Ati-Atihan Festival

3rd weekend of January | Kalibo, Aklan

This Sto. Niño festival started it all. One of the oldest religious celebrations in
the country, Ati-Atihan is characterized by a parade filled with face-painted
celebrants, indigenous costumes and weapons, tribal dances, and loud
drumbeats.

Photo by RDexter on Flickr

Tourists who flock to Kalibo for the festivities are free to cover themselves in
black soot and dance on the streets with the drum beats. Known as the “The
Filipino Mardi Gras,” it is truly an experience not to be missed.
 Sinulog Festival
3rd weekend of January | Cebu City
Cebu also has its own version of the festival in honor of the Sto. Niño. If you
find yourself attending the Sinulog Festival, “Pit Señor!” is a phrase you will
hear a lot. It means “Panangpit sa Señor,” a Cebuano phrase that means to
plead to the Señor Santo Niño.

It is one of the most attended festivals in the Philippines, attracting millions of

locals and tourists from all over the world. In 2013, it was reported that the
number of participants reached a whopping four million.
Sinulog not only sets the stage for Cebuano talents but also for other regional
acts as contingents from neighboring provinces are showcased through street
dancing, pageantry, and sports. It is also known for hosting the country’s
biggest raves, drawing a growing number of party-goers from all over the
country year after year.
 Dinagyang Festival
4th weekend of January | Iloilo City
If you happen to know someone from Iloilo, try and ask them about this
Philippine festival. You’ll see how their pride for their city’s festival is nothing
short of astounding.
Once a year, Iloilo City transforms into one big street party — streets closed,
bands in all corners, overflowing food and drinks, and towering boom boxes.
To cap it all off, tribes representing different barangays and high schools
perform in one very competitive street dancing contest.

It’s no wonder how this city’s once simple celebration in honor of the child
Jesus (Sto. Niño) ended up bagging several awards including the Association
of Tourism Officers of the Philippines’ (ATOP) title holder for Best Tourism
Event of the Philippines.
According to Iloilo City Tourism Officer Ben Jimena, the winning tribes are
now going international and will be promoting Philippine tourism to countries
like the United States, Canada, and Singapore.
 Panagbenga Festival
February | Baguio City
The word “Panagbenga” comes from the Kankanaey term that means “season
of blooming.” With the numerous parades of floral floats and children dressed
as flora and fauna, it definitely lives up to its name, making Baguio the perfect
destination for those who still have a hangover from the huge festivals in
January.

Adding to the usual Baguio tourist sites to visit, the whole length of the Session
Road during Panagbenga becomes a feast for the eyes. Called “Session
Road in Bloom,” Baguio’s famous street is closed to vehicular traffic to make
way for flower carts, street dancing, and outdoor cafes.
Now that it’s a huge event bringing in thousands of tourists each year, it’s
important to plan ahead (make early restaurant reservations, bring a map,
etc.) if you are attending this Philippine festival.
 Moriones Festival
Holy Week | Boac, Gasan, and Mogpog, Marinduque
This week-long celebration of the life of St. Longinus is what makes
Marinduque one of the top destinations during Holy Week in the Philippines.
Morion is the helmet worn by the centurions while Moriones refers to the
costumed penitents reenacting the search for St. Longinus, hunted by his
fellow centurions for converting to Christianity.

Photo by Bar Fabella

During the festival you will see Marinduqueños dressed up as centurions

(Moriones) looking for Longinus. One person acts as Longinus, hiding from
them while the townspeople play along and allow him to hide in their houses.
Via Crucis or the reenactment of the Passion of Christ also happens during
this Philippine festival.
 Aliwan Fiesta
Last weekend of April | Pasay City, Manila
Aliwan Fiesta is more of a competition than it is a festival. However, it has
undeniably added great value to the growing interest in Philippine festivals.
Although it just started in the early 2000s, it has already gained a strong fan-
base nationwide with more than 5,000 young men and women from all over
the country joining the competition.

For a lot of people who are in Manila, heading to the CCP Complex is the
cheapest way to see quality performances from tribes representing festivals in
their respective provinces. Plus, it’s always great to see tribes from Dinagyang
and Sinulog give their A-performances to grab the million-peso grand prize.
 Pahiyas Festival
15th of May | Lucban, Quezon
One of the Philippines’ most colorful harvest festival, May 15th marks that
time of the year when people in Lucban decorate their houses with different-
colored produces in an almost competitive manner.

It’s not uncommon to

see singakamas (turnip), talong (eggplant), sigarilyas (winged bean) and all the
other vegetables and fruits mentioned in the Bahay Kubo song hanging on the
exteriors of their homes. You can actually bring a basket and pick the produce
from the walls for free.
 Pintados Festival
29th of June | Tacloban City
Pintados is another festival in honor of the Sto. Niño (yes, this is the 4th of its
kind in the list). It just goes to show how Filipinos want to be reminded to be
childlike in their ways and to place hope in their children.

This festival has been growing in popularity because of the contingents they
send to the Aliwan Fiesta every year. They don’t fail to amaze. Leyte is also
the home base of other festivals like Alikaraw, Pasaka, and the 2009 Aliwan
Fiesta champions, Buyogan

.
 Kadayawan Festival
3rd week of August | Davao City
Kadayawan comes from the Dabawenyo word “madayaw,” a friendly greeting
which means good or beautiful. Probably the biggest festival in Mindanao,
Kadayawan has everything all other festivals have: street dancing, beauty
pageants, fireworks displays, floral floats.

It is a celebration of Davao‘s as well as the rest of Mindanao’s abundance;

showcasing flowers, fruits, and other produces that abound the country’s
second largest island. Just two years ago, they even introduced a week-long
street food fiesta in Freedom Park, Roxas Avenue called Kaan sa Da’n.
 MassKara Festival
19th of October | Bacolod City
Colorful masks, street dancing, electrical displays and best of all… the sweet
smiles of Bacoleñas! What more could you ask for?

MassKara is a combination of the words “mass” which means “crowd” and

“kara” which means “face.” You will see participants wearing smiling masks
signifying a multitude of smiling faces, solidifying Bacolod’s title as the “City of
Smiles.”

Like Sinulog, it is also swarmed by the younger party crowd as it is

conveniently scheduled during the semester break.
 Festival
Dances
Submitted to:
Mrs. Margarita Domingo Sulian

Submitted by:
Lawrence Jake Bulda
IX- Parrot