Cultural Spotlight: Binanog Festival of Lambunao

Lambunao, Iloilo has its own distinctive personality when it comes to festival. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that Binanog, celebrated this year on December 10-19 reflects the culture and interests of the community and is one of the biggest annual festival celebration of the arts in the province of Iloilo that consists of dance and music.

The Local Government of Lambunao in the last 16 years makes effort to promote the indigenous culture of their Panay Bukidnon group especially through their dance and music enhanced by colorful costumes where the male typically wears black or red pants with black or red top with embroidered (tubok) patterns although optional, and a bandana tied around their heads. The women, although optional wear a “pudong” or a headpiece made of old coins. A “biningkit” or adornment of old coins for the neck. Their tops are in kimono with a patadyong draped as a skirt and a piece of cloth wrap around their waists.

The Binanog dance performed every tribal presentation is their most highly developed art performed through a celebration known as the Inagong Sayaw-Sayaw and a courtship dance or Dinagmay.

The Binanugan, a movement depicting the flapping of wings of Banog bird is represented by both male and female dancers interact with one another. The legs are stomping creating a unique beat as the male dancer observes his female counterpart as if pursuing her by following her steps. The climax of the Binanugan is recognized with the swinging of the shawl from the female dancer that is used to capture her male counterpart.

There can be several formations that the dancers perform. The steps are fast and mostly with stamping movements. The man follows the woman throughout the majority of the movement and the man is typically very happy and celebratory by nature.

The entire province celebrates Binanog Festival that focuses on the traditions, culture and background of the Panay Bukidnon. It is a celebration of their heritage and for both native and non-native cultures to unite so the many aspects of native culture can be shared.

The 16th Binanog Festival opens with Convergence Day by DSWD at 7 a.m., Mass for Binanog Tribe at 2 p.m., Pamukaw with the opening of the IP Village. Kinaadman Seis, Opening of Food Festival and Agri Exhibit at 3 p.m., Street Dance Competition at 4 p.m., Opening Salvo Program at 5 p.m., Grand Switching on of Lights and Fireworks and Binhi Band Entertainment at 8 p.m. on December 10 (Tuesday); Acoustic Band featuring Emman Abatayo at 8 p.m. on December 11 (Wednesday); Fourth of July Band at 8 p.m. on December 12 (Thursday); 108th Lambunao Day with Motorshow at 4 p.m. and Mr. and Mrs. Smith Band at 8 p.m. on December 13 (Friday).

December 14 (Saturday) opens with Padyak sa Binanog 2019 at 7 a.m., Search for LBFQ 2019 at 7 p.m., Fair Play Band at 10 p.m.; December 15 (Sunday) Invitational Friendship Basketball Game and Reverb Band at 7 p.m.; December 16 (Monday) Indigenous People’s Day with Educator’s Night at 7 p.m. and Full Purse Band at 8 p.m.;  December 17 (Tuesday) Angel A Band at 7 p.m.; December 18 (Wednesday) Mr. and Mrs. Smith Band at 8 p.m.;  December 19 (Thursday) Binanog Highlights and Patadyong Day with Mass at 6 a.m., Opening Program at 7 a.m., Tribe Competition with Saut Ka Banog interpretative Dance (Elementary Level)at 8 a.m., Merry Making at 6 p.m.,  Awarding, and Fireworks at 7 p.m. with Souled Out Band at 9:30 p.m.

The progressive town of Lambunao is a 48-kilometer or an hour land trip from Iloilo City. A 2nd class municipality in the Third Congressional District of the province, the town is politically subdivided into 73 barangays. For more information, please contact Miss Jennifer Osorio- Municipal Tourism Officer at 09199950593.

Tigkaralag of Pavia: An Ultimate Fright Night Celebration

Pavia, Iloilo has its own unique way of marking the spookiest of Halloween by annually celebrating the most important Halloween festival in Iloilo every 30th of October, Tigkaralag.

Tigkaralag is a “karay-a” or local dialect word that translates to season or time of souls specifically referring to the observance of the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.

