Viva Vigan Festival Place and Time

Vigan Ilocos Sur, is gearing up for their yearly “Viva Vigan” Festival of Art, which will take place from April 28 – May 7. The Vigan Festival promises to be a colorful celebration of Vigan arts and traditions and it brings together its finest through a medley of activities.

Viva Vigan Festival Highlights

Among the activities showcased in this festival are: a trade and food festival, Abel weaving design and Abel House decoration contests (promotes the native cloth industry of the province) , Binatbatan street dancing contest,Karbo Festival and Boklan art contest(tributes to farmers of Vigan and their farm animals), Feast of Apo Lakay (the miraculous Black Nazarene), Santacruzan (a novena procession commemorating St. Helena’s mythical finding of the cross), Abel-Iloco Fashion Show and the Calesa Parade and Contest (participants decorate their calesas using materials indigenous to thecity such as: Abel Iloko (the native handwoven cloth), Burnay (Vigan jars), damili, agricultural products and processed foods like longaniza, bagnet and kankanen).

Now on its 14th year, the Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts started through the initiative of the local government and private sector to promote the unique but historic culture and arts of the Biguenos. Over the years, the Viva Vigan festival has become one of the biggest cultural event in the Northern Luzon, attracting thousands domestic and foreign tourists from different parts of the Philippines and the world.

Vigan is truly a place to see. Aside from seeing Heritage Village which was declared by UNESCO as one of the World’s Heritage sites, the food, the people, the churches, the many souvenirs you can buy, the rich history the city can boast of. Vigan is truly one memorable place to go.

Pintaflores Festival History

Pintaflores was born out of the people’s search for a cultural identity and tradition. This festival combines two events, the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival and the Dances of Flowers.

Pintaflores Festival Place and Time

In 1992, after successfully holding two activities, the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival and the Dances of Flowers as highlights of the city fiesta, the idea of blending the two concepts to come up with a presentation that could be considered the the City’s very own started what today is one of the most popular street dancing festivals in the region – the Pintaflores Festival of San Carlos City.

Pintaflores is coined from the words Pintados, the concept behind the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival, and the “flores”, the Spanish word for flowers that dominated the theme of the Dances of Flowers. The Pintaflores street dancing and ritual competition highlights the annual Pintaflores festival every November 3-5.

Pintaflores Festival Highlights

Pintaflores of San Carlos City highlights the feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, its patron saint. It features street dancing by “tribes” dressed in colorful ethnic-inspired costumes, their bodies painted with flower designs reminiscent of the tattooed Visayans of pre-Spanish Negros. People who have witnessed this spectacular revelry will surely attest that the colorful ethnic-inspired costumes and synchronized steppings keep the spectators on their feet as they dance with the contingents to the snappy beat of the drums and music along the main streets of the city.

The best is yet to come to Pintaflores as a new breed of dancers has emerged with the launching of Pintaflores Bata or Pinta Bata in 1996. A street dancing and ritual competition among elementary school children. Pinta Bata thrills one with the children’s pleasing gracefulness and versatility that promises a crop of excellent dancers in the years to come.

After five years and many awards, including the Hall of Fame awards in streetdancing in the Panaad Sa Negros, the word Pintaflores, like “Daan Sa Kaunlaran” and Homelot program, now has become another byword of the creativity of San Carloseños.

Parada ng Lechon Festival Place and Time

In the Philippines, it is not unusual for lechon or whole roast pig to grace any Filipino fiesta table. Parada ng Lechon is a parade of golden-red and crispy roasted pigs. The delicious aroma of this sumptuous dish led the locals of Balayan and Batangas to commemorate the feast of St. John, their patron saint on 24 June with the presence of the delectable, crispy lechon.

Parada ng Lechon Highlights

On the event day , a mass is held at the Immaculate Conception Church. After the mass, at least, 50 lechons are gathered in anticipation of the celebration. The parade proceeds after the holding of blessing of the pigs and people in St. Johns’ name. At this celebration, one can witness a hilarious sight when the roast pigs are dressed according to the theme of the participating social organizations. Some of the lechon are dressed in wigs, sunglasses, raincoats, or whatever the decorators fancy. After the fiesta, the lechons are then brought back to their respective club headquarters or home for yet another celebration of drinking and feasting. As for those who believe in the spirit of sharing, they will gracefully give away their prized lechons to the crowd of audience.

