Pagoda Festival

Bocaue, Bulacan where enormous amount of fire crackers are manufactured also the haven of fireworks enthusiast where most of the stocks are sold to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

Every 1^st week of July they celebrate a fiesta that was nurtured way back 200 years ago it said to be a legend that has been pass through generations the Pagoda Festival Bocaue River Festival, Bocaue Pagoda Festival, and the Pista ng Mapagpalang Krus sa Wawa.

 According to locals the forefathers of Bocaue extracted the Holy Cross of Wawa from the river 200 years ago, and the celebration is in commemoration of this event. A well-known story tells of a woman who was saved from drowning by a floating cross which is presumed to be the Holy Cross of Wawa.

Sagayan Festival

 Sagayan Festival is a cultural event showcasing the colorful costumes of the women in the province of Lanao del Norte. It is a ethnic dance Sagayan which is performed by “warriors” clad in three-tiered skirts, brightly-coloured headgear and carrying elaborately painted shields and “kampilan”, a double-bladed sword. The dance involves leaping, turning, jumping, kicking and the rolling movements of a warrior ready to defend his master in battle. The "warriors" move in a magic-like trance and they believed that the motions drive away evil spirits while welcoming good fortune.

Taong Putik Festival

 In the Philippines, as in other Catholic countries, June 24 is observed as the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. The day offers an excuse to engage in revelry such as dousing water on unwary people.
In Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, in Barangay Bibiclat, hundreds of devotees of the village's patron saint, John the Baptist, transform themselves into "mud people" -- literally "taong putik."  The locals call  the ritual Pagsa-San Juan. Outsiders call it the Taong Putik Festival, an event  -- an experience -- that has recently  caught  the attention and interest of the tourism sector.
Nobody knows exactly when the Taong Putik Festival started. One legend says the image of the patron saint which was brought to Bibiclat by early Ilocano settlers, helped in driving away poisonous snakes from the village. The name "Bibiclat" came from the Ilocano word "biclat" meaning snake.  Another legend says that when Japanese soldiers during World War II were about to execute all the men in the village in retaliation for the death of 13 fellow soldiers, it rained so hard that the male villagers had to be herded into the church to seek shelter. After a while, the Japanese soldiers had a change of mind and set their captives free. The residents attributed this to a miracle of Saint John the Baptist, and  vowed to pay homage to him on his feast day by wearing costumes patterned after his attire -- this time, using native materials.

Kaliguan Festival

 The small municipality of Cagwait in Surigao del Sur has a hidden paradise to boast of and a festivity to crow about. Blessed with a horseshoe-shaped cove with a long stretch of fine powdered sand and surrounded by azure colors matching sky and sea, the White Beach (or Waikiki, as the famous American aviator Charles Lindbergh called it the first time he saw it) is a tourism potential only known to its neighboring municipalities for now.

Its festival, however, is a booming event to reckon with. Celebrated every June 21-24th, which is the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, “Kaliguan” is a coined word to mean location for a good bath and thanksgiving for a blessed bounty. The weeklong festivity holds a prestigious beauty pageant (the Perlas ng Kaliguan), dance performances, sports and cultural activities, all happening on the pristine white beach and participated by neighboring municipalities and cities.

During our 5-day stay there despite threats of supertyphoon Franc, the sun shone on Cagwait and its revelers, and the sea was as sparkling blue as ever. Each day we woke up to a beautiful and different sunrise that wowed us. 19 pretty candidates vied for the Perlas ng Kaliguan, while the Beach Showdown performances were impressive (their version of Davao’s Indak Indak sa Kadalanan). Fireworks were the fitting finale that ended the celebration which marked its 12th year.

Mayor Boni smilingly refer to Cagwait as “The Unseen Paradise” but I have a feeling it won’t live up to its tagline anymore. With the newly constructed roads in Surigao del Sur at present, the road to Cagwait may be as short as 6 hours away from Davao City via San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. Special thanks to Mayor Boni and the LGU staff for our accommodation and stay, Provincial Tourism Officer Lala Ambray and Provincial Administrator Johnny Pimentel and wife Liles. For more information, visit http://www.surigaodelsur.net.

ALIWAN FESTIVAL

 

Once again, the recently concluded Aliwan Festival 2011 on Saturday has displayed spectacular performances from the contingents coming from the different regions of the Philippines.

Thousands of spectators gathered all over the famous Quirino Grandstand near the Manila Hotel and in the Aliw Theater besides the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to witness this year’s colorful event themed: Aliwan Festival 2011 – The Philippines’ Festivals of Champion. People coming from different places started to fill the venue at about 2pm in the afternoon to make sure they can get their seats on the Grandstand where the stage is all set.