A firm fixture on the Ilonggo festival calendar, Tigkaralag is on its 29th year this year. The event was started in 1991 by then Pavia municipal councilor and later 2nd District Board Member Cecilia H. Capadosa.

Pavia transforms itself as the spookiest and most haunted municipality giving everyone shivers with its annual dance-drama competition, the highlight of the celebration. The frightfully fantastic dance-drama competition following the opening program at 7 p.m. is a frightful sight that gives spectators chills up their spine.

The performances showcase scary stories either based on personal experiences or passed on from generations through word of mouth. Of course, these stories would not be complete without supernatural beings. Some of them may be a myth, but some may be true. Only one thing is for sure: they make the performances totally exciting.

Most popular Halloween characters in the dance-drama presentations are the Aswangs, known to be  a vampire and a witch and are cannibals and can transform into an animal; Manananggal, a winged creature that separates its torso from its body and use the upper half to fly on top of thatched houses and prey on fetuses of pregnant women;  White Lady, a wandering spirit of a woman who died of injustice and seeks revenge for closure; Kapre depicted as a tall, dark, filthy giant who hides atop large trees and smoke a roll of tobacco and the Mangkukulam or a Bad Witch who possess supernatural powers and have the ability to cast evil spells to their enemies.

Tigkaralag is a celebration where families and relatives gather for a brief reunion to pray and honor the souls of their deceased relatives and includes offering flowers, lighting candles, leaving food and drinks or other offerings on their loved ones’ graves. The holiday is celebrated three days each year from October 31st for Halloween, November 1 for All Saints Day, and November 2 for All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead.

Invite your friends, family, and neighbors and have a ghoulishly good time celebrating Tigkaralag in Pavia and have the spookiest holiday of the year. Happy haunting!

The Agro-Industrial town of Pavia is situated 9.6 kilometers or a 25-minute drive north from the city. This Second-Class municipality is politically subdivided into 18 barangays occupying a land area of 3, 502 hectares. Pavia is bordered by the municipality of Oton on the south; San Miguel on the east; Sta. Barbara on the north; Leganes on the west and Iloilo City. 

Pavia is populated by 55, 603 Pavianhons (2015 Census on Population). Market day is every Wednesday. It annually celebrates its Religious Festival every 4th of May in honor is Sta. Monica. To get to Pavia, one can take a jeepney at Jaro Plaza, Iloilo City.

Cry of Jelicuon: An Enjoyable Way to Experience History First Hand

New Lucena, Iloilo has a historic spot that will let you relive some of the provinces’ most important Historical scenes. Pay homage to the valiant heroes who fought for our freedom by visiting Jelicuon on October 25 as the town commemorates the First Cry of Independence outside of Luzon through the re-enactment of the historic Cry of Jelicuon at 5 p.m. at the Municipal Auditorium.

The silent undertaking led by General Martin Delgado and his company of voluntarios swore the price of their lives to revolt against the Spanish government.

The Spanish colonial policy was designed not only to keep the Philippine archipelago under control but also to exploit her rich natural resources. The onerous system of taxation where Filipinos pay a tribute in recognition to the Spanish sovereignty; the arbitrary and unjust forced labor were all men, healthy and physically able and within the ages 16-60 to render service for forty days, and the monopolistic Galleon Trade and the stringent trade and agricultural policies brought a distorted and unbalanced Philippine economy.

With cruelties and injustices brought about by colonizers, series of revolts took place in different parts of the country.

In Iloilo, unknown to Spanish authorities, a secret group of Voluntarios coming from the different towns swore the price of their lives to revolt against the Spanish government. They were preparing to revolt under the leadership of General Martin Delgado, a native of Sta. Barbara. The general along with his voluntaries headed to Barrio Hilicuon situated at the boundary of the towns of Santa Barbara, Cabatuan and Lucena, where they gathered in an open field, took out their cedulas and with intense emotion tore them and tossed them to the air while uttering a thunderous “Long live independence!”

Historical re-enactments such as the Cry of Jelicuon provide an incredible window into how men and women lived in historical times, providing the community and sometimes the public, a glimpse into what life was like during the conflicts that shaped the town’s local history.