Since the Lechon Parade coincides with the feast of St. John the Baptist, be prepared to get wet as people observe the feast by repeating the ritual of baptism – pouring water. The water-dousing funfare officially ends at 12:00 noon, but nevertheless, some folks usually extends the merriment up to the wee hours of the next day.

Moriones Festival Place and Time

Moriones Festival is a very popular festival in the Philippines. The festival is the most unique festival in the world. The Moriones festival is celebrated in Marinduque every Holy Week. The festival depicts the martyrdom of St. Longinus. It was believed that St. Longinus, a Roman soldier who pierced Jesus Christ’s side on the crucifixion.

Moriones Festival Hightlights

One of the most colorful festivals celebrated in the island of Marinduque is the Moriones Festival. Morion means “mask” or “visor,” a part of the medieval Roman armor which covers the face. Moriones, on the other hand, refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. This week-long celebration starts on Holy Monday and culminates on Easter Sunday when the story of Longinus is reenacted in pantomime. This is a folk-religious festival that re-enacts the story of Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one eye.

The Moriones are the Marinduqueños in colorful costumes and masks replicating the garb of Roman soldiers. The act of donning this attire and roaming the streets in town in the heat of the sun is done during Lent as a form of yearly penance by natives of Marinduque. Many practitioners are local farmers or fishermen. The artistic and colorful attires and masks worn are unique expressions of folk art and local ingenuity.

Moriones Festival Origin

The practice originated from the town of Mogpog a closely knit community which continues to establish itself as a religious center in the province. Here the practice having been made an integral part of Lenten church rituals for over a hundred years, has undergone very little change.

Lanzones Festival Place and Time

Lanzones Festival is held every third week of October and it is a four day grand celebration of the lanzones fruit. The most important livelihood in Camiguin is lanzones. It is when a lot of tourists come to witness the joyous Lanzones festival. Lanzones is one of the major fruit producers in the Philippines. Lanzones is a tropical fruit that grows extravagantly on the north-central coast of Mindanao. Lanzones has a pale brown skin and sweet translucent flesh. It is said that the sweetest lanzones in the Philippines comes from Camiguin. The town of Mambajao in Camiguin celebrated its annual festival called Lanzones Festival together with its harvest in the month of October.

Lanzones Festival Features

Lanzones Festival in Mambadjao Camiguin is celebrated with a weekend street dancing competition and parties, cultural shows, parade and beauty pageant (coronation of Mutya sa Buahanan) and trade fair that features local handicraft and products. Houses, street poles and even people are ornamented with lanzones during the lanzones festival. According to the legend of an unknown beautiful maiden took the fruit’s past bitter flavor to replace it to delicious and sweet taste of the lanzones, thus townsfolk dance in the streets in order to honor and celebrate. It also celebrated by the people in Camiguin as a contribution in making Mindanao as a cultural tourism destination and give thanks for a bountiful harvest for all the agricultural products.

Masskara Festival Background

The Masskara Festival through the years gives the people of Negros, as well as local and foreign visitors, a chance to drink and be merry for 20 days. Originally designed to show the hardships of the people of Negros, the Masskara Festival has become a tool of escapism and a way to generate revenues for big business. It has indeed come a long way, and it is clear that the path turn away from the progressive goal.

Masskara Festival Place and Time

Bacolod City is known for the popular Masskara Festival which takes place here Oct. 1-20. Local and foreign visitors get a chance to enjoy 20 days of merry making, beer drinking, dining and street dancing. On the weekend nearest to 19 October, the biggest party in Bacalod is scheduled to take place. Bacalod is the capital city of the country’s sugar-producing province of Bocalenos.

Masskara Festival Features

The term Masskara is created from two words: mass, meaning crowd, and the Spanish word cara, for face; thus the double meaning for “mask” and “many faces”. It was coined by Ely Santiago, a painter, cartoonist, and cultural artist, who devoted show in his art works the many faces of Negrenses overwhelmed with various crises.

A group of masskara dancers A smiling mask, which is the symbol of the fiesta was conceived by the organizers to show the happy spirit of the Negrenses despite experiencing bad times in the sugar industry.

The Masskara festival was first envisioned in 1980 to add color and jollity to the Bcolod City’s celebration of its Charter Day anniversary, on 19 October. The symbol of the festival – a smiling mask – was adopted by the organizers to dramatize the Negrenses happy spirit, in spite of periodic economic downturns in the sugar industry.

