EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
Festival
MAY
Directory
100 ISLANDS FESTIVAL Lucap, Alaminos, Pangasinan | May 1-7 A merry making and festivity in Western Pangasinan featuring thanksgiving Mass at the seashore of Lucap
ALBAY DAY Albay | May 14 The Provincial Government of Albay has declared May 14 as“ Albay Day”, which also falls in May during the annual month-long Magayon Festival
ARAQUIO OF PENARANDA Penaranda, Nueva Ecija | May 1 and 8 The Araquio Festival is a traditional procession and dramatization of the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and her son, the Emperor Constantine. Similarly the“ komedya” or“ moro-moro” is carried out on in some villages such as Poblacion( 2nd Sunday of May), Las Pinas( May11-12), Sto. Tomas( 1st Sunday of May), San Jose( 3rd Sunday of May) and Pinasahan( May 21-22). Dating back from the Spanish colonial period, the festival features vivacious beats of brass.
BANWAHON FESTIVAL Barangay Mat-i, Surigao City | May 20 An ethnic dance competition depicting customs and traditions as well as the culture of early inhabitants of Barangay Mat-i Surigao City
CARABAO-CARROZA FESTIVAL Pavia, Iloilo | May 3 Established since 1973 and considered as one of Iloilo’ s oldest festival, visitors are treated with an extensive showcase of 18 gaily-decorated carrozas with painted carabaos and their muses clad in their best Filipiniana attire. Another attraction in the festival is the 110-meter lane racetrack for the Carabao-Carroza Race.
DE GALERA FESTIVAL Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro | May 12 An annual event showcasing Puerto Galera’ s rich historical heritage, culture and abundant natural resources. The highlight of the event is a fluvial parade at the sea joined by devotees of Our Lady of Fatima. The wooden boats are elaborately decorated in a tropical setting.
DUYOG PANDAY Notre Dame Village, Rosary Heights, Cotabato City | May 1 Celebrated in honor of St. Joseph, the worker, featuring trade fair, beauty pageant, street dancing and sports competition.
FIESTA BICOLANDIA CRUISE“ PEÑAFRANCIA PILGRIMAGE” Cebu City | May 14-18 Bringing the best of the Bicol region showcasing its products, festivals, arts and crafts, among others highlighted by the procession of Our Lady of Peñafrancia joined by the Bicol Association of Cebu and Marian devotees.
GAKIT FESTIVAL Angadanan, Isabela | May 16 The town celebrates the use of‘ Gakit’, Gaddang word for raft, by the tribes of Angadanan as their mode of transport; Gakit is used to transport passengers and goods from one town to another through the mighty Cagayan River.
HUDYAKA FESTIVAL Zamboanga del Norte( ZaNorte) | May 6-June 6 Celebration featuring agro-industrial fair, sports, concerts and cultural shows. This is a concoction of the different festivals of the 25 municipalities and two cities of Zamboanga del Norte.
KAGASANGAN FESTIVAL Moalboal, Cebu | May 15 Corals is the highlight of the town’ s annual town fiesta and celebrates the town’ s main tourist attraction. Moalboal, the diving capital of the Philippines, takes prides as having one of the most bountiful and breathtaking coral formations thus giving the town an abundance of fish catch.
LABIG FESTIVAL Claveria, Cagayan | May 7-9 Celebrated with street parades, boat rowing competition, beauty pageant and OFW night, among others. The extensive use of‘ labig’ the leaf of a palm tree called‘ palma brava’, which is grown abundantly in Claveria, for costumes is encouraged.
OBANDO FERTILITY RITES Obando, Bulacan | May 17-19 Couples who are childless, maidens and bachelors can take this occasion to appeal for heavenly intercession and dance to please the Virgin of Salambao, San Pascual de Bailon and Sta. Clara. Farmers also thank the Virgin for bountiful harvests.
PAHIYAS FESTIVAL Lucban, Quezon | May 8-16 One of the country’ s biggest, and most colorful harvest festival. Known as the“ Pahiyas”, the festival is deeply rooted in the traditional celebration of the townsfolk in thanksgiving for bounty harvest in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. Decorations called“ Kiping”, leaf-shaped and multi-colored rice paste wafers which are used to decorate the facades of the homes during the festivities.
PANAGYAMAN FESTIVAL Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya | May 23-25 Anniversary of the establishment of the civil government of Nueva Vizcaya. Activities include street parades, street dancing, agro-industrial fairs, others.
PASINGGATAN FESTIVAL Taytay, Palawan | May 1-4 Pasinggatan Festival comes from the word“ singgat” meaning to shine or luster, an apt name for festival whose events bring out the best in people from their talents to their personalities.
SAGAWAK FESTIVAL Malalag | May 28 Sagawak is a great volume and forceful flow of water that the Lumads believe to cast away evil spells. The spells are buried at the bottom of the deepest sea and eventually brings harmony, unity and progress amongst the people. This is an annual festival which entails the rich culture, unique customs of Malalag.
SAGING FESTIVAL Lazi, Siquijor | May 10 A celebration of harvest of its major agricultural product, bananas. The festival depicts the growing cycle of this famous fruit from planting to harvesting in dance form.
SALUBONG( HOLY CROSS FESTIVAL) Alitagtag and Bauan, Batangas | May 2 A festive celebration of meeting the Holy Cross of Bauan and the Holy Cross of Alitagtag at Binukalan Shrine at 8:00 am. The celebration is highlighted by a program and praises for the Holy Cross accompanied by street dancing.
SANGGUTAN FESTIVAL Barugo, Leyte | May 18 A dance of the drinkers honoring the age-old process of wine-making.
SAN ISIDRO FESTIVAL( PANDANAN) Luisiana, Laguna | May 15 An annual celebration in honor of farmer’ s patron saint San Isidro Labrador.
SANTACRUZAN SA INTRAMUROS Intramuros, Manila | May 29 Department of Tourism together with Intramuros Administration will bring back the glamour of the 1900s Manila Carnival Queen in this year’ s Santacruzan sa Intramuros.
SINUGBOAN FESTIVAL Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol | May 27 Sinugboan is a term closely related to the Cebuano word‘ sugbo’ meaning to wallow. The festival highlights the town’ s annual commemoration of her foundation day. Activities include agro-industrial fair, various games, and a street dancing competition.
TABANOG FESTIVAL ARAW NG BALINGASAG Balingasag, Misamis Oriental | May 22 Kite flying competition features the most colorful, most artistic, the biggest kite and smallest kite.
TOWN FIESTA( SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR) Medina, Misamis Oriental | May 14-15 Parade / cultural / trade fair.
For more information, log on to the official Department of Tourism website at www. tourism. gov. ph
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