Festivity and Inclusion at the 2025 Bambanti Festival

A decorative arch at the main venue of the festival at the Isabela Capitol Complex in Ilagan City (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Recognition and inclusion, especially of the long-marginalized LGBTIQ+ community, were emphasized in this year’s celebration of Isabela’s Bambanti Festival, held from January 19 to 25, 2025. 

“The theme of Bambanti Festival 2025, ‘Ang Piyesta ng Bagong Pilipinas,’ will be focusing on inclusivity, solidarity, and equitability of Isabeleños in terms of being able to unite themselves towards a better future path ng Isabela, in terms of agriculture, in terms of culture, in terms of arts, heritage, and tourism,” explained Nilo Agustin, the overall creative director of the festival.

            He also revealed that in several events of the festival, LGBTIQ+ participation and representation were required. This would be the first time that LGBTIQ+ concern was pushed in the local government-organized, touristic and cultural festival of the province in northeastern Luzon.   

            But the festival remains to be a tribute to the farmers of the largely agricultural province. Its name is from the Ilocano word for the “scarecrow,” a common object in fields and farms during harvest season, transformed into an icon of the festival, construed as a symbol of the farmers’ diligence and resilience and as protector and guardian not only of crops but also of the province. The image of scarecrow and its meanings serve as the overall theme and motif of the festival.  

The Bambanti Festival started in 1997 by then governor Benjamin Dy to celebrate the founding anniversary of Isabela. Conceived by his wife, Cecilia La Madrid Dy, it was also intended to promote Isabela as well as its heritage of agriculture and culture.

Initially, the festival was held in May for several years, but it has been postponed a few times because of the elections, which are held in May.  It was not held from 2005 to 2010, when journalist Grace Padaca became governor of Isabela breaking the political dominance of the Dy family. The festival was also not held in 2021 and 2022, because of the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions against big gatherings. 

            In 2011, then governor Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, brother of Benjamin, revived the festival and moved its celebration to January. In 2019, governor Rodolfo “Rodito” T. Albano III sanctioned the celebration of the Bambanti Festival yearly. 

            Among the festival’s achievements are winning the Best Festival Practices and Performance award at the Aliw Awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and achieving the Guinness World Record for the most number of people assembled dressed as scarecrows in 2019.

            Now, the Bambanti Festival continues to be held with Bojie G. Dy III, who is currently the province’s vice governor, serving as its director general. It has grown over the years. Last year, it was able to attract more than 250,000 attendees, according to provincial tourism officer Joanne Dy Maranan. While it is now the biggest festival in the Cagayan Valley Region, Dy and Agustin planned it to be the biggest in the Philippines.

            Like other modern-day festivals in the country, the Bambanti Festival had a full slate of events including a fair, street dancing, sports tournaments, a beauty pageant, shows and different kinds of contests and gatherings, mostly held in the capital city of Ilagan.

 

Ambassadors Attend

            This year’s festival was made special with the attendance of a diplomatic delegation consisting of 38 diplomats, including 21 ambassadors, two chargés d’affaires, and one Deputy Chief of Mission, and their spouses from 24 countries, including Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam. They were welcomed by governor Rodolfo “Rodito” T. Albano and his wife, Mylene Garcia Albano, Philippine ambassador to Japan. 

            Accompanied by Department of Foreign Affairs officials, the diplomats participated in a trade forum; explored tourism, trade and investment possibilities; engaged with the province’s local government and business officials; and joined in the celebration.

            They also embarked on a familiarization tour on January 24 and 25, visiting Isabela’s heritage and tourist sites as well as the Philippine Crocodile Conservation Center in San Mariano, Nagkaisang Magsasaka ng Isabela Agriculture Cooperative rice mill in Cauayan City, Universal Leaf Philippines factory in Reina Mercedes, and Mr. Moo’s Dairy Farm in Ilagan City.

            This is the first time that the province hosted such a sizable diplomatic gathering. 

 

The Bambanti Village

Trade and tourism fairs are regular features of modern-day festivals, comprising booths of different barangays or towns. Over time, these booths become more spectacular and attractions themselves.