Throughout the week, people from all over the Visayas, gather to the town plaza. They join Bacoleños in the non-stop round of festivities. Even if you don’t feel like dancing and singing, the pig catching and pole climbing competitions are musts. Some are also trying their luck and testing their skills in mask-making contests, disco king and queen competitions, coconut-milk drinking to name a few.

Masks are the order of the day at the Masskara parade, as brightly-costumed men and women dance and strut in the streets. Their beaming faces are be-dimpled, smiling and laughing in molded clay or papier-mâché. Every group is represented: civic associations, commercial establishments, schools, even private and government organizations. They march out in excited crowd wearing their painted masks and elaborate costumes, all vying for prizes in judging that will be held in the afternoon. The festival also benefits Bacolod tourism not only because tourists flock the city during this time to join the merrymaking but also to buy the orchids and ornate handicrafts on sale.

Zamboanga Hermosa Festival Place and Time

Every October the scenic city of Zamboanga, as the “City of Flowers”, celebrates its grand annual Zamboanga Hermosa Festival or the popularly known as Fiesta Pilar with 12 days and nights of events and celebrations.

Zamboanga Hermosa Festival Highlights

The beautiful city of Zamboanga welcomes thousands to the region’s biggest, most extravagant celebration of the year. The two day celebrations are mainly in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pilar Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa, which is also commonly known as the “Fiesta Pilar” at the legendary Fort Pila who has a special fiesta in October. The people of Zamboanga passionately believe that the lady has served as their unifying cultural and historical symbol.

In tribute of her feast day, Zamboanga displays its loyalty and enthusiasm with a nine-night procession, the event includes live music, cultural performances; street parades, fireworks displays and one of the most amazing aspects of the festivities include a wonderful regatta with old sailing ships and yachts sporting red, yellow and other brightly colored sails. There are also art exhibitions and colorful flower shows displaying the botanical wonders of Mindanao’s tropical vegetations. (Watch out for the orchids, which are particularly striking). ‘Hermosa’, which means beautiful, is an appropriate term for this visually dazzling event. This festival runs from October 1 to 12.

Kadayawan Sa Dabaw Festival Place and Time

It is a celebration of Good Harvest! This globally famous festival is a weeklong celebration and thanksgiving for nature’s bountiful harvest. Kadayawan Festival is being celebrated every 3rd Week of August at Davao city. A celebration of the plentiful harvests of fruits and orchids during the season.

Kadayawan Sa Dabaw Festival Highlights

Kadayawan is derived from the prehistoric word “madayaw,” a warm and friendly greeting also used to explain a thing that is valuable, superior, beautiful, good, or profitable, “Kadayawan” in Mandaya means anything that brings fortune, a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living. Ethnic tribes around Mt. Apo usually gathered during the harvest-time when they had a bountiful harvest to give thanks to their gods particularly the all-powerful Bathala (supreme God). According to legend, the occasion is noticeable by happiness, singing, and dancing, as well as offerings to their divine protectors.

The festival is celebrated in the month of August with floats of fresh flowers and fruits, and indak-indak sa kadalanan or street dancing in colorful costumes. A variety of tribes parade the streets with their tribal costumes and jewelry. The city of Davao comes alive every year in August when it holds it yearly harvest festival. The streets are adorned with local fruit & vegetables while people hold street dances with abandon for four days. The harbour is the venue for native & power boat races. Everybody fights for seats to watch the Horse Fighting wherein stallions fight each other over the rights to mate with a mare. The crowd is sometimes tracked by the horses if they get too close. The last day the street is full of costumed dancers dancing to the local beat & decorated floats with glamorous Mindanao girls as eye candy. It’s a time of fun & abandon. The festivity is not complete without the Bya’Neng ng Kadayawan or the Miss Kadayawan beauty contest. There is also the horsefight, a tribal animal show similar to the bullfight in Spain.

The festival began from a government-initiated program called “Unlad Proyekto Davao” in 1986, planned to unite the Davaoeños after the chaotic martial law years and to showcase the city as a peaceful and colorful place to visit and do business in. At the time, it was called “Apo Duwaling,”a name created from the icons Davao was famous for: Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak; durian, the king of fruits; and waling-waling. The queen of orchids. Davao is also home of the majestic Philippine eagle, the national bird. In 1988, the festival was renamed “Kadayawan sa Dabaw” by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to celebrate the city’s unique wealth in flowers, fruits, and ethnic culture.

