The "Kadaugan," victory in Cebuano, is a tribute to the outstanding courage and unity of the people of Mactan who fought and successfully resisted Spanish attempt to colonize the island almost five centuries ago.
The annual celebration started in 1979, when then Customs Collector and concurrent Regional Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development David "Boy" Odilao first spearheaded a live reenactment of Lapu-Lapu's victory at the Battle of Mactan at the Mactan Shrine, also the venue of today’s Kadaugan festivities.
At that time, the celebration known as Bahug-Bahug sa Mactan, was a one-day event only. Since the 1980s, however, the event has been known as Kadaugan sa Mactan, and instead of only one day, the festivities run a full week.
The celebration features a daily food festival, drum and bugle corps competitions, street dancing parade, nightly live band shows, wood carving contest, cross channel swimming competitions and baroto (banca) race, painting exhibits, oratorical contests, beauty pageants, fireworks display, mini agri-fair, jobs fair and mobile pass-porting (through the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the National Statistics Office).
This year, the Battle of Mactan reenactment was participated in by actors Alfred Vargas as Lapu-Lapu, and Ramon Christopher as Magellan.
Joining the President during the ceremonies were Portuguese Ambassador to the Philippines Jao Cayetano da Silva, Cebu Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, his wife Mactan Barangay Chairman Paz Radaza, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, and Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Bangus Festival
YESTERDAY is but an aim unchangeable and gone. Tomorrow is a vision and still not even born. But today is ours to live, its treasures now to use.
The story of the Bangus Festival over the last two years documents significant events of the transcendence, its transformation and its emergence to eminence.
In the beginning it was just an idea, an afterthought from a visionary whose business instinct and foresight saw in the annual celebration and thanksgiving festival of the Pistay Dayat, a social and economic potentials worthy of being a world attraction.
For many years past, tourists and visitors from all over have been drawn to Bonuan during the celebration of Pistay Dayat because of our fine beaches particularly in Tondaligan Park.
Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, who, continuously explore any possibilities saw a bid to use Pistay Dayat celebration not just a time for revelry but as a vehicle to focus on the local bangus industry and to promote the city as the Bangus Capital of the World.
Indeed, here was an opportunity that leaders in the past overlooked.
What started off as a celebration and thanksgiving festival of Pistay Dayat has evolved into a nine-day socio-economic program of activities that turned out as one of the marketing wonders of the Lim administration.
Buoyed by the optimism of his naturally ebullient spirit, Mayor Benjie gathered together a group of his aides and formulated a blueprint of action - a master plan to develop to its full potential the bangus industry in the city.
Of course, this requires a lot of help and he was fortunate that all the help he needs was offered to the city. With the support and cooperation of the city residents, the civic and religious groups, barangay council, educational units and most remarkably, the participation of the businessmen and the professional groups, and relying on instinct and trusting his team, the city mayor launched the Bangus Festival in 2002.
From there, the Bangus Festival worked its way from year one to attain the outstanding level of distinction and honor to blossom into what it is today. That coveted Guiness Book of world Record for the Longest Barbecue established during "Kalutan ed Dagupan" in the Second Annual Bangus Festival last May 2003 has given inspiration to Dagupeños and visitors knowing that one of our main activities is worthy of being a world record.
The Bangus Festival as envisioned by Mayor Lim has more than achieved its goals and objectives. Today, it's an institution with global resonance.
In the process, this will earn Dagupan City a more conspicuous place in the world's tourism and enhance Dagupan's allure to local and international tourists and investors.
Bangus Festival will remain as a tribute to the courage and vision of Mayor Benjamin S. Lim that will he preserved as a part of history of our city for this and succeeding generations. Ernie Martinez.
The story of the Bangus Festival over the last two years documents significant events of the transcendence, its transformation and its emergence to eminence.
In the beginning it was just an idea, an afterthought from a visionary whose business instinct and foresight saw in the annual celebration and thanksgiving festival of the Pistay Dayat, a social and economic potentials worthy of being a world attraction.
