Festivals
BAKA FESTIVAL
A survey revealing quite number of ranches in San Pablo led to the establishment of the Baka Festival. Held on January 15 it is expected not only to be the highlight of future patronal fiestas of San Pablo but also to sustain efforts to promote the local cattle industry and the products that have been developed since a convergence project was located in the municipality.
The festival is a fine time to see cowboys of San Pablo display skills that are reminiscent of the American Wild West.
BALATONG FESTIVAL
In San Mateo, mungo beans are not just a rich source of protein. It is also so packed with economic potential that it is referred to as “black gold”. For a town bent on maximizing the development potentials of its resources, the Balatong Festival draws attention to yet another product. In previous years, the annual town fiesta promoted duck-related products during the Pato Festival.
BINALLAY FESTIVAL
Ilagueños have made the binallay a symbol of the noble characteristics they aspire to have as individuals and as a community. These include being masipag (hardworking), matiyaga (patient), matalino(intelligent), and makadiyos (God fearing). According to them, they are… patient because the process of preparing binallay is tedious and involves steaming the rice cake twice… hardworking because it is difficult to prepare the rice cake (the glutinous grains are ground the traditional way, with a stone mill)… intelligent because it requires a special technique to peel the wrapper off so that none of the cake is wasted… God fearing because it is a delicacy associated with the Holy Week.
They regard the white cake as a representation of the body of Christ and the laro as his blood. As part of their penitence during Holy Week, binallay is the only food Ilagueños eat. It is a rice cake that holds a special significance in the collective psche of Ilagueños, their religious life and their culinary heritage. Not surprisingly, they have named their town festival after it. Every May their signature product takes center stage twice, once during the festival itself and during the Isabela Day celebrations earlier in the month when it usually has a wider audience.
BINNADANGAN FESTIVAL
A yearly celebration of Pagay Festival (Palay Festival) held every July 4. The Festival was popularly known as the Araw ng Roxas Celebration but it was declared formally as Pagay Festival during the reign of Mayor Benedict Calderon. It is celebrated because of the rich agricultural bounty of Roxas, being one of the towns that produce large stocks of rice. The festival features a Parade comprises mostly by Politicians and participating schools from different parts of Roxas, kuliglig contest and cooking of the biggest rice cake that was also featured in the national television. Major events include a Street Dance Competition from different schools and Palarong Bayan.
Due to a conflict in the name of the festival, by which the town of Alicia, Isabela celebrates the same. It was changed to Binnadangan Festival by former Mayor Harry Soller. The Binnadangan comes from an Ilocano word meaning Bayanihan and was also derived from the former name of the town during the 1600s. The festival ends with a long Pyromusical.
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