Each participant showed the traditional dances of Liliweños depicting historical tales of their ancestors.

Another event was the Musikahan, which displayed the fabulous songs and the musicality of the Liliweños. Meanwhile, the Search for Mutya ng Liliw was a night to remember for the young ladies of Liliw.

And Liliw, one of its own distinctions from the rest of the towns of Laguna abounds with the blessings of nature and a rich culture and artistic heritage. Traditional arts and crafts thrive in every towns is fast making its own distinction from the rest of the towns of Laguna through its footwear industry.

Annie Buenavente, May 30, 2004Philippine Panorama Manila Bulletin

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Balsa Festival A Floating Cultural Showcase Like No Other

A Balsa (raft) is a flatform float made of timber or other buoyant materials like bamboo or banana trunk commonly used by people living in coastal areas or riverbanks in the olden times.

It is propelled by using a long bamboo pole that reaches down to the sandy sea floor or muddy river bottom. Since boats are faster and easier to navigate, rafts were soon relegated to the country’s backwaters.

In Matabungkay, a picturesque coastal village in the town of Lian located at the west coast of Batangas, fisherman used the bamboo balsa was used by fisherman since time immemorial to ferry them to their fishing boats moored out in the bay, and back to the shore due to its shallow coastal waters.

Now, excursionist back in business to serve as a floating mini hut rents the balsa. Designed like a small floating bahay kubo with thatched roof, it has a changing room, a table, and a bamboo lounge chairs for those who just want to relax and get away from the madding crowd.

Chinese traders who founded Lian in 1768 could have chosen to land in what is now Matabungkay due to its wide, arching two-kilometer long coastline. If they had arrived in the flowery month of May, the coast was ablaze with bright red-orange blossoms of countless caballero trees (also known as arbol de fuego or “tree of fire”) that carpeted this coastal area during that period.

Matabungkay, one of Lian’s 19 barangays, has a fabled beach, which was the most popular weekend destination among city folks during the 1970’s. Out-of-towner litterbugs, however, soon tarnished its beautiful beige beach. As a result, the more discrimination tourist shied away from the place in the late 1980’s.Then came the coup de grace in the form of the economic meltdown in the region in mid 1997.

Instead of being a bane, it became a boon to Matabungkay’s dying backyard tourism industry. To some degree, the regional economic crisis adversely affected the free spending lifestyle of weekenders with disposable income. With learner pocketbooks, they soon decided to find out if matabungkay, which has since been cleared up, was worth revisiting.

Aside from its affordability, going to Matabungkay, which is 112 kilometers south of Manila, is just as fun and as exciting as flying (or cruising) to the more expensive resort towns outside Luzon.
Tourism has always been regarded as a major contributor to Batangas’ economy with its many pristine beaches and world class resort hotels like the 24-year old Matabungkay Beach Resort & Hotel (MBRH).

“Matabungkay had been out for some time and (it needed) exposure to bring back on its feet again when we conceptualized the first Balsa Festival in mid-May 2002,” explains Charlie Leviste, MBRH vice president for operations. “We thought of having this unique fluvial festival not only to honor the balsa that was a vital component in the local fishing industry in the olden days, but also to attract visitors and put Matabungkay on the tourism map again.”

This year, the Matabungkay Beach Resort & Hotel will host again, as it did before, the third Balsa Festival on May 7 to 8, 2004. This year’s celebration will be bigger, more colorful and have lots of fun-filled activities.

A motorcade of music and dance will signal the start of the celebration on May 7. A one-of-its kind balsa race, balsa décor competition, and a colorful cultural dance competition will be the highlights of the two-day fair.

“Through the balsa festival we aim to help the community by bringing back the town’s popularity,” reiterates Charley. “With the continued support of the Department of Tourism (DOT), this annual event will surely be a means for both local and foreign tourist to come here and experience a different kind of celebration.”

To further liven up the event, a concert and dance party featuring Manila-based bands will be held on both the eve and the night of the festival. Adding color to the fiesta are millions of blazing caballero blooms that serve as natural buntings hemming in the narrow asphalt road leading to the famed resort village.

“We hope that the balsa festival will continue to serve as a catalyst in attracting more visitors to Matabungkay just like in the good old days,” says the youthful hotel executive. “This is especially true now, since Western Batangas has one of the most beautifully preserved marine environments in the country,” concludes Charley. “You can even see sea horses in its shallow waters, and manta rays near Fortune Island some 10 kilometers away.”

