Dagupan proudly celebrates the world’s tastiest milkfish with the annual Bangus Festival. Now on its 10th year, the month-long Bangus Festival has a lot of activities and events for everyone who continue to come and celebrate the city’s main product.

Unique attractions:
learning how to prepare and indulge in the taste of the delicious milkfish in 101 Ways to Cook Bangus; search for the longest, heaviest and prettiest milkfish in Bangus Rodeo; seeing skilled Dagupeños classify, debone, and eat bangus; street dancers in their colorful costumes depicting the bangus harvest; and taking part in grilling over 10,000 bangus, an event which will take up an entire kilometer of Dagupan city.

Event Highlights:
April 24 – Dagupan’s Best Special Lechon Open Cook Off
April 25 – 101 Ways to Cook
April 26 – Bangus Rodeo
April 28 – Gilon Gilon Ed Dalan
April 30 – Kalutan Ed Dalan Street Party and Grand Fireworks

How to get there driving from Manila:
1. Take the NLEX and exit Dau
2. Take a right that should head to Mabalacat
3. Upon arriving at a Y, the right of which will take you to Tarlac City proper and the left to Camiling, take the left and drive to Camiling
4. Seeing Mcdo ahead, take a left, go straight and pass by Camiling, Santa Ignacia, Bayambang, Malasiqui, Calasiao, finally arriving at Dagupan

And while you’re on the way, why not make Urbanmala Bed & Breakfast Residences your place of relaxation before tasting the sumptuous milkfish from Dagupan? Urbanmala understands travelers’ need to make the most out of journeys without going over-budget, that’s why it offers a 20% discount in all its rooms this summer. It’s conveniently located near major airports and tourist attractions in Manila.

The Bangus Festival started last April 10 and will conclude with the Pista’y Dayat on May 1. Here is a detailed schedule of the festival highlights.

Dubbed the “Lenten Capital of the Philippines,” the island Province of Marinduque is home to the very popular Moriones Festival. For an entire week, the Morion, or people wearing masks and costumes taken from the local interpretation of biblical Roman soldiers, go about the town streets engaging in mock swordfights, playing pranks on children, marching or dancing in groups, doing antics, or springing surprises for everyone while safely hiding their identity behind their mask.

While masked in merriment and gaiety, being a morion requires much dedication. The people who take up the mask either for a vow of penance or thanksgiving or as an act of self-cleansing must be able to bear the summer heat with the leaden and suffocating mask, restricted vision, and hunger and thirst. Also, after a long, humid day, they will join the early evening religious procession during Holy Wednesday and Good Friday while still in their burdensome gears.

The practice, which has been going on for more than a century now, traces its roots to the town of Mogpog circa 1880s when the then local parish priest Father Dionisio Santiago took a byline from the Bible and developed a side story that artfully interweaves itself into the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. In the story, Longino, the Roman centurion who speared the side of the dying Christ, regained the sight on his blind eye when a drop of blood fell in it. Assigned to guard the tomb, he fully believed after witnessing the resurrection, prompting him to run around town and proclaim what he saw and affirm that Christ is really the Son of God.

The fun begins in time for the Easter Sunday celebration when the “Pontius Pilate” orders the other morions to catch Longino and prevent him from further spreading the news of the Resurrection. Longino learns about the plot against him and employs schemes to buy more time to spread the good news further. He hides in houses, market places, behind the crowd, and other uncanny places until, satisfied that he has spread the news of the Resurrection enough, he resigns to his fate. The final act Pugutan, or a mock beheading, has a berdugo (executioner) cut his head off. His funeral is a procession of his lifeless body ending in the church where all morions rededicate the year’s Lenten vow to God.

The various towns also host the pabasa or the recitation of Christ’s passion in verse. Sa Sepulcro is observed at three o’clock on Good Friday afternoon when old women exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ. Via Crucis, one of the festival’s highlights, is a re-enactment of the suffering of Christ on his way to the Calvary where men, in an act of penance, inflict suffering upon themselves by whipping their backs, carrying a wooden cross and sometimes even crucifixion.

