Tubong-Tubong Festival in Tubungan, Iloilo began in
2002. Now, 15 years later, this event
continues to bring the town together to celebrate summer with entertainment and
events. With this year’s festival theme,”Tubong Tubunganon, Kadalag-an
Padayunon,” the festival of Tubong-Tubong of Tubungan will run on April 27 –
May 1, 2016. The highlight is the dance drama competition scheduled on May 1 at
9 a.m. at the Municipal Open Field.
The term Tubong-Tubong is derived from the
Hiligaynon word 'tubong.' In gambling or in games, it means 'to add,' 'to
contribute' or 'to chip-in' to the original bet.
The Spanish Laws of the Indies requires a
considerable number of people in order for a town to become a full-pledge
independent municipality. Tubungan was an arrabal of Guimbal and was not spared
from piratical attacks in the area. It had remained an arrabal of Guimbal until
March 15, 1938 when former President Manuel L. Quezon issued Executive Order
No.143 and proclaimed Tubungan as an independent municipality in May 1, 1938.
The highlight of presentations is the dramatization
on the tragic death of the Augustinian parish priest assigned to the town,
Padre Isidro Badrena. Historical accounts noted that a great number of locals
were believers of non-human entities such as animals, plants, and inanimate
objects that they possess a spiritual essence.
Despite heavy influence of Catholicism in the area,
Tubungan, specifically in Balabago, situated 5 kilometers from the poblacion
was considered a sacred place of the Babaylanes or persons known to be
intermediaries between the physical world and supernatural world. A sacred
well-spring is found where once in every seven years, a congregation of
Babaylanes believed to be more than a thousand Babaylanes coming from the
different places in the region would come together to the sacred well to
perform rituals and celebrate in extravagant rites. On the 8th day of April,
1874, the Spanish priest together with Don Lucas Tamara – tubungan’s head, Don
Camilo Tamonan and various local residents went to Balabago to peacefully
dissuade the Babaylanes of their unholy practices. Unfortunately, Padre Badrena
was killed by one of the Babaylanes. In honor of his death, a cross was erected
in Balabago which has now become a historical landmark in the area.
Belonging to the First Congressional District,
Tubungan is a fourth-class municipality located 41.1 kilometers or an hour away
southwest from the city. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of
Leon, on the south by the municipality of Guimbal, on the east by the
municipality of Tigbauan and on the west by the municipality of Igbaras. The
town is politically subdivided into 48 barangays distributed to its 8,518
hectare land area.
Organized by the local government of the town
headed by their dynamic municipal mayor, Hon. Vicente T. Gargaritano, Jr. and
supported by businesses and individuals in the community, this event brings
Tubunganons together to celebrate their appreciation to their community’s
history. Come and join the fun.
To get to the town, one can take a Tubungan 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 Mrs. Marlyn
Tagudar at 09152893395 or at 3960754.
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