BONTOC, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE. The provincial government is all set to manage this year’s 14th Lang-ay Festival including the 51st Founding Anniversary of the province with the theme “Nurturing the Homeland, Keeping Cultures Alive” this coming summer.
This came after the Lang-ay Festival Organization, a partner private organization headed by Paulino Tumapang, opted to participate in the management of the yearly event in their private capacity.
Through the newly created Lang-ay Festival Committee chaired by Board Member Tomas A. Tawagen- IP representative, and co-chaired by Leonilla Milagrose F. Malla-ao, Provincial HRMO, the festival activities for the weeklong festivity on April 2- 8, 2018 have been all set and scheduled.
Innovations have been introduced to make the festival more enjoyable as Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. announced during the launching of the province’s twin events last January 8, 2018 at the Provincial Plaza.
“This year, the provincial government has reassumed the responsibility so I challenge all the different working committees to work double time. You should think of new ideas and new activities that will make the coming festival merrier and more meaningful”, he told the audience mostly composed of government employees.
Among the new activities included is the Night Jamming on the eve of the opening program of the festival on April 2 at the frontage of the Multi-purpose Building, and Lang-ay Night on the evening after the program of the Foundation Day and Lang-ay by the Street on April 6, 2018. A stretch of the national road in the capital town will be closed, from the road intersection beside the shell station to the rotonda, in the afternoon til midnight for the activities. Indigenous foods, fermented drinks, wines and beverages including products from the 10 municipalities and from the business establishments will be sold amidst the sounds of local bands which will render a free concert.
Other innovations will also be implemented in the the street dancing event where contingents of municipalities will show case their own municipal festivals. The six provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region including Baguio City have also been invited to join the street dancing part.
The street dancing contingents will consist of two sets of performers. First will be the group composed of elders doing their respective traditional chants, followed by younger street dancers.
Another would be the inclusion of nightly events to make the Lang-ay more lively and festive. Nightly events will be composed of various entertainments at the Provincial Plaza that may include concerts, cultural songs and dances, magic shows, etc.
Other activities will be the Agro-Trade Fair, Foundation Day civic parade and program, Igorot Showdown, Indigenous Games, Street Dancing and Cultural Presentations, Lang-ay by the Street, Gangsa Night, Million Volunteer Run 4 and Raffle Bonanza, Kataguan Caravan, Drug Free Hymn Fest, among others.
Both Tawagen and Malla-ao, during the Lang-ay Festival Committee meeting, expressed appreciation to the private and business sectors’ continuous support and participation. Some suggestions and innovations from them have been considered in the planning process.
Schedule of events starting April 2- 8, will soon be posted in conspicuous spaces, published and uploaded in the social media after all the working committees have come out with the final list.** Alfred Macalling
