PHILIPPINE FESTIVALS

Jesryl Aldrin C. Magcawas

FESTIVALS IN LUZON
 PAHIYAS FESTIVAL
• Farm families decorate their houses with kiping or
bright-colored rice wafers to thank San Isidro
Labrador for a bountiful harvest. The festival is
celebrated every May 15 and while it is commonly
associated with Lucban Quezon, it is also held in
Sariaya and Tayabas
 PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL
• The wood panagbenga translates to “the season of
bloom” The popular festival is held every February to
celebrate the abundance of flowers in Baguio City.
There are performances by tribes such as Igorots and
Ibalois; their dances are inspired by their culture and
celebrated blooms.
 BANGUS FESTIVAL
• This festival pays tribute to Dagupan City’s biggest
industry and features various activities the highlight the
milkfish or bangus, such as parades and competitions. It
is held for 19 days in the month of April, ending on the
28th.
 PAGODA SA WAWA
• The fluvial pagoda festival commemorates the
legendary rescue of the Holy Cross from the Bocaue
River 200 years ago every first Sunday of July in
Bocaue Bulacan. The cross is paraded on a pagoda
with beautiful trimming and guided by colorful bancas
and hundreds of people join the procession for a nine-
day novena.
 BACAO FESTIVAL
(CORN FESTIVAL)
•  Celebrated in Echague, Isabela every third week of March,
the festival honors St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers
and serves as a way to express gratitude for a fruitful
harvest.
• The festival, which started in 2003, also aims to help the
younger generation appreciate Filipino traditions like the
bayanihan and spread awareness about the Yogad and
people where the term word bacao or “corn” came from.
 OBANDO FERTILITY RITES
•  The festival is usually attended by couples who hope
to have children by performing in ancient folk dance
that is said to encourage reproduction. Many of the
locals of Obando, Bulacan join in the dance even if
they do not have any particular petition. The festival
is celebrated every May 17 to 19.
 FEAST OF BLACK NAZARENE
• Every January 9, the feast honors the Black Nazarene or
Nuestro padre Jesus Nazareno, the dark colored wooden
sculpture of Jesus Christ that came all the way from Mexico.
The intense devotion to the miraculous Black Nazarene has
attracted a huge following among the public. Its popularity
started in the northern and southern provinces of Luzon and
later on spread throughout the country. The statue is currently
located at the Minor basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo,
Manila
 MAGAYON FESTIVAL
• Magayon Festival was the first festival throughout the
Philippines that came up with a month-long celebration
starting in May 1999. This idea was conceptualized by
Governor Al Francis C. Bichara himself who was then
focused on the growth and development of the Albay
province through tourism.
 PEÑAFRANCIA FESTIVAL
• The feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is celebrated on
the Sunday after the Octave (8 Days) of September 8
(The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary) that usually falls
on the second or third Sunday of September in Naga
City, Bicol Philippines.
FESTIVALS IN VISAYAS
 SINULOG FESTIVAL
• This is held every third Sunday of January in Cebu City.
The festival honors the former patron saint of the Cebu
province, Santo Nino. It is a dance ritual that remembers the
Filipino people’s pagan roots and their acceptance of the
Christian faith. Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb
sulog which means “like water current movement”.
 ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL
• It is celebrated every third week of January in honor
of Santo Nino at Kalibo, Panay. Participants paint
their faces, wear indigenous costumes, and dance to
drum rhythm beats similar to the carnival drumming
in Brazil.
 DINAGYANG FESTIVAL
• Dinagyang is the Ilonggo word for merry-making. The
festival is for the Holy Child Jesus and is celebrated every
fourth Sunday of January in Iloilo. It features a colorful
parade as well as participants offering prayers, dances and
chants of “Viva Senor Santo Nino!” Ilonggos paint their
bodies black to imitate the black.
 MASSKARA FESTIVAL
• It is the festival of Smiles in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
Unlike other festivals, it is not religious or tribal in nature.
Instead, the festival ironically has tragic roots. The term masskara
comes from the two words: mass meaning “crowd” and the
Spanish cara, which means “face.” Ely Santiago, a devoted
painter, cartoonist and cultural artist, coined the term masskara,
which means many faces.
 PINTADOS KASADYAAN
FESTIVAL
• It displays the rich cultural heritage and the native music and
dances of the people of Leyte and Samar. A merry-making event
that lasts for a whole month, the affair includes the Leyte
kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, the 17th Pintados Festival ritual
dance presentation, and the “Pagrayhak” Grand Parade. These are
said to have began the feast day o Senor Santo Nino, held every
June 29th.
FESTIVALS IN
MINDANAO
 KAAMULAN FESTIVAL
• Kaamulan is from the Binukid word amul which means
“to gather”. The festivals is a gatering of Bukidnon tribes
for a purpose. It can mean datuship ritual, a wedding of
ceremony, a thanksgiving festival during harvest time, a
peace pact or all of these put together. It showcases the
unique indigenous culture of the people from Malaybalay
City, Bukidnon from the second half of February to
March 10.
 KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL
• It is a yearly celebration in Davao City during the third week of
August. It is s festivity of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of
nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest, and the
serenity of living. It also focuses on the multicolored mix of
Davao and Mindanao’s indigenous communities as well as
migrant settlers, whose identities make up the rich cultural
heritage of the island. It was believed that Davao’s ethnic tribes
living at the foot of Mount Apo would meet during a bountiful
harvest. This ritual serves as their thanksgiving to the gods
particularly to the Manama (the Supreme Being).
 TUNA FESTIVAL
• The yellow fin tuna fish abound in the waters that surround General Santos
City, effectively making the City one of the leading producers of tuna
around the world. The festival is celebrated every 5th day of September. A
celebration of everything tuna, this is the place to go when you want to taste
tuna dishes. The tuna dish cooking contest is one of the most awaited
activities in the festival where visitors have the chance to eat and the same
time, enjoy the cultural street dances and drum and lyre presentations
prepared by the locals. The festival is an excellent location to socialize with
the locals and learn more about their culture. You can also interact with the
local fishermen to find out what is like to live a day in their shoes.
 BONOK-BONOK
MARADDJAO-KARAJAAW
FESTIVAL
• The Bonok-bonk is a ritual dance of ethnic Mmanwas, is performed during
thanksgiving, wedding ceremonies, and worship. The fiesta from Surigao City,
Surigao del Norte is held every September 9. Bonok-bonok literally means “rain”
while maradjawkaradjaw means “very good” the festival’s name means “ Rain
showers, all the very best” The rain is a symbol of blessing, good tidings, good
harvest and happiness among Surigaonons. The festival is usually highlighted
with high-spirited dancing and chanting in unison of “Viva Senor San Nicolas!
Viva Maradjaw Karajaw”.
 HERMOSA FESTIVAL
• Every October, the scenic City of Zamboanga known as the “City of Flowers”,
celebrates its grand annual Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, or the popularly
known as Fiesta Pilar with the 12 days and nights of events and celebrations.
The beautiful City of Zamboanga welcomes thousands to the region’s biggest,
most extravagant celebration of the year. The two-day celebration is mainly in
honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pilar Nuetra Senora del
Pilar de Zaragosa. The people of Zamboanga passionately believe that the lady
has served as their unifying cultural and historical symbol.
Thank you
