Lang-ay fest, Mt Prov foundation day rites set

By Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province –It’s all set for the 47th staging of the founding anniversary of Mountain Province and 10th Lang-ay Festival here on April 7 with organizers saying revelers would be assured of excellent street dancing and cultural presentations.

Four performing groups will highlight street dancing with civic parade on April 7 while cultural presentation of the performing groups will be at the Eyeb gymnasium same day.

According to Provincial Tourism Officer designee Francis Degay, there will only be four performing groups from tribal clusters with one to represent the Balangao tribe of Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis; the Bontok tribe of Bontoc and Sadanga; the Aplai tribe comprising the municipalities of Sabangan, Sagada, Besao, Bauko and Tadian and the fourth performer will be from the provincial government employees.

Relative to this, cultural festival consultant and trainer Ventura Bitot said Mayor Anthony Wooden of Tadian volunteered performers to represent the Aplai tribe from his municipality.

Meanwhile, Degay said that Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey and Sadanga Mayor Gabino Ganggangan agreed that the municipality of Bontoc would represent the Bontok tribe.

For the Balangao tribe, Barlig Mayor Clark Ngaya agreed that performers would come from his municipality. 

Towards this end, Bitot enumerated the mechanics for the street dancing and cultural presentation. According to Bitot, the cultural presentation must coincide with the province’s theme: “One People, One Heritage, One Direction”.

In addition, each performing group is given seven to ten minutes to perform at the Eyeb gymnasium.

Performances must be choreographed with indigenous music, dances, and movements depicting socio-economic life of the people of Mountain Province. Bitot added that costumes and attires of the performers must be indigenous. However, indigenous dances included in choreography must not be altered in respect to steps, costumes, and musical rhythms.

Also, every performing group must have a float that would artistically display agro-industrial products of their community.

Meanwhile, Degay said that the provincial government will give cash prize to the chosen group performers. 

For the past celebration of Foundation Day and Lang-ay, street dancing and cultural presentation were done representatives from the 10 towns of the province and public and private schools of Bontoc.

The provincial government sponsored all expenses for  participating groups, consuming much of the budget allotted for Lang-ay Festival. 

Meanwhile Gov. Leonard Mayaen said P2 million from this year’s Lang-ay earmarked budget of P4 million will be allocated for construction of one public toilet worth P1 million each in front of the Sumaguing Cave in Sagada and in Poblacion, Natonin.

The suggestion of the governor was unanimously approved by the heads of offices of provincial government considering that the proposed project is still in support to tourism development of the province.

Other activities for the one-week celebration of Lang-ay are agro-industrial trade fair, medical mission, Farmers Forum, Youth Summit, Provincial Tourism Summit, Search for Miss Mountain Province and sports events.  

Mayaen said this year’s foundation day celebration will not forego with the Lang-ay as reports said.

In the previous staging of Lang-ay festival which was usually held ahead of the   foundation day, all the municipalities were represented in the cultural presentations and in the street dancing, and in some instances, there were two categories of participants, the mixed or community group and the children’s category.

Mayaen said he wants to duplicate the success of the Panagbenga or Baguio flower festival which is being handled by the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation with funding support coming from the government.

According to him, there is a need to empower the private sector in Mountain Province to effectively and efficiently handle the conduct of the “Lang-ay festival” as the government will still provide its financial and technical support to ensure successful conduct of the activities to be lined up that will attract more visitors who will contribute in enhancing the growth of the province’s tourism industry.

Now with the limited cultural presentations, the governor said the provincial government will be saving about P2 million of the allotted P4 million budget for this year’s Lang-ay Festival and the Mt. Province Day celebration.

“We have to provide our tourist spots the needed public toilets in order to ensure the convenience of our visitors when they visit the different destinations in the province,” Mayaen added, claiming that the absence of public toilets near tourist spots are the primary concerns brought by foreign and domestic tourists to their attention for needed action.

“Lang-ay” is a Kankana-ey word meaning feasting by eating food and “tapuey” or the indigenous wine to celebrate a successful endeavour of a family, clan or community. – With a report from Dexter A. See