If you want to experience a beautiful piece of history in the town, do not forget that New Lucena also has a serene spot where you can escape the frenzy and stress of your daily city life, like Mila’s Hill Inland Resort.

The Fourth-Class municipality of New Lucena is a 45-minute jeepney ride from Ungka Transport Terminal (fronting Christ the King Memorial Park) in Barangay Ungka-II, Pavia, Iloilo. It has a land area of 4, 412 hectares that are politically subdivided into 21 barangays with a population of 23, 240 (2015 Census on Population).

The town shares border on the northeast with the municipality of Pototan; on the southeast with the municipality of Zarraga; on the southwest with the municipality of Sta. Barbara; and on the northwest with the municipality of Cabatuan and a little portion of the town of Mina.

The town proper of New Lucena could be traversed by land either way via Dawis-Zarraga or via Sta. Barbara. It is 9.8 kilometers away from Sta. Barbara, 15 kilometers away from Cabatuan, 6 kilometers away from Pototan, 6.6 kilometers away from Zarraga and 11 kilometers away from Mina. New Lucena is crisscrossed by the roads from the north to south and east to west thus providing roads for easy means of transportation.

For more information, please contact Kenneth Sobremisana – Municipal Tourism Officer at 09197856167.

Haw-as Festival: Sharing and Enjoying a Grand Feast in Dumangas

Dumangas, Iloilo has one of the largest concentration of production fishpond areas in the province. Popularly cultured in brackish-water fishponds include bangus or milkfish. Dumangas is both a producing and consuming town of milkfish that is why it is known to be the Bangus capital of the province. And it is not surprising that Dumangas celebrate its amazing bangus or milkfish industry and showcase the abundance of other fresh seafood through Haw-as Festival.

Haw-as Festival, an off-shoot of Pahaw-as Festival launched in 2002 was conceptualized in 2008 during the first term of Mayor Ronaldo Golez. A municipal declaration was made every October 25-31 as Municipal Culture and History Week giving importance to Dumangas’ culture including Haw-as Festival and honoring local hero Col. Quintin Salas.

The competing Gubans, made up of 4-6 barangays for each Guban, nine (9) district Gubans will be competing this year on its festival highlight on October 31 at 2 p.m.

Most of the performances are choreographed featuring episodes of abundant fishpond harvest as dancers, in their fishpond harvest traditional costumes, re-enact the harvest activities of these workers who are the backbone of the town’s economy. Other performers wear bangus costumes embellished with customary bright silvery sequences.

Scenes feature families or neighbors help in gathering the bangus using a seine net. Since Haw-as is annually observed as an expression of gratitude to God. It is an occasion to give thanks to God for nature’s bounty. Guaranteed a good harvest, dancers would gather together to pray. Lastly, scenes of a celebration where there are dancing and singing.

The Haw-as Festival experience would not be complete without a plethora of specialty foods, live entertainment and lots more. Come celebrate Dumangas’ culture in the week-long Haw-as Festival on October 26-31, 2019.  The Opening Day (Saturday) is set for a motorcade at 9 a.m., AVAC Exhibit, Haw-as Festival Grand Opening at 2 p.m., Street Dancing Competition at 3 p.m., Sugbahanay sa Plaza at 6:30 p.m., Awarding Ceremony of Street Dancing Competition at 8 p.m. and Nightly Band and Food Festival at 7:00 p.m.; October 27 (Sunday) opens with a Farmers and Fisherfolks Forum and Opening Exhibit of OTOP with Bangus Extravaganza – Cooking Contest at 8 a.m., WAFACON (Writers, Artists, Filmmakers, Artisans Convention at 1 p.m., 4th Sikpanay-actual Haw-as sa Punong at 3 p.m. and Nightly Band and Food Festival at 7 p.m.