At a park fronting the Manila Hotel, the contingents began to rehearse and complete their colorful costumes, wherein hundreds of amateur and professional photographers are busy taking pictures from the different lovely participants with their costumes. You can actually feel the anticipation before start of the program because of the continuing arrival of the people who desire to witness the event, which is composed of the parade of Floats, street dancing competitions and the beautiful muses competing for this year Reyna Ng Aliwan (Festival Queen).

The contingents started to assemble from the entrance point before 4pm wherein they expect the program to start on time. Their also guests politics from different regions and prominent personalities as members of the panel of judges. The event was actually broadcast live by different television stations and sponsored by the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC). Right after the opening remarks, the first participating group started to display their performance at the Quirino Grandstand, which is the first judging

 

Bataan Pawikan (Turtle) Festival

 

The weeklong event was highlighted by a ceremonial releasing of the Pawikan hatchlings to the South China Sea in Brgy. Nagbalayong, Morong, Bataan. Other attractions include street dancing competition wherein the participating groups are dressed loudly with colorful turtle-like costumes. There are also events like bazaars, walk for a cause, sand castle-making contest, graffiti painting contest, beach volleyball, seminars and more.

The celebration is a joint project of the Bataan Tourism Council Foundation, the municipal tourism council as well as Local Government Unit (LGU) of Morong.

Hundreds of visitors including students from different schools all over Bataan gathered in the Pawikan Conservation Center in Morong to witness this amazing event. Other present guests include some government officials in Bataan led by Morong mayor Cynthia Estanislao, Balanga City mayor Joet Garcia III, 2nd District Congressman Abet Garcia, event coordinator Gila Garcia and the wife of Bataan governor Vicky Garcia.

The guest speaker invited for this event is television personality Kim Atienza who arrived with his family and newscaster Karen Davila both from ABS CBN Network, Philippines.

Mayor Estanislao made the opening remarks and according to her, there are approximately 46, 000 turtle hatchlings today being taken care in the Pawikan Conservation Center under the supervision of Manolo Ibias, the chairman and one of the founders of the conservation center back in 1991.

The Pawikan Conservation Center was established to increase the awareness of the people and to provide crucial information about the significance of caring for these endangered species in our eco-system.

According to Atienza, there are only seven remaining species of turtles in the world, and five of these still exist in the Philippines. He added that this event would definitely help in preserving these species because nowadays people tend to kill them just to earn money or as a substitute for their foods.

 

PAHIYAS FESTIVAL

Date: 15th May

 Lucban celebrates the Pahiyas Festival in honor of the patron saint of farmers, St. Isidore. This festival showcases a street of houses which are adorned with fruits, vegetables, agricultural products, handicrafts and kiping, a rice-made decoration, which afterwards can be eaten grilled or fried. The houses are judged and the best one is proclaimed the winner.

Carabao

Date: 14th May – 15th May

 Begining May 14th, the people of Pulilan in Bulacan Province, San Isidro in Nueva Ecija Province, and Angono in Rizal Province celebrate for two days. On the first day, farmers pay pay homage to the beast of burden which is the farmer’s best friend – the lowly carabao. These animals are very important for farmers because they help till the land. Farmers brush their carabaos’ skin until it is sleek and shiny. Then the carabaos are decorated with ribbons and attached to carts. In the afternoon, farmers lead their carabaos to the church square to be part of the procession. At the church, the carabaos kneel for their blessings. On the second day, the carabaos compete in a friendly race.

Kaamulan

Date: 28th Feb – 1st March

 The Kaamulan Festival is a Bukidnon ethnic-cultural festival that takes place from the last week of February to the first week of March. Kaamulan, from the Binukid word amul, “to gather”, is an indigenous Bukidnon term for a gathering for any purpose. It can mean a datukship ritual, a wedding ceremony, a thanksgiving festival during harvest time, a peace pact, or any number of these together. The Festival is held in Malaybalay City from the second half of February to March 10, the anniversary date of the foundation of Bukidnon as a province in 1917,d to celebrate the culture and tradition of the seven ethnic tribal groups—Bukidnon, Higaonon, Talaandig, Manobo, Matigsalug, Tigwahanon and Umayamnon—that originally inhabited the province. It is the only ethnic festival in the Philippines.