Kadayawan Sa Dabaw Festival Today

Today, Kadayawan has transformed into a festival of festivals, the mother of may other festivals in the region as it honors Davao’s artistic, cultural and historical heritage, its past personified by the ancestral “lumads”, its people as they celebrate on the streets, and its floral industry as they parade in full regalia in thanksgiving for the blessings granted on the city.

“Kadayawan sa Dabaw” is an enriching experience with a difference as its explores the past, present and future of the Davaoeños, the Mindanaoans, the Filipinos. Its sights and sounds remain supreme. Be part of the experience.

“Du-aw na sa Dabaw! Duyog sa Kadayawan! Maglingaw-lingaw ta!”

Kinabayo Festival Place and Time

Kinabayo Festival which is celebrated every July 25 in Dapitan City Zamboanga del Norte Philippines celebrate a mysterious and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, mainly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against Saracan. They were able to overturn the tide through the miraculous spirit of St. James. The addition of local color and modernism has made this annual celebration a popular attraction which brings thousands of tourists to the Dapitan City.

Kadayawan Sa Dabaw Festival Origin

St. James, the Greater is the patron saint of Dapitan City. Earlier on into the Spanish rule, Dapitan was still flooded by Moro pirates. The Jesuit priests fatefully set up St. James, to protect the Dapitanons from an attack of invaders. It was believed that in the fifth century, an apparition of St. James, atop a horse carrying a sword, guided the Spansih Christians into victory over the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga. Three centuries later, St. James still plays a significant part in the Dapitanons’ lives. For the past three years the Kinabayo Festival of Dapitan has been celebrated by city folk centering on his feast day, July 25. On that day a magnificent re-enactment of the Battle of Covadonga is unfurled before the city folk and tourists. It is 45 days of celebration that can only be rivaled by Cebu’s Sinulog and Aklan’s Ati-Atihan.

Black Nazarene Festival Place and Time

Every 9th of January, the feast of the Most Holy Black Nazarene is celebrated while novena masses begin on the first Friday day of the year, in honor of its weekly novena mass held every Friday. This also celebrates the Translacion or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo.

Black Nazarene Festival Highlights

The devotion to the miraculous Black Nazarene (Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno) has attracted huge following among the public. Its popularity, which initially spread to the northern and southern provinces of Luzon, spread over time throughout the country. Devotees pay homage to the Santo Cristo Jesus Nazareno by clapping their hands in praise at the end of every Mass performed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

On its feast during January 9, people believed that whoever touched the Nazarene sometimes has been healed of their diseases. Catholics come from all over Manila for the chance that they will be able to get close enough to touch the image and perhaps even receive a miracle. Some devotees also throw towels or handkerchiefs to the people guarding the statue and ask them to rub them on the statue in anticipation of carrying some of that power away with them.

Black Nazarene Festival Origin

The Black Nazarene statue was brought to Manila by the first group of Augustinian Recollect friars on May 31, 1606. The image was originally housed in the first Recollect church in Bagumbayan (now part of the Rizal Park), which was established on September 10, 1606, and placed under the patronage of Saint Juan Bautista Saint John the Baptist.

In 1608, the image of the “Nazareno” was transferred to the second, bigger Recollect church dedicated to San Nicolas de Tolentino (Saint Nicholas of Tolentine). The Recollect Fathers dynamically promoted devotion to the Suffering of Our Lord represented by the image that in fifteen short years, the Cofradia de Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno was established on April 21, 1621. The confraternity obtained Papal approval on April 20, 1650, from Pope Innocent X.

Sometime in the year 1787, then Archbishop of Manila, Basilio Sancho de Santas Junta y Rufina, ordered the transfer of the image of the Nazareno to the church in Quiapo, again providently placed under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist. The Black Nazarene made a lot of miraculous things. These are the survival of the image from the great fires that destroyed Quiapo Church in 1791 and 1929, the great earthquakes of 1645 and 1863, and the destructive Bombing of Manila in 1945 during World War II. Today the head and the cross stay on the Altar Mayor of the Minor Basilica, and the original body image of the Black Nazarene is used in the processions. Other, even smaller replica can be found in other churches.

Pintados Festival Place and Time

The Pintados festival of Tacloban City is a Filipino festival with its own unique flavor held every annually every June. This Pintados festival recalls Pre-Spanish history of the native Leytenos from wars, epics and folk religions. The most expected aspect of the Pintados festival are the festive dancers, painted from head to toe with designs that look like armor to resemble the tattooed warriors of old.