October 28 (Monday) The Liberation of Dumangas – 119th Cry for Freedom and Liberty at 9 a.m., Col. Quintin Salas Composo and Binalybay Contests at 10 a.m., Golez-Biron Autoshow at 7 p.m., Haw-as Festival Queen Pre Pageant Night at 6 p.m. and Nightly Live Band and Food Festival at 7 p.m.; October 29 (Tuesday) Jobs Fair at 9 a.m., Concert at 7 p.m., Nightly Live Band and Food Festival at 7 p.m.; October 30 (Wednesday) features Laro Ng Lahi  and Educator’s Day in the morning and Haw-as Festival Queen Pageant Night at 7 p.m. alongside Live Band and Food Festival; October 31 (Thursday) Run for Col. Quintin Salas Marathon at 5 a.m., Commemoration Program for the 149th Birth Anniversary of Col. Quintin Salas at 8 a.m., Haw-as Festival Guban Competition at 2 p.m., Awarding of Prizes and Closing Program with Live Band and Food Festival at 7 p.m.

The bangus or milkfish has a bright silvery sheen, a small toothless mouth that can grow to over a meter long. The ones found in markets are generally small. It is an important aquaculture and commercial fish species vital in Dumangas’ economy as it provides food security and livelihood to many fisherfolks in the area.

Bring yourself to one of the most interesting celebrations in the Fourth Congressional District, Haw-as Festival and make it one memorable experience.

Dumangas is a 1st class municipality of the province situated in the northeastern side, 30 kilometers or an hour land trip from Iloilo city. It has a total land area of 11, 677 hectares politically subdivided into 45 barangays. The town is bounded on the north by Barotac Nuevo, on the south and east by Guimaras Strait; and on the west by the Pototan and Zarraga.

To get to Dumangas, one can travel taking the Monfort Coastal Boulevard route via an air-conditioned van at Tikod Terminal in Barangay Baldoza, La Paz, Iloilo City or please contact, Mr. Leonardo Quiatchon – Municipal Tourism Officer at telephone number (33) 3612400 or fax number (33) 3612884.

Celebrating Dingle’s Pagdihon: A Cultural and Historical Road Trip

Heading off to Dingle, Iloilo on an unforgettable adventure this semestral vacation is reason enough to celebrate, it would be wise to add its festival to your itinerary if you want to inject some cultural pizzazz to this journey. 

Pagdihon Festival is one of the provinces’ most inspiring cultural festivals taking place between October 25-31, 2019. The festival, the highlight of the Dingle’s cultural is about celebrating life. It offers its visitors a glimpse into the heart and soul of the historic town. It provides an interesting look at how Dingleanons embrace its colonial past in a celebratory way.

Adriano Hernandez, a native of Dingle is a Visayan general and military strategist who secretly organized a rebel movement in Iloilo against Spain and staged the first armed uprising in the whole province in Barrio Lincud in October 28, 1898. The General is the most revered local historical icon and the Pagdihon Festival honors him, the most elaborate event in the town’s local calendar with parades, music, dancing, and costumes are at the forefront of its week-long festivity, with an abundance of food and drinks. 

With this year’s theme, “Kulturang Dingleanon sa Pagdihon Aton Handurawon,” the festival, now on its 11^th year general revelry accompany the celebration with a series of events starting on October 25 (Friday) with One Dance One Music, Float Parade and Competition, Opening Program, Agricultural Fair, Miss Pagdihon and Foam Party; October 26 (Saturday) Street Dancing and Dance-Drama Competition, Invitational Sepak Takraw, Alcoholics Night; October 27 (Sunday) Fin Ride, Mountain Bike Competition, Senior Citizens Day, Invitational Sepak Takraw, Championship Basketball, Search for Miss Cosmetica.

October 28 (Monday) Cry of Lincud, Pagdihon Preggy Summit, Fireworks Display, Teacher’s Night, Live Band. October 29 (Tuesday) Farmers Coop Day, Laro ng Lahi, Cultural Show with the WVSU College of PESCAR, Live Band; October 30 (Wednesday) Mass Church Wedding, Moments with the Mayor, Live Band; October 31 (Thursday) Boy and Girl Scouts Day, Trick or Treat/ Parade of Costumes, Environmental Day Recognition of Stakeholders and Awardees, Horror Night Competition, Awarding, DJ Foam Party and Live Band.

