A Mother’s Stuff

Piat Sambali Festival of Cagayan Province

The “Piat Sambali Festival” of Cagayan province held on June 23-30 features a reenactment of the “sambali,” a war dance of tribes that were united and converted to Christianity through the intersection of the Lady of Piat (known also as the Black Mary). Said festival is followed by the “Feast Day of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Piat” on July 1-2 with activities centered at Piat Basilica Minore which houses the Image of Mary.

Aggao Nac Cagayan Festival

Every June 23-29, Cagayan province celebrates a province-wide festival called “Aggao Nac Cagayan” which commemorates the establishment of the civil government in Cagayan on June 29, 1583.

Lallo Cabibi “Clam” Festival

Cabibi (clam) Festival is being held in Lallo every August which depicts the “cabibi” as an enduring major source of livelihood for those living along the banks of Cagayan River.

Buguey’s Crab Festival

In Cagayan province, it is the municipality of Buguey that holds a Crab Festival every May 14-20 to celebrate its more modern achievement in crab aquaculture.

Lasam, Cagayan’s Aringay Festival

The Aringay Festival is an annual celebration in Lasam held every May 15-21 that depicts farming as the municipality’s major livelihood since old times. There was even a competition held among several provinces to make it to the Guinness Book of World Records for preparing the longest “tupig” (a variety of rice cake). For the people of the northern provinces of Luzon island cooking and selling “tupig” is rooted in their way of life, is a source of livelihood, and a regular fare during festivals and the Christmas celebrations.

Rumang-ay Festival @ Gonzaga, Cagayan

Gonzaga municipality celebrates the annual Rumang-ay Festival every May 5-10 to commemorates the historical establishment of Gonzaga.

Bangkarera (Boat Race) Festival @ Cagayan Province

Bangkarera Festival or Boat Race Festival is a rare event that sees local fisher folks racing around a pre-designated course using their trusty bancas. Thousands bear the mid-day heat to witness this adrenaline-filled event. Participants from the neighboring municipalities like Pola and Bongabong make sure that they have entries in this competition.

Every April 21st there is a Bangkarera Festival being held in the clear waters of Pinacanuan River within the Callao Caves Tourist Zone. In the municipality of Aparri they hold the same festival every May 10th participated by up to a hundred of boats of different sizes and shapes as thanksgiving to their patron saint, St. Peter Thelmo.

Batanes annual events and activities

January

• Three Kings - celebrated usually on the first sunday of January by all towns. Usually as festive as Christmas Day.
• January 28 - Savidug Barrio Fiesta (Sabtang)

February

• February to June is usually the fishing season (dibang and arayu). Joining a local fisherman, if you happen to know one, could be a lifelong experience especially if you are lucky enough to catch an arayu.

April

• Summer months are usually the best times for trekking along the pasture paths and swimming or snorkelling on the beaches (White Beach, Baluarte Beach, Di-Atay Beach).

May

• May 1 - Ivana Town Fiesta (San Jose)
• May 10 - Uyugan Town Fiesta (San Antonio de Florencia)

June

• June 13 - Barrio San Antonio Fiesta (Diptan, Basco)
• June 26 - Batanes Day Anniversary. Usually a weeklong celebration with daily agro-industrial fairs, community sports festival and cultural presentations.
• June 27 - Barrio Fiesta, Brgy. San Juaquin (Valugan), Basco

August

• August 8 - Basco Town Fiesta (Sto. Domingo de Guzman), also celebrated in Manila
• August 23 - Brgy. Chavayan Barrio Fiesta, Sabtang (Sta Rosa de Lima)

September

• Sports Event: Batanes Schools Athletic Association Meet (previously known as Provincial Meet).