During the Bambanti Festival, the Bambanti Village was set up at the Isabela Provincial Capitol Compound for the Agri-Ecotourism and Giant Bambanti Installations Exhibit and Sale, showing the different produce and products of the different towns as well as the creativity of local designers and artisans in the designs of the booths and bambanti installations. At night, the 34 agricultural and tourism booths with giant bambanti installations were lit up, delighting visitors who took endless selfies. For the first time, representation of the LGBTIQ+ community was clearly expressed in a giant bambanti installation, particularly that of Alicia’s. 

            The best booths and giant bambanti installations were recognized on January 24, during the finale of the Bambanti Festival street-dancing competition. (An article, “Colors and creativity at the Bambanti Village,” was previously published on February 4, 2025, and can be read at https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/03/colors-and-creativity-at-the-bambanti-village).

 

Festival King and Queen Creative Costumes Competition

            In the Bambanti Festival, competitions were created for the festival kings and queens and another for their costumes, the Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costume Competition, which showcased spectacular designs interpreting local cultures, promoting touristic festivals, and making use of local materials.

The Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costume exhibit, together with the Queen Isabela Creative Attire exhibit, was mounted and was on view at the Northstar Mall in Alibagu, Ilagan City, from January 20 to 22. The Bambanti 2025 Festival King and Queen Presentation was held at the Queen Isabela Park on 23 January, featuring pairs of entries from 13 municipalities and cities—Roxas, Jones, Cauayan City, Palanan, Echague, Alicia, Ilagan City, Santo Tomas, San Manuel, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Luna, and San Isidro. (An article, “Creative costumes articulate touristic festivals and local cultures,” was previously published on February 3 and can be read at https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/02/creative-costumes-articulate-tourist-festivals-and-local-cultures).

            

Queen Isabela Beauty Pageant

            The Philippines is known for its fondness for beauty pageants, which are a staple in many fiestas and now a fixture in modern-day festivals. The Queen Isabela beauty pageant is one of the highlights of the Bambanti Festival. 

            Having secured a franchise of Miss Universe Philippines, Queen Isabela will be sending this year’s winner as the province’s official candidate to the Miss Universe Philippines contest.

            The pageant was held at the newly-opened, 10,000-seat indoor stadium Capital Arena in Ilagan City on January 22. It was notable for featuring the Ilocano handwoven textile or inabel. 

Ilocano textile weaving is practiced in the province, along with other hand-weaving traditions of other ethnic groups such as the Gaddang. According to Isabela officials, Ilocano weaving is confined in only one town, Quezon. 

The cloth was used in making the official gowns of the 33 candidates of the pageant. Prominent designer Albert Andrada was tapped to design the gowns.

            At the end of the pageant, Filipino-Indian student, Jarina Sandhu, from Cauayan City was crown as Queen Isabela and designated as Isabela’s official Miss Universe Philippines candidate. 

            The roster of winners included Queen Isabela Tourism 2025 Mhira Angelene Valenciano from Cordon; Queen Isabela Culture and the Arts 2025 Johnlene E. Ariola from Ilagan City; first runner-up Jhudiel Eunesse Taguinod from Echague City; and second runner-up Criselle Anne Gregorio from Ramon. 

 

Makan ken Mainum ti Isabela Competition

            The Makan ken Mainum Competition is the main culinary event of the Bambanti Festival, where promising young cooks and chefs can showcase their skills in using local ingredients and innovating on traditional dishes.  

            Now on its tenth year, the contest is spearheaded by chef Mary Ann Arcega-Dy, wife of Bojie Dy, and includes two categories, Makan (food) and Mainum (beverage).

“Makan ken Mainum is a very important component activity of the annual Bambanti Festival celebration. It aims to discover signature dishes and beverages of the Isabeleños na puwede nating ipagmalaki sa ating probinsiya (that we can be proud of) not only in Isabela, but in the entire country,” explained Arcega-Dy. “And this year in Makan ken Mainum competition, we shine a spotlight on something that embodies the soul of Isabela. Sa araw na po ito, gagamitin po natin ang kakao or kakao powder sa ating (Today, we will use cacao or cacao powder in our) Mainum category, and the much awaited and exciting part of the competition as we unveil the mystery box in the Makan cooking category.”