A Scandinavian hotel executive, who used to live in the area once told Lian’s former mayor, “You have an uncut diamond in your midst. All you have to do is cut and polish it to make it sparkle.” Now, Matabungkay is beginning to glimmer once more.

Randy V. Urlanda, May 2,2004, Philippine Panarama Manila Bulletin

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19th Kadayawan sa Davaw Festival of Festivals

The Philippine Eagle and Bagobo tribe’s headgear is a fitting symbol of what Davao City has become – a vibrant and cosmopolitan city that is able to look to its past while charting its course as the premier metropolis in Mindanao.

Davao City’s inhabitants consider themselves as descendants of the Bagobo tribe- noble race that is best known for being the most friendly and adaptive to change of all the Mindanao tribes and also having the fiercest warriors.

The contradiction of being the friendliest and fiercest of the tribes has given rise to the Bagobo’s pivotal role in the history of Davao City, particularly in how it has assimilated some aspects of foreign culture without losing its Filipino and Bagobo identity.

The Bagobo’s friendly nature allowed the Spanish conquistadores to make their presence felt when they landed in Mindanao in 1800s. Tribal elders say that their ancestors, base on oral history passed from generation to generation, ha given careful thought to the arrival of the foreigners to their land.

The nobility allowed the Bagobo to rise above themselves and take in the foreigners as guests. The strength of their character assured they would remain true their roots but take in the best the foreigners had to offer.

And so they did, embracing the culture and religion of Christianity, modifying it to suit their individuality as a tribe but never really straying far from what they truly were.

The Spaniards came and assimilated themselves because they had been allowed to into the culture but never really conquered the Bagobo. Over the next decades, it was to be same for the Americans and the Japanese who came to explore Mindanao and see the riches that it has to offer.

As the Bagobos are deeply rooted in Davao history, their presence in the city is greatly felt. Their force form part of the indigenous people who are widely recognized by the local government and the people in general for their contribution to what the city is now.
Davao City is not the only home to the Bagobo, it is home to the Philippine Eagle, more precisely the Philippine Eagle Foundation which was set up because this magnificent bird on the verge of extinction.

Now, with several pairs and their offspring at their conservatory, the Philippine Eagle Foundation has come a long way from its beginning in 1987, when the staff even had to forego their salaries for one year so the feeding of the eagles would continue.

With a two-meter wingspan at its full growth, the magnificence of the Philippine Eagle is beyond question and the foundation has used the conservation program for the Philippine Eagle as a springboard to enlighten communities about the importance of conserving not only the species but also its habitat to ensure its survival.

As host of the foundation and its conservatory, Davao City pays tribute to this magnificent raptor, the only blue eyed raptor in the world, by adopting it as the symbol of the Kadayawan sa Davaw, its annual week-long festival starting August 16-22. Kadayawan is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest, and serenity of living.

Dubbed as the “festival of festivals,” the Kadayawan sa Dabaw features very exciting and colorful multy-sensory events such as the:
1. Pasasalamat (August 16)- The formal opening rituals of the festival with an ecumenical ceremony.

2. Indigay sa Lumadnong Dula (Aug.16&17)- An array of indigenous and traditional community sports.

3. Hiyas sa Kadayawan (Aug.18)- The gender-free search for the symbol with Mindanawon.

4. Urog Etnika (Aug.18)- Conjunctive to the Hiyas sa Kadayawan search.

5. Davao River Festival (Aug.19)- A celebration performed along the historic Davao River.

6. Agongan ug Kulintangan (Aug.19)- A competition of musical skills and dexterity in the playing of agong, kulintang, gabang, and other indigenous musical instrument.

7. Mindanao Indigenous Dance Festival (Aug.20)- Theatrical tribal suites of dances and music depicting Mindanao Indigenous epics, folklores and traditions rendered by Davao and Mindanao’s many arts and culture groups.

8. Indak-indak sa Kadalanan (Aug.21)- A people’s celebration through street dancing and merriment to the beat of tribal music along the major streets of Davao City.

9. Yanog ug Yugyugan sa kadalanan (Aug.21)- Disco dancing on the streets with reverberating sounds of live bands and the best FM stations in town.

10. Floral Float Parade (Aug.22) A parade of florally dressed floats of various shapes and sizes showcasing the abundant vegetation of the Davao.

11. 9th Philippine Floriculture Congress – The annual gathering of floral and ornamental growers, enthusiasts, and marketers from all parts of the country.

12. Kadayawan Agro-Industrial Trade Fair – Showcasing the best in floriculture and ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, handicraft.

August 15, 2004,Philippine Panorama Manila Bulletin

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