Posts Tagged ‘cebu philippines’

Who says “its April fool’s Day” during the month of April at the Philippines? The very start of the month the Philippines have already round-off revelries within the archipelago. Take for example the Butanding Festival at Donsol Sorsogon where street parades were held in thanksgiving for the blessings the whale sharks or butanding gave to Sorsogon. And in simultaneous celebrations are the Suroyta festival at Davao city Philippines where everyone have free tours in the city, the Annivesary of Enchanted Kingdom at Laguna Philippines that features fireworks competitions, the Fiesta Pasiklab at Commonwealth Avenue ,Quezon City Philippines where it highlights and celebrates the twelve famous and known festivals in the Philippines like the Ati-atihan Festival of Aklan Philippines, the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo Philippines, the Higantes festival of Angono Philippines, the Pahiyas Festival of Lucban Quezon Philippines, the Kadayawan Festival at Davao city Philippines, the  Viva Vigan Festival of Ilocos Sur Philippines, the Masskara Festival of  Bacolod Philippines, the Hermosa Festival of Zamboanga city Philippines, the Penafrancia Festival of Naga City Philippines, the Parada ng Lechon of  Batangas Philippines, the Pintados Festival of Tacloban City Philippines, and the Sinulog festival of Cebu Philippines; the Human Canvas Body Competition held at Mandaluyong city inside SM Megamall that celebrates body arts in order to drive out the misconception that this kind of Art is pornography.

Another April 1 celebration is the Banana Festival of Negros Occidental at La Castellana where of course showcases different varieties of banana. And the Kesong Puti Festival of Sta. Cruz Laguna Philippines also celebrates this festival beginning April 1, which of course features the Kesong Puti or White Cheese made from the carabao’s milk.

April 1 in the Philippines is not a ‘fool’s Day’ but the start of the April Festivities in the Philippines. But the Festivals which I mentioned above never stop at April 1 only but continue on the succeeding days of celebration.

Following the April 1 revelries is the Agricultural and Industrial festival in Liliw Laguna Philippines which parades floats relating to agriculture and industry. This festival is called Liliw Gat Tayaw Footwear Festival. This festival is held during April 3 which showcases of course Liliw’s agricultural and industrial products.

Another April Festival is the ASEAN Paragames which is held during April 7 -9 at Zamboanga city Philippines,however, it can also change the location of the games. It a Paralethics games of the paralethic of Visayas Philippines and Mindanao Philippines. Along with this Visayas and Mindanao festival is the National Invitational Skimboarding Competition being held at Misamis Oriental.

Of course, April festivities in the Philippines will not be completed without the April’s main event in the Philippines, that is, the Araw ng Kagitingan Day which is held at April 9. I thought this is a National Holiday in the Philippines. It celebrates the defense and bravery of the Filipino soldiers to defend Bataan Philippines, which eventually fall into the hands of the conquering foreigners.

There are still April festivities in the Philippines which we could no longer discuss on this brief article.

From the Philippines’ conglomerated culture into its division island per island, the Philippines sprang up a multitude of colorful variety of festivals within the entire archipelago. Each island and places in the Philippines are proud to have their respective colorful festivals they could contribute to Philippines’ culture and tourist’s attractions. Their respective festivals have sprung up in accordance to the culture they have influenced by the conquering foreigners then.

So therefore, if you are planning to discover what festal activities Filipinos are busy of Here are our lists of them that you could reckon.

January Festivities

1. First of All, the Sto.Nino Festival – this festival is held almost nationwide, however it is mostly revel at Cebu Philippines. In Cebu Philippines it is called Sinulog Festival. This festival is held by dressing a two hundred Sto.Nino statue (they called Child Jesus) in many different ways and parades them on the streets or held processions of them.
2. The Bulaklakan Festival – this Philippine festival is held during January 01 at Muntinlupa City Manila Philippines. It is a yearly parade of different flowers.
3. The Feast of the Black Nazarene – this feast is held at Quiapo Manila Philippines during January 09 at Quiapo church wherein a black Nazarene statue is being parade and millions of devotees of it flock into this statue to ask blessing. Believing that this black Nazarene statue have powers to heal and bless them once they touch it.
4. Biniray Festival – this Philippine festival is also called Ati-Atihan Festival. This festival is held every January 09 at Romblon Philippines. This festival is similar with Sto.Nino festival – a feast in honor of Sto.Nino. However, there are also similar festivals like this across the Philippines. That is, Ati-atihan in Aklan, Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo Philippines, Halaran Festival of Capiz Philippines, Binirayan Festival of Antique Philippines, and MassKara Festival of Bacolod Philippines. It seems they copied one another, but anyway it is still in the Philippines.
5. The Lingayen Gulf Landing Anniversary or Commemoration – this activity is held at Lingayen Pangasinan during January 09. This celebrates the return of General Douglas MacArthur at the shore of Lingayen on January 09, 1945.This historical return marks the liberation of Pangasinan Philippines from Japanese occupation.
6. Coconut Festival – this Philippine festival is held at San Pablo Laguna Philippines. It is celebrated in a “mardi-gras celebration” to pay tribute to Laguna Philippines’ main crop – the Coconut.
7. Caracol Festival – held every January 19 at Glorietta Makati city Philippines. This festival invites anyone to come out of their respective shell (Caracol : Spanish term for snail) and make revelry and merrymaking.
8. Chinese New Year – held at January 30 –February 2 at almost nationwide but basically at Binondo Philippines and at Chinese garden at Rizal Park at Manila Philippines.