In addition to the traditional events, the “Battle of Morions” will also take place. This competition was conceptualized in 2009 and encourages participants to incorporate local materials in their costumes. Php 80,000.00 will be awarded to the first prize winner, Php 50,000.00 and Php 30,000.00 to the 2nd & 3rd placer respectively, and consolation prize of Php 10,000.00 each to the 4th to the 10th placer.

Sources: http://marinduque.gov.ph, http://sakamar.marinduqueno.com

Panaad sa Negros Festival, happening from April 9 to 15 this 2012, is a lively presentation of individual festivals celebrated in the 13 cities and 19 municipalities of Negros Occidental. Among the festivals represented in this joyous gathering are:

• Bacolod City’s Masskara
• Bago City’s Babaylan
• Cadiz City’s Dinagsa
• Don Salvador Benedicto’s Kali-Kalihan
• Escalante City’s Manlambus
• Kabankalan City’s Sinulog
• La Carlota’s Pasalamat
• La Castellana’s Bailes de Luces
• Mambukal’s Mudpack
• Sagay City’s Sinigayan
• San Carlos City’s Pintaflores
• San Enrique’s Bulang-Bulang

Panaad, the Hiligaynon word for a vow and its fulfillment, attracts 2.6 million strong Negrenses, balikbayan friends and relatives, and brings together 32 Local Government Units (LGUs) to showcase their history, arts and culture, tourism, commerce, and industry in the 25-hectare Panaad Park and Sports Complex.

Among the attractions of this “Festival of Festivals” are its free shows or concerts by popular Manila-based artists, as well as a huge array of food such as the famous chiken inasal, and grilled fish and seafood. Tourists and organizers alike interact in the uniquely designed booths that feature cultural presentations and friendly competitions. The booths also display products that are proudly from Negros: not only sugar, but also cut flowers and ornamentals, high value fruits and organically-grown vegetables, prawns and seafood, champion fighting cocks, exquisite handcrafted gift items and house ware, world-class furniture and garments, and many more.

Click here for the tentative schedule of Panaad Sa Negros Festival 2012.

The Panagbenga festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Among the many highlights of this colorful festival are the Grand Street Dancing and Grand Float Parade, happening on the 4th Saturday and Sunday of February, respectively, which showcase the best innovations of Baguio and attract a large number of visitors to the Philippines’ Summer Capital.

“Panagbenga,” according to panagbenga.ph, is a Kankana-ey term for ‘a season for blossoming; a time for blooming.’ The festival, once known as the Baguio Flower Festival, began in 1995 as an effort to promote tourism and remind the younger generation of their traditional roots and practices. Indeed, the festival not only displays the bountiful produces and flowers decorating the floats, but also features street dancing inspired by Bendian, an Ibaloi celebratory dance that came from the Cordillera region.

Panagbenga 2012 was launched with a concert last November 14, but the Grand Street Dancing Parade and Grand Float Parade will be happening on February 25 and 26. Find the updated schedule of events and lodging information here.

Ticket Prices are P1,500 inclusive of dinner, P500 for VIP, P300 for gold, P100 for silver.

For ticket reservations, call TicketWorld at 02-891-9999, TicketNet 02-911-5555 or SM Tickets at 02-470-2222

One of February’s biggest event is the annual Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta held in Omni Aviation Complex in Clark Field, Angeles City, Pampanga. Now on its 17th year, the event is expected to attract 100,000 visitors from here and abroad with its numerous contests and activities promoting aviation sports. Among the features of the festival are: aero-modeling symposium, hot air balloon flights, kite-making & choreographed kite-flying, precision maneuvers, pylon racing, remote-control airplane & helicopter flying exhibitions, and sky diving.

Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta started in 1994 as an effort to boost regional spirit and economy three years after the Pinatubo eruption. The organizers committed the event to developing hot air ballooning and promoting the Philippines as a leading sport aviation and tourist destination in the Asia-Pacific region. The event grew in popularity and now attracts a large number of balloon exhibitors, pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and tourists from all over the world.

Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2012

This year’s Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta will happen on February 9-12 and will feature balloons from 9 countries. The organizers also included activities which the visitors can participate in like hot air balloon flights, light airplane balloon bursting competitions, and seminars. For a complete list of activities and schedules, see Clark Subic Marketing’s official website.

Clark Freeport prides itself for having a complete array of facilities for accommodating and entertaining guests. Because of the popularity of the event, however, visitors are encouraged to book their rooms as soon as possible. Tickets, priced at 200 Php, will be available only until January 27. For inquiries and group discounts, please contact Clark Subic Marketing at 045-499-0695 or 045-499-1179.

Every fourth Sunday of January, the streets of Iloilo City come alive to celebrate the Dinagyang Festival, a sum of events that remember the arrival of Malay settlers in the country, the Christianization of the natives, and honor the Sto. Niño. This annual event is marked by a very colorful parade, street dances, contests, and offerings and prayers amidst drumbeats and shouts of “Viva Señor Santo Niño” and “Hala Bira.”

The term Dinagyang is an Ilonggo word for merry-making. Before it got its own name, the festival was known as Ati-atihan, same with the celebration in Kalibo, Aklan. In 1968, a replica of the original image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu from Cebu City was brought to San Jose Parish Church by Fr. Suplicio Ebderes, OSA, and members of the Cofradia del Sto. Niño. To welcome the image, the then-parish priest of San Jose Church Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, OSA, and the devotees of the Sto. Niño in Iloilo, held a novena every Friday in the patron’s honor. The Fluvial Procession marked the culmination of the nine-day novena.

The celebration grew with participation from ‘tribes’ coming from different sectors of community, to the point that the local parish can no longer handle the challenges that come with the festivity. When the Marcos government ordered various regions to come up with their own celebrations to boost tourism in 1977, Iloilo City readily named their Ati-atihan as their project. Dinagyang is divided into three parts: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang. The ‘tribes’ participating in the Street Dance competition must adhere to certain rules, such as that the performers must paint their skins brown and use only indigenous materials for their props and costumes.

The festival has already won a number of awards, among which is getting voted the Tourism Event by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines for three years in a row (2006-2008), as well as claiming the Championship in Aliwan Festival 2010 and 2011.

This year’s Dinagyang Festival promises a lot of events for festival goers, as well as a cultural immersion like no other. For a detailed schedule of events, visit this.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinagyang_Festival

http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/dinagyang_festival.html

The Procession of the Black Nazarene, happening on the 9th of January, is a popular event attended by people from all over the country. These pilgrims pull a wagon carrying the life-size black wooden statue of the Nazarene and hold a procession in the streets surrounding the famous Quiapo Church. Thousands—millions, actually—flock upon the statue to touch it or pull the wagon, all done in hopes of fulfilling a pledge or encountering a great miracle.

The Black Nazarene came to the Philippines in a galleon from Acapulco, Mexico. The statue was given a fair complexion by its unknown Mexican sculptor but, according to folk tradition, a fire in the ship that carried it to country charred the statue and gave it its now famous black color. Two identical images of the Black Nazarene were brought to Manila; one was kept in the Church of Saint Nicholas de Tolentino in Bagumbayan and was later transferred to Intramuros. This original statue was famous for being a part of the Palm Sunday celebration inside the walled city. It was, however, lost during the liberation of Manila in February 1945.

The other statue was given to the Recollects to the Church of Quiapo and became the central image of the famous Procession. To protect the image from the wear and tear of this annual event, the Fathers of Quiapo decided to commission a replica of the Black Nazarene. The old hands and head were attached to a new torso while the old torso held the new head and hands. These two statues are alternately used in the procession every year.