Pagdihon Festival draws people from all over Iloilo to take in the beauty and culture of Dingle. Getting there is an excellent way to immerse yourself in nature and taking in local history. The town offers a plethora of cultural and historic ways to spend your time. Take one of the numerous trails for a hike through its national park before heading into the exciting historic attractions.

Dingle belongs to the Fourth Congressional District of the province and is politically subdivided into 33 barangays over a land area of 7, 750 hectares. It is 37 kilometers away or an hour drive from Iloilo City and is bounded on the northeast by Anilao; northwest by San Enrique; southeast by Pototan and Barotac Nuevo; and southwest by Duenas.

For more information, please contact, Dane Dizon – Municipal Tourism Officer at 09983091262.

Fiber Fashion: Exhibiting Ilonggos Cultural Image to the World

A new breed of young Ilonggo fashion designers is taking their claim on the local stage. Using our traditional handwoven textiles, these designers from the different municipalities of the province will experiment and create beautiful design to push the boundaries even further. They will be out in force for the 12^th Indigenous Fiber Fashion Fair taking place from 24 to 30 August 2019 at the SM City Northpoint wing. Here are the five Ilonggo fashion designers to watch out for.

ANNIE CAÑONASO. Clean, subtle and quietly powerful. That is how people describe her aesthetics.  The future looks bright for this young designer who graduated in ISAT University with the degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising. Literally. For this show she will lean toward subdued color which she prefers to contrast the brightness of our handwoven fabrics, chic comfort and color. Covered yet sexy, fabulous and simply classy.

PEACH GARDE. Elegant. Expertly-crafted and directional pieces ever since. His palette for this show is of bold and bright, designs with a tinged of Italian sensuality all in hablon fabric. No doubt the clean craftsmanship of his designs is owed, at least in part, to his mentor, John Montinola, Lexter Badana, Hello Hello and Don Protasio. This Fashion and Design Merchandising graduate of ISAT University believes that a certain 'slowness' is essential if you want to create something long-lasting and of quality.

JO NIÑO DAMASCO. Modern silhouettes in classic colorways.  Classic but not boring. Wearable and a whole lot of fun. Also a graduate of ISAT University with the degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising, the designer will showcase his hablon in black and white checks in collections with a feel of relaxed elegance—clean, fresh, and pared back in a modern way when wearing his clothes.

EDWARD SALES. Minimalist. Curve-hugging but not clingy. sexy but not see-through.  This show, the graduate of Fashion Design and Merchandising of ISAT University is pushing his minimalist silhouettes in bold red hablon fabrics cut slightly closer to the body, a bit more sensual and perhaps a little bit more sophisticated. He is steadily rising up the ranks in the local fashion world.

JET TORRENTO. Raw. Gritty city-vibe-inspired. Ambisexual approach to everyday dressing. A graduate of Business Administration major in Marketing Management at the University of San Agustin, our designer is finally getting his fashion moment. His designs exude confidence embracing the concept of luxury, in short, ultra-stylish, and gender neutral. His clothes have been worn by celebrities such as Yeng Constantino and Sara Geronimo. So it is no wonder it is catching on after debuting just a very few years ago.

The Indigenous Fiber Fashion Fair is an appropriate forum to showcase our world-class craft traditions and culture boosting further our local tourism campaign. Our local arts, heritage, culture and tourism are highlighted in this prestigious event attended by upscale consumers, press, trade buyers and VIPs as well as pre and post promotions extended through press and internet coverage.

The Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism, the organizer of this annual event sees the opportunity as the beginning of a new marketing thrust for the new designs, colors and textures of our traditional handwoven textiles that can hit the global market and gains will be more for our weaving communities.

The 12 Indigenous Fiber Fashion Week is organized by the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism of the Iloilo Provincial Government, the Department of Tourism Region VI and SM City Iloilo in cooperation with the municipalities of Miagao, Oton, Duenas and Badiangan, IMG and The Daily Guardian. Hair and make-up for the daily fashion shows is by John Montinola.