Pintados Festival Features

During the course of the Pintados festival, dancers whose bodies are painted in an amazing array of colors fill the streets of Tacloban city. At first sight, they may seem outrageous as grown men pour into the streets decorated in such dazzling colors as luminous blue or neon green. But as one gets used to this and sees the dances depicted, one gets a glimpse of the history of the people that once lived on the islands of Leyte so long ago.

The folk dances presented by the dancers portray the many traditions that flourished before the Spaniards came. These include worship of idols, indigenous music and epic stories. The hypnotic rhythms of native instruments beat through the air accompanying the dances performed on the streets as the Pintados festival goes. Aside from the folk dances, is the much likely parade, which crisscrosses the avenues of Tacloban city. The parade traditionally begins at the Balayuan Towers and proceeds throughout tacloban leyte city. The surprised spectators follow the procession of dancing colors from the beginning to end. The Pintados festival concludes in much merrymaking with a signature traditional Filipino fiesta, where everyone is invited to join the fun and celebrate the Pintados Festival.

Flores De Mayo Place and Time

Flores de Mayo ,”Flowers of May”, is a Catholic festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. Lasting for a month, it is held in honor of the Virgin Mary. The Santacruzan refers to the pageant on the last day of Flores de Mayo, held in honour of Reyna Elena and Constantine finding the True Cross in Jerusalem.

Flores De Mayo Timeline

Flores, from Spanish flores or “flowers,” also known as Flores de Mayo (flowers of May), Flores de Maria (flowers of Mary) or alay (offering), may refer to the whole Flower Festival celebrated in the month of May in tribute to the Virgin Mary . The Santacruzan was a novena procession remembering St. Helena’s mythical finding of the cross. St. Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great. According to legends, 300 years after the death of Christ, at the age of 75, she went to Calvary to conduct a search for the Cross. After some archeological diggings at the site of the Crucifixion, she unearthed three crosses. She tested each one by making a sick servant lie on all three. The cross where the servant recovered was identified as Christ’s. St. Helena’s feast day falls on August 8 but the anniversary of the finding of the Cross is on May 3rd, in the Philippines, this celebration took the form of the Mexican Santa Cruz de Mayo.

As another legend puts it, Constantine the Great, facing a battle against the Mighty Roman Emperor, Maxentius in the year 312 A.D. turned hopeless to the new Christian God for help. Constantine cast his eyes heavenwards and saw in the night sky a glowing sign of the cross with the words “In hoc signia vincit”, meaning “By this sign thou shalt conquer”. He adopted the Cross as his battle insignia with the words and forthwith went to defeat the Roman Army and entered Rome a victory, pledging his faith in Christianity.

In the Tagalog region, this custom and celebration started after the declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and after the publication circa 1867 of Mariano Sevilla’s translation of the devotional Flores de Maria or Mariquit na Bulaclac na sa Pagninilaynilay sa Buong Buan nang Mayo ay Inihahandog nang manga Devoto cay Maria Santisima (The Flowers of Mary or the Beautiful Flowers that in the Meditations During the Whole Month of May are Offered by Devotees to Mary the Holiest). A Santacruzan is a religious-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns and even small villages throughout the Philippines during the month of May. One of the most colorful May-time festivals in the Philippines which represent the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Many movie and television personalities participate in the events and are featured as major sagalas and escorts. The festivity celebrates the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reina Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, there was an enjoyable celebration for thanksgiving.

The Pahiyas Festival’s name came from the Filipino words “hiyas,” which means jewel and “pahiyas,” which means both precious offering and decor. The festival is an old farmers’ harvest celebration, which started in the 16th century. It is held in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, peasants and laborers.

The feast of San Isidro Labrador was first celebrated by the people of Lucban at the time the Spaniards were still spreading Christianity in the 1500s. The early residents of Lucban celebrated the feast through a simple offering to the “anito” (pagan god) asking for a bountiful harvest. During harvest season, the farmers would gather their crops inside a small worship place where they would eat together and drink a kind of coconut wine. The locals believe that in having this kind of celebration and merry-making, they would be blessed with another bountiful harvest during the following season.

