BONTOC, Mtn. Province – It may dampen the spirits of the people but the current situation of soaring price hikes of fuel oil and gasoline led the organizers opted to cancel the Lang-ay Festival!
In an emergency meeting last March 9, 2026, the Steering Committee decided to cancel the conduct of the provincial festival citing the effects of the hike in prices of oil caused by the Middle East war.
The following day, another meeting was conducted by the same body with the involvement of the national line agencies not present in the previous meeting. Representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) voiced out preference to pursue the Agro-Trade Fair saying that participants have already paid their participation fees.
Board Member Ezra Gomez, chairperson of the Agro-Trade Fair, further informed that 70 participants have already paid their obligations; there are 35 for the food court and 35 for other stalls.
Acting Governor Jose “Jet” Dominguez supported the transfer of the booths from Eyeb grounds to the Provincial Plaza.
The committee was tackling plans to streamline the activities to lessen cost in conducting the Lang-ay Festival or to cancel it outright. But the Foundation Day of the province will proceed on April 7, 2026.
Not to totally forget the festival this year, the cultural presentations will be done by students here who will be recruited to represent the municipalities.
MEANWHILE, Gary Pekas, Assistant General Services head, painted a very gloomy scenario for the conduct of the Lang-ay Festival. He said that prices of oil and gasoline have spiked up and it is expected that prime commodities will follow.
The street dancing and the cultural presentations that needed the participation of the 10 municipalities were proposed to be cancelled. It is to be noted that the bulk of the budget is being used for the financial assistance and prizes of the twin events.
However, a motion of Beau Macliing indicated optimism. He quipped, what if the situation in the coming weeks would be better?
The Steering Committee then agreed to conduct again a meeting next week to finally seal the fate of this year’s edition of the Lang-ay Festival. The updates will surely be printed in this paper.**Roger Sacyaten
