By Joel B. Belinan
direction.”
Last weekend we saw the climax of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Festival of Festivals. It was for a day (Saturday, October 15, 2022) that they gathered performing representatives from the six provinces and the city of Baguio that comprise the Cordillera region and had them perform their best cultural dances and gongs at Malcolm Square. Even if for just a day, it was significant as it meant the return to how things were before March 16, 2020 when everything was turned upside down.
There is also the Ibaloi festival, the Onjon ni Ivadoy ,still going on for the whole of October.
There is also the ongoing Gong Festival which our local artists organized in 2012, I am trying to find in all this some hope that the world we knew is finally coming back.
Apart from these festivities, other events especially sports were also recently held, and some more are in the pipeline. Based on announcements and promotions in the social media and information gathered from the grapevine, things are struggling to make a comeback. At least efforts are being undertaken towards that end. Coming up in the immediate future are Benguet province’s Adivay Festival and the Boxing and Kickboxing Tournament in Balatoc Itogon. Both will be in Benguet province, making these an encouragement of sorts.
In the national level, Bacolod City just held its “Maskara Festival” after a two-year hiatus. To underscore the importance of the Maskara Festival to the country’s attempt to return to normalcy, President Marcos personally attended its main ceremony.
As write this piece, the promotion of the upcoming Ati-Atihan Festival in Aklan just started. The Dinagyang (Iloilo’s version of Ati-Atihan) and Cebu City’s “Sinulog Festival”. are not far behind in their preparations as confirmed by my friend from Iloilo, artist and Architect Danilo “Momo” Dalisay.
In the early 90s, I used to be a regular attendee of the Ati-Atihan together with my Ananda Marga Brothers in Panay Island.
These three festivals are the pioneer ones in this country and are all held every January. They were being held long before the advent of our very own Panagbenga. These were Catholic Church-based though, similar to the Carnival in Brazil.
Incidentally, the Maharlika Sunrise Festival, an initiative of the Maharlika Artists and Writers Federation (MAWF), will have its 19th-year edition on November 25, 26, and 27 at Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez Rizal. It is a roving one whose venue is being transferred from one place to another. In 2004 it was held in Boracay, Aklan.
Observing the recent visitors in Baguio during weekends especially on the long ones, things appear to be already back to normal. However, many local businessmen, particularly those operating hotels and inns, are saying we are still far from pre-pandemic levels. There are so many alleged reasons for this but one thing is sure, travelers may not have as much budget as they used to have.
Thus, the national and local governments’ efforts to hold and promote events which will result in more travelers or tourists are in the right direction.
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