For many years past, tourists and visitors from all over have been drawn to Bonuan during the celebration of Pistay Dayat because of our fine beaches particularly in Tondaligan Park.
Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, who, continuously explore any possibilities saw a bid to use Pistay Dayat celebration not just a time for revelry but as a vehicle to focus on the local bangus industry and to promote the city as the Bangus Capital of the World.
Indeed, here was an opportunity that leaders in the past overlooked.
What started off as a celebration and thanksgiving festival of Pistay Dayat has evolved into a nine-day socio-economic program of activities that turned out as one of the marketing wonders of the Lim administration.
Buoyed by the optimism of his naturally ebullient spirit, Mayor Benjie gathered together a group of his aides and formulated a blueprint of action - a master plan to develop to its full potential the bangus industry in the city.
Of course, this requires a lot of help and he was fortunate that all the help he needs was offered to the city. With the support and cooperation of the city residents, the civic and religious groups, barangay council, educational units and most remarkably, the participation of the businessmen and the professional groups, and relying on instinct and trusting his team, the city mayor launched the Bangus Festival in 2002.
From there, the Bangus Festival worked its way from year one to attain the outstanding level of distinction and honor to blossom into what it is today. That coveted Guiness Book of world Record for the Longest Barbecue established during "Kalutan ed Dagupan" in the Second Annual Bangus Festival last May 2003 has given inspiration to Dagupeños and visitors knowing that one of our main activities is worthy of being a world record.
The Bangus Festival as envisioned by Mayor Lim has more than achieved its goals and objectives. Today, it's an institution with global resonance.
In the process, this will earn Dagupan City a more conspicuous place in the world's tourism and enhance Dagupan's allure to local and international tourists and investors.
Bangus Festival will remain as a tribute to the courage and vision of Mayor Benjamin S. Lim that will he preserved as a part of history of our city for this and succeeding generations. Ernie Martinez.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Kinabayo Festival
Kinabayo Festival which is celebrated every July 25 in Dapitan City Zamboanga del Norte Philippines celebrate a mysterious and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, mainly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against Saracan. They were able to overturn the tide through the miraculous spirit of St. James. The addition of local color and modernism has made this annual celebration a popular attraction which brings thousands of tourists to the Dapitan City.
HISTORY
St. James, the Greater is the patron saint of Dapitan City. Earlier on into the Spanish rule, Dapitan was still flooded by Moro pirates. The Jesuit priests fatefully set up St. James, to protect the Dapitanons from an attack of invaders. It was believed that in the fifth century, an apparition of St. James, atop a horse carrying a sword, guided the Spansih Christians into victory over the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga. Three centuries later, St. James still plays a significant part in the Dapitanons’ lives. For the past three years the Kinabayo Festival of Dapitan has been celebrated by city folk centering on his feast day, July 25. On that day a magnificent re-enactment of the Battle of Covadonga is unfurled before the city folk and tourists. It is 45 days of celebration that can only be rivaled by Cebu’s Sinulog and Aklan’s Ati-Atihan.
HISTORY
St. James, the Greater is the patron saint of Dapitan City. Earlier on into the Spanish rule, Dapitan was still flooded by Moro pirates. The Jesuit priests fatefully set up St. James, to protect the Dapitanons from an attack of invaders. It was believed that in the fifth century, an apparition of St. James, atop a horse carrying a sword, guided the Spansih Christians into victory over the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga. Three centuries later, St. James still plays a significant part in the Dapitanons’ lives. For the past three years the Kinabayo Festival of Dapitan has been celebrated by city folk centering on his feast day, July 25. On that day a magnificent re-enactment of the Battle of Covadonga is unfurled before the city folk and tourists. It is 45 days of celebration that can only be rivaled by Cebu’s Sinulog and Aklan’s Ati-Atihan.
Sandugo Festival
Sandugo Festival is a yearly historical event that takes place every year on the month of March, in the island of Bohol. This festival honors the celebration of a local Philippine leader Datu Sikatuna's blood compact and association or treaty of friendship with the Spanish king conquistador, Captain General Miguel López de Legazpi in March 16, 1565.
