Going on the
same place that you have crossed-out in your checklist might get a little boring
most of the time. And if you ever stepped in this side of the planet wherein
coconut trees grow like mushrooms, climate seems to disturb your western skin
and people are friendlier than your usual neighbours; you're probably in the
Philippines!
So we have to
skip the part wherein we feature the best places in the country, and we focus
on the people and their festivities. So if you're wondering what are the best
festivals in the country? You're in the right spot. Check out as we list down
the five spectacular Festivals that will make you experience the real grandeurs and
diversity of Philippine culture.
The Masskara Festival
Bacolod City
Masskara
Festival is one of the most sought after Festivals in the country. It features
Brazil's Carnaval-like floats with bikini-clad muse in the inaugural Electric
Masskara. The festival was conceptualized due to Negrense crisis in 1980 when
the Sugar industry, where the province is well-known of, experienced an
astounding slump. Masskara is coined with words Mass which means crowd and
Cara, a Spanish word for face. This is also one of the main reasons why the
city is called the City of Smiles.
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| Image from cnn.com |
The festival
was a scapegoat for the locals in which they wore their smiles amidst their most
difficult situations. The event highlights the street dance competition
where different barangays gather into troops and dance into Latin beats in the
streets of Bacolod City every third week of October.
Sinulog Festival
Cebu City
Sinulog
Festival in central Philippines is the biggest festival in the archipelago. It’s called the
Mother of Festivals; and is a mix of cultural and religious event for most
Cebuanos. This inaugural festival is celebrated to give honor to Santo Niño (Child Jesus)
which shows how Filipinos accepts Christianity or Roman Catholicism that was
staged in Cebu in the year 1521.
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| image from flickr.com/photos/sinulog |
The festival highlights
the grand street parades which last for almost half a day with several
contingents coming in different places in the country. Sinulog is celebrated
every 3rd Sunday of January.
Panagbenga Festival
Baguio City,
This festival
is held in Baguio City, located in the northern region of the Philippines known as the Summer Capital of the country. Panagbenga simply means
"Season of Blooming" of the city's vast selection of flowers every
month of February.
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| image from myplanetphilippines.com |
Floats made
from different kinds of flora that flock the streets of the city are comparable
to Pasadena's Rose Parade. Dancers who are clad with flowery costumes accompany these floats in the tune of the region's native Ibaloi dance.
The festival is
also a symbolism of how people in Cordillera rise after the destructive 1990
North Luzon earthquake that hit the city and surrounding territories. The
Panagbenga Festival is celebrated in the whole month of February extending
until first week of March.
Kadayawan Festival
Davao City
The Kadayawan Festival
is the most anticipated event in southern Philippines. This is a celebration of Davao
City, country's biggest city in terms of land area which lies in the foot of
the tallest mountain in the archipelago, the Mt. Apo. Its name comes from a local friendly
greeting "Madayaw" from the word "Dayaw" which means good
or beautiful.
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| image from Kadayawan Festival Facebook Page |
This is a
thanksgiving celebration for the city’s abundance of
gifts of harvest and culture. Just like the Panagbenga, the festival is defined
with its floral parades and street dancing competitions. Exhibits that showcase
the city's varied products and tourism are also held every third week of
August.
Dinagyan Festival
Iloilo City
Dinagyang is
also a celebration in honor of Señor Santo Niño in its
religious perspective as well as the commemoration of the Malayan settling in
the island of Panay in its cultural sense.
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| image from Dinagyan Festival Facebook Page |
The festival is
characterized with brown-painted Tribe members dance in drum beats in street
parades. These "Tribus" commemorate how the indigenous people called
Atis sold the island to the Malays in history.