LEON: Integrating History and Exploring Nature

Leon, Iloilo is brimming with beauty at every turn. From historic structures to pine-clad spots, this stunning quiet town is alive with culture and color.

Set among the striking verdant mountains of central Iloilo, Bucari, covering 500 hectares of Leon’s forestlands was declared as the Summer Capital of Iloilo. It is a rural gem situated 21 kilometers from the town proper. It is one of the provinces’ main and remote tourist destinations. Getting here can be a little challenge with tourists often unaware of the enchantment which lies beyond its mighty mountain range. It predominantly serves as a base from which to explore the natural wonders of the adjacent mountains. The campsite commands a wondrous view of 773 meters above sea level, tourists are drawn to the area’s all –year round to experience the panoramic vistas especially at the Mansiga Viewing Deck elevated 863 meters above sea level. There are cottages for those who wanted to stay overnight with camp areas and many walking and cycling trails to give visitors a further excuse to stay longer.

Points of historical interest will also make more sense, like what was known to be the biggest stone edifice in Panay during its time, the Doric and Byzantine architectural style church of St. Catherine of Alexandria measured 100 feet high and 300 feet long almost covering two streets of the town. The stones used were quarried from the hills and were shaped into parallelogram slabs measuring of 1 x 2 feet. The present church was constructed around 1876 after the original town site in Camando was transferred to its present site in 1863. The convent was constructed in 1885. The church was burned during World War II and was transformed into a garrison for the Japanese Imperial Forces. It was rehabilitated by the Mill Hill Fathers after the war. The church is the most popular stop for many visitors. 

Parks are essential to a town’s happiness. It serves as an aesthetic element to the community.  It is a popular venue when we need to be around other people. It is used for recreation, relaxation, sports, and holding activities. Our parks played a major role in shaping our towns’ social, political, cultural and even religious identity. In Leon, many have rediscovered the meaning and significance of its monuments and other structures constructed in the different areas of the park in their local history. The two roaring lions guarding both sides of the parks’ main entrance. Park benches with lion carvings found at the tip of every arm rests. The Rizal monument, with his right arm pointing upwards was constructed October 22, 1936.

The heritage school building of Leon Central Elementary School built in 1942 is an inherent part of Leon’s heritage resources. Elevated eight steps from the main ground, it was in the rooms and libraries of the Gabaldon building that Filipino educators helped unlock the potentials of students, many of them poor. The Jose Rizal monument situated in front of the main building was erected by the Parent-Teacher Association of school year 1957-1958.

Not known to many but one of the more prominent historical buildings of the town is the Municipal Hall constructed in July 1, 1955 when Benito Tabiana was Municipal Mayor. This two-storey building dominated by American aesthetics is currently occupied as the Municipal Police Station with DSWD, PESO and COA.

Leon is still among the picturesque and intriguing places to visit in Iloilo. The town is far removed from the madding town crowd. In fact, it is sought after by many for its multiple gems.

Leon is a Second-Class municipality located 28.2 kilometers west-southwest from the city. It is bounded in the north by Alimodian; west by San Remegio, Antique; south by Tigbauan and Tubungan; and east by San Miguel. It has a total land area 14,005 hectares politically subdivided by 85 barangays populated by 49, 875   based on the 2015 Census on Population data.

To get to Leon, jeepneys and air-conditioned vans at the Aleosan Transport Terminal in El 98 Street, Mandurriao, Iloilo City or at the Aleosan Transport Terminal in Barangay HIbao-an, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. To get to Bucari campsite, one can take a motorcycle (single) at Barangay Poblacion, Sitio Buntalan starting at 6 a.m. for first trip till 5 p.m. for last trip. For jeepneys, first trip leaves at 9 a.m. and last trip is at 3 p.m.

For more information, please contact Miss Rose Lea Kilayko – Municipal Tourism Officer at 09393426040. Know more about Leon on the 15^th Tumandok Celebration in celebration of Tourism Month on September 18-22, 2019 at the event center, fountain area of Robinsons Iloilo main mall. The event is brought to you by the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism, DOT-VI, Robinsons Place Iloilo and the Daily Guardian.