History
It began with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi in the shores of Tagbilaran, Bohol in 1565 and the swearing of commitment of Datu Sikatuna to the Spanish crown. The two people were believed to have made a cut on their left arms with a dagger and sprinkled their blood into a cup filled with wine, which both drunk in honor of their friendship and brotherhood. The treaty was signed on the SW coast of Bohol Island in March of 1565. This was 44 years after Ferdinand Magellan was killed attacking a Philippine village on Mactan Island about 50 miles north of here.
The Sandugo treaty is called a blood compact because the participants each drink a small amount of the other's blood. ("Dugo" means blood in the Visayan language.) This was a traditional way to formalize treaties of friendship in the Philippines.
The Blood Compact preserved the ties of friendship between two people once different in religion, nationality, culture and civilization. The Tagbilaran native chieftain who swore by his ancestral Anito and Bathala, and the Spanish courageous explorer and colonizer, who sought New World with the sword and the cross, drank to the common cause - friendship. It was the first international treaty of friendship and comity between the Filipinos and Spaniards.
The Festival
The annual celebration of the Sandugo Festivities begins in the month of March. However the street dancing competitions have been changed to July to coincide with the annual TBTK (Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan) translated into English, literally or otherwise - a gathering of Boholanos (the people of Bohol) from around the world. Tagbilaran City not only rejoices its Charter Day on the month of July but also the Province of Bohol which became a separate politico-military province on July 22, 1854, thereby creating a festive mood for the whole month.
Hundreds and thousands of People from around the Philippines and the world gather for this special event which involves colorful costumes and loud drum beats, street parades, church services, fireworks, beauty pageants, cockfighting tournaments and sport tournaments.
Today, the highlight of the Sandugo Festival is a street dancing competition held in Tagbilaran City. Each local high school develops its own dance custom with special costumes and choreography. A small marching band follows each group of dancers to provide the music. The bands consist only of xylophones, drums, and trumpets. Some of the dancing was very good, and the costumes were very colorful. The parade also integrated the customary entourage of local officials, police department, local.
A big surprise to us was the last parade entry, which was a large flat bed truck carrying 9 or 10 very flamboyant and attractive transvestites. There were no banners on the truck, just a few white ballons attached to the cab and printed, "Miss Gay 2001". This entry was a real crowd pleaser and received more of a reaction than any other parade event. They were met with howls and hollers and cheers all along the parade route. We were told that the transvestites traditionally work as beauticians in the local beauty parlors, and are readily accepted in the community.
History
It began with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi in the shores of Tagbilaran, Bohol in 1565 and the swearing of commitment of Datu Sikatuna to the Spanish crown. The two people were believed to have made a cut on their left arms with a dagger and sprinkled their blood into a cup filled with wine, which both drunk in honor of their friendship and brotherhood. The treaty was signed on the SW coast of Bohol Island in March of 1565. This was 44 years after Ferdinand Magellan was killed attacking a Philippine village on Mactan Island about 50 miles north of here.
The Sandugo treaty is called a blood compact because the participants each drink a small amount of the other's blood. ("Dugo" means blood in the Visayan language.) This was a traditional way to formalize treaties of friendship in the Philippines.
The Blood Compact preserved the ties of friendship between two people once different in religion, nationality, culture and civilization. The Tagbilaran native chieftain who swore by his ancestral Anito and Bathala, and the Spanish courageous explorer and colonizer, who sought New World with the sword and the cross, drank to the common cause - friendship. It was the first international treaty of friendship and comity between the Filipinos and Spaniards.
The Festival
The annual celebration of the Sandugo Festivities begins in the month of March. However the street dancing competitions have been changed to July to coincide with the annual TBTK (Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan) translated into English, literally or otherwise - a gathering of Boholanos (the people of Bohol) from around the world. Tagbilaran City not only rejoices its Charter Day on the month of July but also the Province of Bohol which became a separate politico-military province on July 22, 1854, thereby creating a festive mood for the whole month.