The devotees wear maroon, the usual color of the Nazarene’s garb, and walk barefoot, all in imitation of the Nazarene’s journey to Mount Calvary. Due to the volume of people and the narrow streets which the procession has to pass through, the event usually takes several hours to finish. Along the way, the rope pullers, or namamasan, are usually joined by devotees and pilgrims who wish to have their handkerchiefs wiped on the Black Nazarene’s brow. Traditionally, only males were allowed to partake in the pulling of the Black Nazarene’s wagon, but in recent years, females have also participated in the procession.

Peñafrancia Festival 2011

Naga City, Camarines Sur

A week-long celebration showcasing the tradition, culture and strong devotion of the Bicolanos to their Patroness, the Our Lady Of Peñafrancia.

Peñafrancia Festival starts on the second Saturday of the month of September in the entire Bicol Region particularly in Naga City as center of the celebration…

Spice-up your stay in this wonderful place, as they offer you the Best of the Best in the Bicol Region:

-          Witness the oldest running beauty pageant in the province as they crowned the finest and most beautiful, talented, smart Bicolana who will reign as Miss Bicolandia 2011.

-          Experience, participate in the unique devotion of the Bicolano community in different spiritual activities that you couldn’t find in other festivals but you can only see in this festival.

-          Savor your taste buds as they offer you the bests of Bicolano dishes.

-          Who would not love to visit the famous and number one wake-boarding park in the world, the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC).

-          Be astonished  by the different tourist spots that this place has to offer.

List of Activities that you’ll surely enjoy:

September 4, 2011- Be part of the 35^th National MILO Marathon, with exciting and fun activities such as, Naga Race, Fun Bike, Fun Run and Fun Walk. Don’t forget to tighten your shoe laces as you join this exciting event.See you there!!

September 7, 2011- Watch the Final selection and coronation night of Miss Bicolandia 2011 at Naga City Coliseum starting from 6 pm to 10pm, featuring the most beautiful, smart and sexy young Bicolana Beauties of the region. Be mezmerized by the natural Bicolana beauty.

September 9, 2011- Traslacion, an event  where the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and Divino Rostro are brought to the Metropolitan Naga Cathedral through the help of male devotees called “Voyadores”.

September 10, 2011- Party all night to the Tanduay First 5 Nationwide Concert   with the famous local bands in the country featuring Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikaze, Wolfgang, Sandwich and Chicososci, 7:00PM at the LCC grounds, rock- on guys!!!

September 11, 2011- To all Airsoft fan out there join the Bravo Renegade Open Airsoft MilSlim Competition to be held in Almeda Mansion Ruins.

September 15, 2011- Civic Parade, showcase the talents of Bicolano students, competing for cultural events such  as  street dancing, float making contest by different delegates who came from the region, exhibits, street parades and many more.

September 16, 2011- Military Parade, one of the highlights of Peñafrancia Festival, every year different schools from all over the region both secondary and tertiary levels gathered to compete and represent their schools. This colorful event highlights the celebration and shows how the young Bicolanos aspire to bring honor to their respective schools despite the difficulties that they encounter throughout the competition. CAT, ROTC, majorettes and bands with their colorful costumes are the things you’re going to see in this affair.

September 17, 2011- Grand Fluvial Procession, the closing of the festival, the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is brought back to its shrine, the Basilica Minore. A procession where in the image is transferred on a pagoda taking its journey along the Naga River accompanied by devotees on boat to returned the Beloved “INA” to her shrine, the Basilica Minore. It is highlight by the gleaming candles of devotees who came from different  parts of the country just to watch the event. Thousands of people come together to pray, rejoice and hope while shouting “Viva La Virgen” which means Long live the Virgin and gracefully waving white handkerchiefs as honor to the beloved Patroness of the region.

September 25, 2011- Mark your calendar and heat up your stamina, join the 2011 Camsur Marathon to be held at Camarines Sur Watersports Complex(CWC), the number one wake-boarding park in the world. Experience extreme sports, run for a healthy life, jam with the hottest celebrities in the country. Surely, a running event to look forward to.

