Guimbal, Iloilo,
townspeople will gather for the annual Bantayan Festival, a five day big
celebration on April 3-7, 2018 with historical re-enactments, parades, food
festival, pageantry, music, film showing and magnificent firework shows. Bantayan
is suitable for all ages and a great family festival.
Series of sponsored
events would entertain the community and it visitors starting from April 3
(Tuesday) with the Opening and Foundation Day through a Mass at 2 p.m., Grand
Parade with Float and Street Dancing Competitions at 3 p.m., Opening Program
with the Drumbeat Competition at 7 p.m., and Opening of Food Festival; April 4
(Wednesday) Search for Anyag Kang Bantayan at 8p.m.; April 5 (Thursday) Boat
Racing and Canvass Painting Competitions in Bantayan Beach Resort at 8 a.m.,
Pinta Lawas at 12 nn. in Bantayan Beach Resort, Re-enactment of the Moro Raid
at 2: 30 p.m. at Bantayan Beach Resort, 14th Bantayan Film Festival at 8 p.m.;
April 6 (Friday) Motorcross at 8 a.m., Car Show at 4 p.m., Bantayan Artists
Night with Zeus Collins at 8 p.m.; April 7 (Saturday) Tribal Dance Drama
Competition at 2 p.m., Merry-Making at 5 p.m., Awards Night and Fireworks
Competition at 9:30 p.m.
As the Muslims were
establishing its political influence in many of the islands, the arrival of the
Spaniards became an intrusion into the commercial activities and at the same
time a threat to their expanding political influence.
Because of that
Muslims conducted raids on the Spanish-held settlements. Obviously, the raids
presented a source of power. Moreover, their possession of slaves brought them
power and influence. The motive of the piratical attacks was simple vengeance
against the Christian missionaries in propagating their faith among the
inhabitants of the islands.
For many years,
Christian communities in the coastal areas of Panay, Negros, Cebu in the
Visayas were fractured and chaotic due to frequent Moro invasion. Men were
captured as slaves but were not sold for money but were exchanged for arms and
ammunition. Moros would use them for housework, fieldwork, and craftwork and
used extensively in the incursions as oarsmen of the pirates' vessels, freeing
the pirates' hands from odd jobs especially during naval encounters.
The relatively weak
resistance shown by the inhabitants during the frequent raids was due to the
Spanish policy of prohibiting them from carrying any form of arms, which they
might have used for self-protection against the raiders. Thus the community was
rendered helpless before the Moro raiders.
Most common method
of the raid was the surprise attack in force. The Christian communities would
be caught unaware and hence be unable to mount or organize resistance.
Stone churches were
used as a refuge center during the attacks. However, the pirates would set fire
and ringed the church with trenches and breastworks. Churches became a subject
to heavy cannon fire and flaming darts.
Later, the town
ensconced in fortresses along its shoreline to protect itself from a
beleaguering Moro pirate menace. The watchtowers were erected to forewarn
townspeople, giving them ample time to organize an orderly defense of their
community. Warning devices in the form of smoke chains or sounds from the
constant beating of a drum would signal everyone in the community for an
incoming Moro raid. Several failures in wearing and tearing down defences and
churches, the pirates decided to give up the siege and sailed away.
The festivity will
make its visitors feel like time travel is possible when they visit the town
during Bantayan with the its centerpiece, the Tribal Dance Drama Competition
and the Re-enactment, a time warp of dramatized performances in which
spectators are transported back to 18th century. Both performances will
showcase the victorious battle of the natives against the Moros on April 7
(Saturday) at 2 p.m., while the colourful and fierce battle will be re-enacted
by last year’s winning tribe on April 5 (Thursday) at the Bantayan Beach Resort
at 2:30 p.m.
The town of Guimbal
is 29 kilometers south from Iloilo City. It has a land area of 4, 448 hectares
politically subdivided into 33 barangays. The town shares borders with Tigbauan
on the east; on the northeast by Tubungan; Igbaras on the northwest; and west
by Miag-ao. It annually celebrates its religious fiesta in honor of San Nicolas
de Tolentino every September 10. Markey day is every Tuesday.
To get to the
resort, one can take a Guimbal jeepney at the Don Benito Q. Acap Sr. Southern Iloilo
Perimeter Boundary in Barangay Mohon, Oton or when in the city, at the market
situated at the back of Robinsons Place Iloilo. For more information, please
contact Miss Karen Gayanilo-Felicio at 09082865480.
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