Hundreds and thousands of People from around the Philippines and the world gather for this special event which involves colorful costumes and loud drum beats, street parades, church services, fireworks, beauty pageants, cockfighting tournaments and sport tournaments.
Today, the highlight of the Sandugo Festival is a street dancing competition held in Tagbilaran City. Each local high school develops its own dance custom with special costumes and choreography. A small marching band follows each group of dancers to provide the music. The bands consist only of xylophones, drums, and trumpets. Some of the dancing was very good, and the costumes were very colorful. The parade also integrated the customary entourage of local officials, police department, local.
A big surprise to us was the last parade entry, which was a large flat bed truck carrying 9 or 10 very flamboyant and attractive transvestites. There were no banners on the truck, just a few white ballons attached to the cab and printed, "Miss Gay 2001". This entry was a real crowd pleaser and received more of a reaction than any other parade event. They were met with howls and hollers and cheers all along the parade route. We were told that the transvestites traditionally work as beauticians in the local beauty parlors, and are readily accepted in the community.
Pintados Kasadyaan Festival
The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival is a merry-making event lasting a whole month, highlights of which include the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, the 17th Pintados Festival Ritual Dance Presentation and the "Pagrayhak'' Grand Parade. These festivals are said to have began from the feast day of Señor Santo Niño, held every June 29th. The Leyteños celebrate a religious festival in a unique and colorful way. Since the Visayans are experienced in the art of body tattooing, men and women are fond of tattooing themselves.
The Pintados Festival displays the rich cultural heritage, incorporating native music and dances, of the people of Leyte and Samar. The Leyte Kasadya-an Festival of Festivals, meanwhile, showcases the unique culture and colorful history of the Province of Leyte. Started by former Leyte Governor Remedios Loreto-Petilla, the celebration was first held on May 12, 1996. The festivities weren't always held every June 29th; the first three years saw different dates. It was only in 1999 that it was fixed to June 29, the Feast of the Señor Santo Niño de Leyte.
"Kasadyaan'' in the Visayan tongue means merriment and jollity. Various municipal festivals of Leyte gather together in the original capital of Tacloban City for the celebration. There, lively dance-drama parade of many colors takes place. There is an important role that the festival plays, and it is strengthening the Leyteños' sense of pride. Every municipality mounts a storyline all their own to portray with pride their local folklore and legends.
The Pintados Festival displays the rich cultural heritage, incorporating native music and dances, of the people of Leyte and Samar. The Leyte Kasadya-an Festival of Festivals, meanwhile, showcases the unique culture and colorful history of the Province of Leyte. Started by former Leyte Governor Remedios Loreto-Petilla, the celebration was first held on May 12, 1996. The festivities weren't always held every June 29th; the first three years saw different dates. It was only in 1999 that it was fixed to June 29, the Feast of the Señor Santo Niño de Leyte.
"Kasadyaan'' in the Visayan tongue means merriment and jollity. Various municipal festivals of Leyte gather together in the original capital of Tacloban City for the celebration. There, lively dance-drama parade of many colors takes place. There is an important role that the festival plays, and it is strengthening the Leyteños' sense of pride. Every municipality mounts a storyline all their own to portray with pride their local folklore and legends.
Parada Ng Lechon
A different sight and flavor are introduced in June with a festival in Balayan, Batangas, commonly known as the "Parada Ng Lechon". These luscious roasted pork form the highlight of the occasion, decorated out in their platforms with all kinds of décor. Since the festival corresponds with the feast of St. John the Baptist, be prepared to get wet as people observe the feast by repeating the ritual of baptism - pouring water.
Pinyahan Sa Daet
Sweet, juicy pineapple is the fruit of choice for the people of Daet, Camarines Norte. In fact, they loved it so much that they made a festival in its honor. Join the locals as they celebrate the Pineapple Festival featuring a colorful street presentation set by art exhibits, trade fair, cultural dances, and sport events. Feel rich when you go for a visit at Paracale Gold Mines, and be familiar with some Bicol heroes like Vinzon and Panganiban and Lucban.
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