For more exciting events just visit this site:

http://naga.gov.ph/events-calendar-general/september-2/

So hurry!! COME, EXPERIENCE and ENJOY the Bicolano Culture!!

Madya na!!! Dagos po kamo sa Maogmang Lugar!! Viva La Virgin!!

Every Lenten season, the people of Marinduque celebrate the island’s biggest event of the year, the Moriones Festival. This is a religious festival that commemorates Christ’s suffering and death at the hands of the Roman soldiers. It is also a reenactment of the story of Saint Longinus, a Roman centurion who was said to have been the one who pierced Christ’s side with a lance. Through the years, the festival has had local folk practices mixed in with it to make it uniquely Filipino in nature. It is a very colorful festival that has participants wearing masks and painted costumes.

History

The festival began in the year 1807 when Fr. Dionisio Santiago, then parish priest of the town, organized the event to help the locals better appreciate the sacrifice Christ made when he offered his life to wash the sins of mankind. Among the activities of the event was a reenactment of Christ’s forced marched to Calvary. Christians call this march the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross. It is also sometimes called Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows. A large part in this reenactment includes the story of Saint Longinus, the blind Roman centurion who pierced the side of Jesus to make sure Jesus was dead. Jesus’ blood spurted out of his body and hit Longinus’ eyes. Longinus regained his eyesight and attributed this miracle to Jesus Christ. He then converted to Christianity and would later become a saint.

Activities

The festival lasts for the whole duration of Holy Week. It begins on Palm Sunday, the Sunday preceding Easter Sunday, lasting all throughout the week and ending the next Sunday, Easter Sunday.

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday, there would be a procession (also called Hosanahan) on all towns commemorating Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. The parish priest of the town would be riding a horse, with the people following in procession, bearing palm branches called palaspas. The procession wounds around the town and ends in the town church, where a mass would be celebrated and the palm branches blessed and sanctified.

Holy Monday

This is the day when the Morions, the people dressed in masks and costumes portraying Roman soldiers, parades around town and reenacts the story of Saint Longinus. Groups of Morions can be seen in various town centers (Boac, Gasan, Torrijos, Mogpog, Sta. Cruz) with one man playing the role of Saint Longinus while the others play the roles of his fellow Roman soldiers. The high point of the reenactment comes when Longinus is captured by his fellow soldiers and beheaded for having converted to Christianity.

Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday

On these days, there would be parades of various kinds, usually connected in some way with the Lenten celebration. Maundy Thursday is especially of note, as this is when Visita Iglesia is celebrated. This is the tradition of visiting seven churches as penance for one’s sins. The sinakulo is also celebrated on any of these days.

Good Friday, Black Saturday, and Easter Sunday

The last days of the celebration involves various town activities such as religious stage plays, competitions, and processions involving penance such as what the flaggelantes do. On Easter Sunday, the last day of the celebration, the event is culminated by a ritual dance called “Salubong at Bati” or “Aleluyahan.” This activity celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is celebrated as a joyful occasion, with many people showing merriment and joy which they usually curb following Good Friday and Black Saturday, the days when merriment is curtailed in observation of the deep sorrow Christians feel at Christ’s death. But on Easter Sunday, the day Jesus is resurrected, the townspeople come to celebrate and proclaim the good news of Christ.

How to get there

Marinduque is an island located at the southern part of Luzon. Being an island, the only two ways of getting there is by plane and by boat. By plane, there is a direct flight from Manila to Marinduque Airport.  Schedule of flight is four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday). If you are going by boat, there are a number of ports in Lucena City going to the island. If you are coming from Manila, you need to book a trip by bus to Lucena City before being able to take a boat or ferry to the island. Alternatively, you can also travel by land (either bus or car) and travel via ferry through RORO (roll on, roll off) ports. These ports allow the transport of vehicles onto ferries/ships so you could travel from island to island on your car or other land vehicles.