TALONG FESTIVAL
Villasis Pangasinan

On January 18, 2008, Mayor Nonato Abrenica announced that hundreds of balikbayans joined the annual fiesta celebration, highlighted by the Talong Festival / fastest talong eater contest (boiled skin removed eggplant, long-purple casino type), in Villasis, Pangasinan. 12 of 21 villages / barangays are engaged in eggplant production with total of 3.35 km² planted by 600 residents.

BANGUS FESTIVAL
Dagupan City Pangasinan

The Dagupan Bangus Festival is a yearly event in Pangasinan first initiated by Mayor Benjamin Lim in 2002.  The festival aims at promoting the city’s local bangus (milkfish) industry. In 2003, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized the “Kalutan ed Dagupan” as the Longest Barbecue of the World.  The event highlights include: the “Kalutan ed Dagupan”, where everyone is enjoined to partake the longest barbecue party; 101 Ways to Cook Bangus, where seasoned cooks showcase their talent preparing the succulent bangus in many distinctive delicacies; Gilon! Gilon! ed Dalan, a colorful street dancing competition depicting the bountiful harvest of bangus; and, the Bangus Rodeo, where bangus growers showcase their best products and sport their food-processing skills.
For 2011, expect to be once again “wow-ed” by this annual festival as Dagupeños welcome back the “Kalutan” to its original home in the main streets of the city.

Pintado-Kasadyahan Festival
Location: Tacloban City Philippines

 Lasting a whole month, Tacloban City holds the Pintados-Kasadyahan Festival culminating on June 29. The current festival also includes the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, the Pagrayhak Grand Parade, and the Pintados Ritual Dance Presentation. The festival commemorates and fleshes out how the Spaniards saw the early Filipinos when they arrived in Leyte: bodies filled with tattoos and holding weapons which were previously heated in open fire. In fact, pintados is how the tattoo-covered natives were called, and that’s how the festival got its name.

Sinulog Festival - Cebu City, Philippines

 The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus. It is fundamentally a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people's pagan past and their recognition of Christianity.

Panagbenga Festival - Baguio City, Philippines

 
The Panagbenga Festival is held yearly during the month of February. The celebrations are held for over a month and peak periods are the weekends. The Panagbenga Festival showcases the many floral floats and native dances. At this time of year, the City of Pines is almost surely in flower fury over Panagbenga festival, the city's biggest festival.

Moriones Festival - Marinduque, Philippines

One of the Philippines' most Colorful Festival
One of the most colorful festivals celebrated in the island of Marinduque is the Moriones Festival. Morion means "mask" or "visor," a part of the medieval Roman armor which covers the face. Moriones, on the other hand, refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. This week-long celebration starts on Holy Monday and culminates on Easter Sunday. The festival is characterized by colorful Roman costumes, painted masks and helmets, and brightly-colored tunics.

Maskara Festival- Bacolod City, Philippines

 Bacolod's most popular fiesta, is celebrated on the third weekend of October closest to October 19, the city's charter day anniversary. Festivities kick off with food fairs, mask-making contests, brass band competitions, beauty pageants, windsurfing regatta, drinking and eating contests, trade fairs and exhibits.

Ati-atihan Festival- Kalibo, Aklan

 It is the wildest among Philippine fiestas and considered as the Mother of All Philippine festivals. Celebrants paint their faces with black soot and wear bright, outlandish costumes as they dance in revelry during the last three days of this two week-long festival. Catholics and non-Catholics alike observe this special day with processions, parades, dancing, and merrymaking. It's celebrated annually every third week of January to honor the feast of the Holy Infant Jesus.

 Kadayawan Festival - Davao City, Philippines

It is a celebration of Good Harvest! This globally famous festival is a weeklong celebration and thanksgiving for nature's bountiful harvest. Kadayawan Festival is being celebrated every 3rd Week of August. This is a celebration of the plentiful harvests of fruits and orchids during the season.

Higantes Festival - Angono, Rizal

 A festival that dates back to the late 1800s, the town of Angono celebrates the Higantes Festival which is characterized by huge papier mache effigies or "higantes". The fiesta is held in honor of San Clemente. The town's fiesta is celebrated every 22nd and 23rd of November.

Dinagyang Festival - Iloilo City, Philippines

The Dinagyang Festival is celebrated every fourth weekend of January to commemorate the Christianization of the natives and to honor the Holy Child Jesus. It is a very colorful parade coupled with a dramatization in honor of the patron Saint - Sto. Niño. The object of dramatized offerings and prayers amidst the cracking of drums and shouts of "Viva Señor Santo Niño" and the thundering of "Hala Bira" by the tribe members makes the celebration a lively one.