February Festivities

1. National Arts Month –tribute to Filipino talents and creativity, held at Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila Philippines.
2. Kite Festival – held during February 02 at Dumaguete City Philippines in Mariano Perdices Memorial Coliseum. Every year a kite flying competition held here.
3. Pamulinawen – this festival is held in honor of Saint William the Hermit at Laoag city, Ilocos Norte Philippines during February 2 -11.
4. Chinese Food Festival – in celebration of Chinese New Year held at Makati city during February 03 -05.

The Visayas Pride: Cebu Philippines

Cebu Philippines is the Visayan counterpart of the Philippines’ Northern or Luzon Pride, the Manila Philippines. Similarly, both are the capital city of their respective regions in the Philippine archipelago. Moreover, both have historical importance in the Philippine history and their phoenix-like ascension from the rubble and ashes of their past historical deaths.

Before Cebu Philippines become the known city of the Visayan region today and before it was discovered by Magellan and his colleagues, it is just an island of commerce by the natives inhabited by it. The natives call it Sugbo or Zubu. Magellan perchance stumbles upon it by just a mere purpose of Trade and his search for the Spice Islands. This consequently brought the famous Philippine historical tale of Magellan-Lapu-Lapu war. Lapu-Lapu then become the heroic figure of Cebu wherein he was immortalized in the history of Cebu,in the famous shrine of Magellan Cross in the Cebu city itself, and a statue in his similitude erected at Punta Engano Mactan island Cebu Philippines. This is called the Lapu-Lapu Shrine which has a 20 meter bronze statue in his similitude.

However, despite that Lapu-Lapu’s heroic deeds against Magellan who conquered their islands, Magellan’s indoctrination of Roman Catholicism among the natives of Cebu becomes ironically the most embrace and capital religion of Cebuanos, though Lapu-Lapu who have his own religion struggle to fight against the influence of Magellan to their islands. It seems, virtually, Lapu-lapu’s fight is not honored by the Cebuanos.

That is just a part of what you can expect when you arrive at the Cebu islands – vestiges of Spanish conquest and influence. Like Manila Philippines, Cebu has also some tourist spots which tourist flocks. For example, the Lapu-Lapu Shrine which we have mention above. Moreover, there are also beautiful beaches and Hotels as well in the islands which tourists could expect. There is also diving safaris along the coastlines of the island, which a diving enthusiast tourist could enjoy.

There are also Spanish inspired festivities held in Cebu which a tourist could enjoy, like the famous Sinulog festival held every January 3 in honor of the graven- image of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu which Magellan has brought into Cebu culture. The Kadaugan sa Mactan festival is the re-enactment of the historic battle between Lapu-Lapu and Magellan held every 27th of April at the Mactan island. The Nuestra Señora de Regla Fiesta held every November 20 to 21 at Lapu-Lapu city. There are other festivities which Cebuanos and tourist alike could enjoy you could check them up on Cebu’s travel guide when you arrive there.

As we have said earlier above that Cebu and Manila have similarities with each other, like Manila, Cebu Philippines is the main center of trade and commerce in the Visayan region of the Philippines. Consequently because of its availability and viability to trade and do commerce on it, for it has become so since back then on its earliest histories, Cebu Philippines has become the business shipping capital of the Philippines. For 80 % of Philippines domestic and international shipping is located in it. Major Industries were located on it, similarly to Manila, like the Pentax Corporation, Timex Philippines, Mitsumi, Olympus, Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, NEC Technologies, Lexmark International, Lexmark Philippines Inc., Aboitiz Group of Companies, Gaisano Group of Companies, Norkis Group of Companies, and so many other multinational companies.

Cebu Philippines have its own domestic airlines,The Cebu pacific airlines.