October

• October 1 - Brgy. Sinakan Barrio Fiesta, Sabtang (Sta. Teresita de Niño)
• October 7 - Itbayat Town Fiesta (Sta. Maria de Mayan)
• October 7 - Brgy. Tukon/Chanarian Fiesta (Basco)
• Second week of October - Experience the migratory birds season (kuyab and valichit). They pass by for a few days before they continue to fly to warmer areas.
• October 26 - Brgy. Sumnanga Barrio Fiesta, Sabtang (San Luis Beltran)

November

• November 4 - Mahatao Town Fiesta (San Carlos Borromeo), also celebrated in Manila
• November 27- Brgy. Itbud Barrio Fiesta (Nuestra Señora da la Medalla Milagrosa)

December

• Christmas Program (and dance) are usually celebrated in most towns.
• Traditional Misa de Gallo, observed from 16th to 24th
• Some towns also celebrate Three Kings on Christmas Day.
• New Year festivities are celebrated in all towns

Pista’y Dayat of Pangasinan

Among the colorful and festive annual celebration in Pangasinan is what they called “Pista’y Dayat.” Celebrated at Lingayen, Pangasinan every May 1, it is a day of thanksgiving for bountiful harvests and abundant fishing. It is being observed all over Pangasinan, a tradition celebrated with a mass offering on the beach, fluvial parade, marathon and the selection of “Lingas na Dayat.”

Basi Festival in Naguilian, La Union

Basi is a kind of wine made from sugar cane produced in Ilocos Norte and abundant particularly in Naguilian. In the objective of promoting “Basi,” an annual celebration called Basi Festival is being held every first week of May in Naguilian, La Union. They called strong basi as “basi lalaki” and “basi babae” for weak basi. The festival is highlighted with street dancing, sports events, agri-trade fair and other amusement games.

How Basi is being made? The first step is for the freshly extracted sugar cane juice to be then boiled in vats and stored in earthen jars. After cooling, flavorings will be added which are made of ground glutinous rice and duhat (java plum) bark or other fruits or barks. To start the fermentation, a certain dried powdered starter is being used. Then that mixture will be left for 3 months to ferment and up to one year to age. The final product is light brown in color and it has a sweet and sour taste.

Did you know that Basi plays an important role in the life of Ilocanos?

• The basi is used as an unwinder in stores and at home.
• It is sometimes given to carolers
• A special basi is brought to the house of a girl during a pamamanhikan, a practice where the family of a boy goes to the house of a girl to ask for her hands before doing the wedding plans.
• It is used to fortify oneself when called upon to recite an extemporaneous poem, for love or for the dead.
• A special kind is served during wedding. The couple will take the first sip and then it goes around persuading their ninongs and ninangs to drink and give cash and gifts.
• It is used during the washing day, after a burial, where all the relatives and family of the deceased washes bedclothes and cloths used in the house. Later, the family undergoes a rite where the officiator makes a cross on their foreheads with basi.

Sinait Bawang (Garlic) Festival

Sinait, Ilocos Sur is known as the Garlic Center of the North. In that regard, the Garlic Festival is being held annually during the 1st to 3rd of May. It aims to showcase the talent, ingenuity and hard work of the Ilocano farmers. Also, it aims to encourage the farmers to mass high quality garlic using modern technology.

When Governor Savellana and Mayor Yabes witnessed the Garlic Festival in Gilgory, California, USA (Garlic Capital of the World) in 2000 it gave birth to the celebration of Sinait Bawang Festival. This festival gives recognition to garlic farmers and educate people on the importance of the garlic industry to Philippine economy.

Ilocos Region: Dulang Food Festival of Laoag City

The Ilocano word “dulang” means table and this event features table foods every month of February (10th) in the city of Laoag. It uncovers the culinary skills of the Laoagueños and revives the typically-Ilocano cuisine like the “pinakbet, bagnet, tinodok,” including the famous Ilocano wine or “basi”.

Laoag, to many people, is almost synonymous with good tasting native cuisines uniquely cooked according to old traditional Ilocano culinary procedures. Tourists and guests can have good samplings of these during the Dulang Food Festival. These special food are prepared and cooked with strange looking utensils with names as strangely sounding—banag, silyasi, and dalikan, among others. In earlier times, all households in town would cook their unique specialties and guests could just go from house to house and eat all they wanted. With the cheer that goes with all festivals in Laoag, Dulang makes every home celebrate mini-fiestas.

