Cebu is a province of diverse interests. Being located in a tropical region, beaches can be found here and there making it an ideal vacation getaway for everybody. In contrast, from the south to the northernmost tip of Cebu Province are towns rich in agriculture and history, as well. Accordingly, the Provincial Government has encouraged every town to have a special festival wherein the town’s best is showcased. This could be in the form of cultural heritage, rich history, agriculture as well as specialties such as food delicacies and various handicraft.
the festival…
Browse along as we highlight each town’s festival for you to learn some of Cebu’s best in terms of food, attractions, travel and amazing traditions.
Suroy-Suroy Sugbu
Suroy-suroy sa Sugbu is a pet project spearheaded by Cebu’s present Governor, Honourable Gwendolyn Garcia. This is purposely created to further enhance tourism in the Cebu provinces. Various tour packages are now offered with towns and cities in the province opening their doors to local and foreign tourists to show the best of what their place can offer.
The first package, which is now three years in the running, is the Southern Heritage Trail which features all the southern towns of Cebu Province. This starts at Minglanilla, Naga, San Fernando, Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon (usually for the first day); Santander, Oslob, Samboan, Ginatilan, Alegria, Badian (for the second day); then, Moalboal, Alcantara, Ronda, Dumanjug, Barili, back to Carcar, Talisay, and ends at the Capitol building, which is also the assembly area.
suroy-suroy
Similarly, the Northern Escapade features the towns located at the northern trail of Cebu Province that includes Bantayan and Malapascua Islands which are famous for its pristine beaches, scenic villages as well as old churches and museums. Plus, the Enchanting Camotes tour which feature the scenic four island towns.
Moreover, the latest package addition to Suroy Suroy Sugbu is the Urban Adventure which highlights the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-lapu and Cordova town where tourists are treatedwith island hopping adventure.
Utanon Festival – Dalaguete
The Utanon Festival is Dalaguete’s highlight in celebrating a good harvest through street dancing which is matched with lively music. This festival is named “Utanon” (which means vegetable in English), because Dalaguete’s main livelihood is through growing and selling all kinds of vegetables. The soil in Dalaguete’s highland barangay, is clay loam and its climate is naturally cool, making it an ideal place to grow vegetables and other high-value crops including flowers. In fact, aside from being called “Little Baguio” or “Summer Capital” of Cebu, the town of Mantalongon and Dalaguete as a whole, is known as the unofficial “vegetable bowl” of Cebu province.
Dalaguete Utanon Festival 2008
Their fiesta celebration is held at every 9th and 10th of February, in honour of St. Guillermo, their patron saint. “Utanon” Festival or vegetable in English is a form of thanksgiving because of the abundance of vegetables which contributed to the town’s economic growth and progress. This festival is also to symbolize those vegetables and other crops greatly help Dalaguete’s local economy. It also highlights the role in cultural diversity and the significance of vegetables in the industry. Likewise, as with most festivities, Utanon Festival is characterized by merry street dancing with various contingents from different groups vying for a prize. This makes the celebration much more interesting and challenging for the audience and the contestants, as well.
Kabkaban Festival
Kabkaban Festival is a fiesta procession celebrated by Carcar City (which was recently granted its Cityhood last year), located some 40 km. south of Cebu City. This is actually the highlight of the City’s Fiesta celebration. It features the life of the town’s patron saint, St. Catherine of Alexandria and how her martyrdom led her to become a saint. Generally, the procession starts with carrozas carrying life-size religious statues which depict the Emperor’s marriage proposal to Catherine, the Broken Wheel, the patroness’ beheading and the transport of her body to Mt. Sinai by angels.
Festival of Lights
Kabkaban Festival of Carcar is celebrated with street dancing as dancers wearing colourful costumes, gaily parades around Carcar’s streets.
Kabkaban Festival is not just held to highlight Carcar’s patron saint, but to commemorate the City’s culture, history and livelihood (such as shoemaking and their arts), as well. This celebration is held every 4th week of November. Carcar’s old name, Kabkad, is where the festival’s name was derived from, which is actually a plant from the fern family.
We hope the wonderful Kabkaban Festival will continue to be celebrated in the years to come since it is still a new activity.
Lechon Festival – Talisay City
Innate in Filipinos is the love for the most popular party delicacy– lechon. It is often prepared during festivities and other special events such as weddings, baptisms and birthdays. In fact, a party celebration in the Philippines seems incomplete without lechon. The most popular way of cooking lechon is through placing it on a spit and roasting it with charcoals while occasionally wiping the skin with brush dipped in a combination of herbs and the pig’s own fat. This actually what makes the skin “pop” and crunchy.
lechon for free…
Subsequently, the Cebu lechon has become popular because it is tastier, crispier and “meatier” compared to lechon from other places. Thus, with roasting lechon as one of their common livelihood, Talisay City decided to celebrate their annual fiesta with what they call as the “Inasal” Festival. Their “inasal”, which is the Visayan term for lechon, is known for its mouth-watering golden brown and crackling crispy skin which makes every on-looker salivate with just the sight of it.
Furthermore, the Inasal Festival is not just celebrated to highlight Talisay City’s fiesta which is to honour its patron saint, St. Therese de Avila. It is also purposely spearheaded by government officials to showcase their historical and cultural heritage which would promote the city as a tourist hub and encourage more people to visit this aqua haven. So, the next time October 15 comes, be sure you are there to take part in Talisay City’s fantastic fiesta celebration with street dancing and be sure to grab a taste from their Inasal Festival.
Palawod Festival – Municipality of Bantayan
The whole Bantayan Island (which is composed of three towns namely, Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos), is famous for its festivities during Holy Week, making it a very attractive tourist destination especially to those who like to spend their holidays near seashores. In fact, Bantayan Island’s pearly, white beaches are a constant tourist attraction the whole year round. Plus, night partying in the beaches of Sta. Fe, has become the norm during the Lenten Season since eating of meat is allowed, as decreed by the Church decades before.
Additionally, the Municipality of Bantayan has its own Palawod Festival to commemorate its annual fiesta celebration. The Visayan word, “palawod” means to go out farther into the sea in order to be nearer to schools of fish and thus, catch more haul.
Cebu Governor as goddess of the sea
Every fourth week of June, locals and guests are treated with street dancing that captures and preserves the traditional rituals of fishing which is the basic livelihood of the island. It generally depicts the Bantayanon’s way of life through dance, music and the visual arts. Bantayan, being the centre of trade, arts and culture among the three island towns, honour their patron saints, Peter and Paul through this wonderful festival. Indeed, Palawod signifies the people’s main livelihood, their daily toil, life and pride.