During the 1630s, under the leadership of Chief Lukas Martin and Fr. Alfonso de San Miguel, the first Catholic church was built and the people of Lucban learned to embrace and incorporate Christian faith into their daily lives. When harvest time came, the farmers would pick their finest crops and take them to the much bigger church where the parish priest would bless them in thanksgiving to God and Jesus Christ. This practice or ritual assures farmers of bountiful harvests year after year after year.

According to legend, which was passed on by the Spaniards to the Filipinos from Mexico during the Spanish colonization era, white oxen would magically plow and tend to San Isidro’s field whenever he went to church. San Isidro was Mexico’s patron saint of agriculture, venerated and called upon by the people for an abundant supply of water as well as a fertile land. The good harvests enjoyed by the farmers of Lucban make stronger their devotion to San Isidro Labrador.

The Sandugo Festival commemorates the March 16, 1565 treaty of friendship and brotherhood between the Spanish explorer and captain general Miguel López de Legazpi and Bohol’s chieftain, Datu Sikatuna. More than being the Philippines’ first international treaty, the sandugo or blood compact between the two leaders celebrates the kinship between two people of different religious beliefs, different cultures, and different nationalities.

This historic treaty of friendship was formalized and sealed through a blood compact between the Spanish conquistador and the island’s leader. It is believed that the two made a cut on their arms, mixed their blood in a cup of wine, and drank it to honor their brotherhood. This symbolic bloodletting to honor and seal one’s commitment is in accordance to tribal tradition prevalent in the Philippines back then. This treaty simply means that Datu Sikatuna swore commitment and allegiance to the Spanish crown. And the blood compact sealed that commitment. The Sandugo Festival got its name from the Visayan word “dugo,” which means blood.

The treaty was believed to have been signed on the southwest coast of Bohol (the site of Tagbilaran City today), where a monument now stands. The Tagbilaran City monument not only commemorates the event, but also has a narration of the events inscribed in its plaque.

That Blood Compact marked the start of the Spaniard’s rule on the Philippine islands. This formed a relationship between Spain and the Philippines, a relationship which, several years and centuries later, turned sour and even oppressive. Nevertheless, the treaty is remembered as an important event in Philippine history that made a major impact on Filipinos then and now, in terms of religion, culture and civilization.

Sibug–Sibug Festival is celebrated during their foundation day on the province of Sibugay on February 26, with colorful Ethnic Street dancing with rituals illustrating good harvest, wedding and healing rituals. During the festival, it endorses it’s number one product which is the oyster or talaba in tagalong which has been known to be the biggest, juiciest, and meatiest oysters in the country. In this two week celebration, in the town of Ipil, “Talaba Longest Grill” has been the main attraction of the visitors and viewers. In this manner, Zamboanga can promote their oysters to the world. Zamboanga Sibugay recently achieved a world record for the Worlds Longest Talaba Grill with five to 12 inches-long oysters or talaba as the main feature. Because of this, the province of Sibugay earned a title as the Talaba Capital of the Philippines.

Zamboanga Sibugay is a major supplier of oysters from the Zamboanga Peninsula to neighboring countries in the Asia Pacific region. It has three major talaba farms in the municipalities of Kabasalan, Siay and Alicia.

A project of Gov. George Hofer, the longest oyster grill aims to make the province known worldwide for its export-quality oysters. Some 15,000 huge pieces of oysters weighing 1,500 kilograms from Barangay Concepcion, Kabasalan were served in the 1.2 kilometer-long grill. More than a thousand participants composed of local government employees, Sibugaynons and visitors joined the event which was part of the two-week-long Sibug-Sibug Festival held in the capital town of Ipil. Zamboanga Sibugay is a major supplier of oysters from the Zamboanga Peninsula to neighboring countries in the Asia Pacific region. It has three major talaba farms in the municipalities of Kabasalan, Siay and Alicia. Hofer said the oyster is one of the major economic boosters of the province. Around 200 families in Barangay Concepcion alone are dependent on the oyster business. Also a much-awaited event was the Sibug-Sibug street dancing competition.

Visitors were also given a glance of the locals culture and traditions through a Western Subanen cultural show. The native Subanens presented their rituals in war, marriage and birth. Subanens are the aborigines of Zamboanga, believed to have developed in the province even before the Spanish period. Zamboanga Sibugay was declared a separate province through a Republic Act in 2001. Local officials claimed that the province holds the record of having the lowest crime-rate based on the Philippine National Police (PNP) report for the period 2002-2003. The rubber business is its second income-generating industry next to the export of oysters. It has been recognized for having the oldest rubber plantation in the country.