“May this competition remind and inspire us all to continue cultivating the values and traditions that make Isabela truly one of a kind,” she enthused. 

            Twenty-two teams from different municipalities and cities competed in this year’s contest, held on January 23 at the Bambanti Village. Aside from incorporating ingredients of the mystery box into their entries, another requirement this year was having at least one LGBTIQ+ member as part of their team.

            The mystery box was revealed to contain the pinilisa variety of rice from Jones and locally grown squash. 

            The team from Tumauini emerged victorious in the Makan category. Other teams placing in the same category were the teams from Cordon (second), San Mateo (third), Santiago City (fourth), and Burgos (fifth).

            In the Mainum category, the team from Luna bagged the first place, followed by the teams from Alicia (second), Tumauini (third), Cauayan City (fourth), and San Isidro (fifth).

 

Street Dancing and Showdown Competition

            The highlight of the Bambanti Festival was the Street Dance and Festival Dance Showdown Competitions at Isabela Sports Complex on 24 January at Isabela Sports Complex.

Thirteen contingents competed with dancers in colorful costumes. This year, the swing jazz style was incorporated in the dance movements which depicted the bambanti, farming life and local lore.

            Two set of winners were declared in the Street Dance portion, Category A (for cities and first-class municipalities) and in Category B (for second- and third-class municipalities). The contingent from Jones took the first place in Category A, followed by the contingents from Ilagan City (second), Echague (third), Alicia (fourth), and Cauayan City (fifth). In Category B, the group from Luna emerged on top, followed by the contingents from Santa Maria (second), Santo Tomas (third), San Manuel (fourth), and San Isidro (fifth).

            In the Festival Dance Showdown portion, the Ilagan City contingent clinched the first place in Category A, while the Luna contingent topped in Category B. The Category A roster of winners included Echague (second), Alicia (third), Cauayan City (fourth), and Roxas (fifth), while Category B included Santa Maria (second), San Isidro (third), San Pablo (fourth), and Santo Tomas (fifth).

            A special award, Foreign Ambassadors’ Choice in Dance Showdown, was given to the Ilagan City contingent, the while the Jones contingent was bestowed the Foreign Ambassadors’ Choice in Street Showdown award.

            The event was graced by Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) president Kaye C. Tinga, CCP Board of Trustees vice chairperson Ma. Carissa Coscolluela, and National Commission for Culture and the Arts chairman Victorino M. Manalo.

            After the street dance and showdown event, winners of the different competitions were revealed in a grand awarding ceremony led by governor Albano and vice governor Dy. Ilagan City was declared the overall winner with their nine wins, bagging P1 million worth of funding for projects. Other winners were Luna (first runner-up), earning project funding of P750,000; Cauayan City (second runner-up), winning project funding worth P500,000; Alicia (third runner-up), receiving project funding valued at P300,000; and Echague (fourth runner-up), awarded with project funding worth P100,000.

 

Musical Events and a Grand Concert

            Every night during the festival, shows were held at the Queen Isabela Park—“Acoustic Night,” featuring Over October, ShortNoticed Unplugged, and DJ Dom; “Rap Night,” featuring Kiddotin, Robledo Timido, Dyco and Halfway Velocity; “Battle of the Bands,” featuring Midnight Cravings, Farah, Rivals of Tomorrow, Bandila, 5id, Myx-Ture, Reverie, Kahidlaw, Maria, and Banyuhay; “Acoustic Night 2,” featuring the MYMP and Marya Klara; “Ginuman Night,” featuring Hale, Shao Lin, Nik Makino, and Cosmic Superstition; and the finale, featuring Maki, Pulse Melody and DJ Mayel.

The Bambanti Musical 2025 was held after street dance and showdown event, featuring Pinopela, Lara Maigue, Gian Magdangal, