Festivals galore

Ms. Naguilian pageant among highlights of 10th Basi festival

By Erwin Beleo

NAGUILLAN, La Union – Fourteen ladies from several villages of this town will vie for the Miss NaguilianBasi crown on Feb. 18, one of the highlights of the 10th Basi Festival at town plaza auditorium.

The young hopefuls are Joanna Marie Rimando, Mylene Viray, Junilyn Valdez, Bea Blanca Loada, Leslie Diego, Junea Mae Junio, Bienalyn Benitez, EmilynAbubo, Jenilyn Careon, Frances Nicole Mandia, Rashel Bambalan, Jonryl Anne Navora, OrlynTabas and Alpha Lerma.

The yearly event aims to showcase the town’s talented and pretty women who may also gain the opportunity to join and shine in national and international beauty pageants.

Joel Macanaya of the JMJM Production is the co-chairman and over-all director of the Miss NaguilianBasi pageant.

Other than the beauty pageant, the Basi Festival will also feature a drum and lyre competition among high school and elementary students, a parade around the business district on February 18, a boxing show on February 13, dog show on February 14 to be held at the civic center arena.

Other activities lined include the launching of the Naguilian mini-hydropower plant at Mamat-ing bridge; the new Naguilian cemetery at Brgy. Lioac and the ground breaking rites for the Naguilian Central Transport Terminal project.

Naguilian Mayor Reynaldo Flores said that the festival was part of the 177th Naguilian Foundation Anniversary carrying the theme “Tattan! Naguilian” (Right now!Naguilian), which aims to promote the peaceful town’s culture and showcase their sugar cane basi under the One Town One Product program.

“The festival will also promote health awareness like Zumba fun walk which will be held at plaza auditorium,” Flores said.

Banatu Festival marks 66th anniversary of Cabanatuan

By Sheen Crisologo

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – The second Banatu Festival was successfully launched here Jan. 29  to mark the 66th founding anniversary of this progressive city and showcase its history, culture and the talents and creativity of its people.

City Mayor Julius Cesar V. Vergara said that this year, city officials wanted to highlight Cabanatuan City’s history from being a barrio to an independent and one

The festival started with a thanksgiving mass, job fair, the unveiling of art and photo exhibit and film festival at SM City Cabanatuan with the theme ‘Cabanatuan Noon at Ngayon’ of the more progressive cities in the province and Central Luzon.

Events included hip-hop competition, bike show, skateboard competition, kite festival, Carabao race, longganisa festival, zarzuela, and the annual Sayaw Cabanatuan, a free, open to the public show featuring popular bands and performers.

The grand parade was Feb. 3.

Banatu is locally known as vine, which Mayor Vergara said symbolizes the tight bond among Cabanatuan City residents while in pursuit of progress and prosperity.

“There are three versions from which the name of Cabanatuan came up. First part is the banatu vine, the second is ‘batuhan’ which refers to its vast sand and gravel quarries,” said Vergara.

Cabanatuan was once a barrio of Gapan until it was converted into a municipality in 1777.

It became a chartered city on Feb. 3, 1950, by virtue of Republic Act 526.

Tourism potential

Eugene Mintu, head of the City Information and Tourism Office, put together the activities for the 2nd Banatu Festival, hoping that it would eventually be an annual tourist draw and be among the more popular festivals in the country.

“We thought of things to popularize this festival and become a destination for tourists every first week of February.” Mintu said.

Musical contest ushers start of Panagbenga 2016

BAGUIO CITY -- Parading school children garbed in floral costumes accompanied by festive music that reverberated through the cool mountain air in this city yesterday kicked off the highly-anticipated 21st Baguio Flower Festival, better known as the Panagbenga.

A total of 11 elementary schools competed in the drum and lyre competition during the parade which traversed the city’ s main roads.

The participating schools were Baguio Central School, Aguinaldo Elementary School, Apolinario Mabini Elementary School, Dominican – Mirador Elementary School, Dona Aurora Elementary School, Don Mariano Elementary School, Josefa Carino Elementary School, Jose P. Laurel Elementary School, Lucban Elementary School, Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School and Pinget Elementary School.

Carrying the theme “Bless the Children with Flowers,” the month-long Panagbenga Festival seeks to underscore the importance of children to the event for the past two decades.

“Panagbenga is an event in the city which is awaited, that is why we are always coming up with innovations to improve the annual event,” said Anthony de Leon, executive co-chairman of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc.(BFFFI).

Vangie Payno, chief of staff and chairman of the Panagbenga parade committee said that Mabini Elementary School is expected to go all out in its title-retention bid.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan, co-chairman of the BFFFI said the festival is not just about impressing local and foreign tourists, but also away to spur economic activity and unity among the city’s businessmen and entrepreneurs.

Pangasinan town marks fish festival

BINMALEY, Pangasinan – This town, considered the province’s fishbowl, celebrated its bountiful harvest through the Sigay Festival on Jan. 30 with the simultaneous grilling of at least 400 kilos each of milkfish and tilapia. 

Municipal agriculturist Fernando Ferrer said fish came from local fishponds.

Grill pads were lined up around the municipal hall and a church for the outdoor grilling activity.

Ferrer said the town has about 3,120 hectares of fishponds, which produce milkfish and tilapia as well as prawns, shrimps and crabs.

He said Binmaley has the largest inland fishpond in the province and in the Ilocos region. 

“We may not be considered as the highest producer of bangus because we do not have fish pens and cages in rivers unlike in other towns, but we grow our products in fishponds” he said.

When Mayor Simplicio Rosario started the river cleanup here years ago, fish pens and cages were removed. Ferrer said no massive fishkill has been reported since. 

 Some milkfish producers are still using the traditional way of bangus-raising, which involves the use of natural fish food, lamuyak or lablab. Others use commercial fish feed, he said.