Among the special Laoag dishes featured in Dulang are Bagnet (Ilocano deep-fried super crunchy pork), Longganisa Ilocos (preserved with all-natural spices and sugarcane vinegar), Dinakdakan (pig’s brain delicacy), Ilocano Dinuguan (pork stewed in pork-blood), Diningding (native veggies in fish preserve and grilled fish), and of course, Pinakbet—a ubiquitous native dish in festivals in Laoag.

See this video for more of Dulang Food Festival.

Ilocos Region: Bangus (Milkfish) Festival of Dagupan City, Pangasinan

The Bangus Festival of Dagupan City, Pangasinan is being celebrated annually on April 16 to May 4 for the bountiful harvest of milkfish in the city. This festival form part of Dagupan’s Pista’y Dayat celebration where the highlight of which is the longest Bangus Grill, 101 Ways to Cook Bangus, Bangus Harvest Dance Parade and sports competition/exhibition.

• The “Kalutan ed Dagupan” in 2003 earned a worthy recognition from the Guinness World Records for its “Longest Barbecue.”
• Gilon! Gilon! ed Dalan Street Dancing is a bangus (milkfish) harvest ritual displayed through a well choreographed dance.
• Bangus (milkfish) Rodeo is a fun-filled contest for the fastest bangus deboner, eater and classifier. The biggest, heaviest and sexiest bangus will be selected.
• Chefs from finest restaurants in the city and elsewhere showcase many ways of cooking bangus (milkfish) in different concoctions in the 101 Ways to Cook Bangus.

Abra’s first Kawayan (Bamboo) Festival

The province of Abra celebrated its first Abrenian Kawayan (Bamboo) Festival during this year’s foundation day celebration last March 6-9. Since Abra is the major sources of bamboo and bamboo products in the north, the national and local government units decided to adopt another unique and festive celebration to showcase the said products.

The festival held a trade fair showcasing all the traditional and modern designs of bamboo products in the province. Even the bamboo games during the celebration highlight the use of bamboo materials such as the “palo-sebo,” kadang-kadang and the likes. There is also a painting exhibit dubbed as “nostalgia for one’s hometown” which is also the theme of the 1st Kawayan Festival. “Iliw iti ili” features the works of Abra’s painter, Ms. Jesusita Blancaflor-Macaraeg. Her paintings are mostly inspired by Abra’s sceneries in oil, pastel, acrylic, mixed media and collage. There is also parade and street dancing highlighted with a crown-drawing mascot competition. After the parade is the the Abra Bike Riders’ 7th Cross-Country Run and in the evening is a musical show at the Provincial Capitol Atrium.

March 8 is the International Women’s Day, wherein they held the traditional parading of women in their colorful Filipiniana dresses. The traditional cook fest was conducted and a pampering of the women made available at the Women’s Health Corner at the Provincial Capitol Atrium.

This year’s unique women’s day celebration is highlighted by the Search for Mrs. Buntis. Participants to the search are pregnant women of five months and over. The search was done at 2:00 PM at the Provincial Capitol Atrium and in the evening was the Ilocano-Tingguian Cultural Show.

The Foundation Day on March 9 serves for all the agencies and the municipal local government units and sectors to parade around Bangued Town Proper, to be agued the Bangued Town Plaza and the championship game of the Basketball Congressional Cup at the basketball court of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The grand bingo at 2PM at the Bagued Town Plaza gave away fabulous prizes to the lucky players. The four–day event was culminated with a gathering of the balik-Abrenios at the Provincial Capitol Atrium.

Philippines’ February Festivals: Guling-Guling

The season of lent marks the annual celebration of the Guling-Guling Festival. It is the festival held on the eve of Ash Wednesday in Paoay, Ilocos Norte by Paoayeños. In Ilocano dialect, Guling-Guling means “to mark, to smear, or to make a sign” and it is kind of similar to the Mardi gras in New Orleans or Hawaii’s Aloha Festival. A symbolic celebration of forgiveness among people indicated by making a cross mark on their foreheads which symbolizes their forgiveness towards people who “trespassed” them.