Ayyoweng Di Lambak Ed Tadian Festival on

By Juliet B. Saley

TADIAN, Mountain Province -- The Ayyoweng Di Lambak Ed Tadian Festival’ of this town will be held this week.

It is now an annual event  a stipulated in municipal ordinance No. 07, s. 2016 approved by the sangguniang panlalawigan.

Authored by Councilors  Ventura Bitot and George Bisen,  the  ordinance institutionalizes the conduct of the Ayyoweng Di Lambak Ed Tadian Festival which starts second week of February to first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of March of every year . 

The festival aims to perpetuate Tadian cultural heritage for peace, unity and progress; bring about cultural awareness and reaffirm Tadian’s identity; enhance participation, unity and camaraderie among the people in the municipality; enhance research and documentation on the municipality’s culture on oral literature; provide venue for education of children of the IKSP through cultural theatre practice and festivals.

The ordinance also aimed to strengthen inter- local government unit and agency relationships and boost the socio-economic situation of the municipality through opening up of tourism opportunities.

The fest also aims to enhance product development and production, commerce and industry, and preserve environment and natural resources.

The ordinance provides  that performers during the said festival should observe the do’s and don’ts on cultural performances such as the distortion of the performing arts, wrong use of costumes and artifacts; no butchering of animals and reciting of ritual prayers during performances in all public festival, ground demo and stage theatre performance, instead present it with improvisational action except “pitik” and the like (social prayers); all performers related to cultural acts heritage must be well researched and properly prepared or practiced for meaningful showcasing the soul of indigenous knowledge and values; and Anap di Bangan and Gatan must be based on cultural values.

The municipal government shall provide at least P500,000 annually for the staging of the Ayyoweng. All other fees and donations collected from the staging of this festival shall be deposited in a trust fund which shall be considered and exclusively used as revolving fund of the annual Ayyoweng Festival.

An executive committee is created to manage and decide all matters related to the betterment of the programs and activities affecting the festival.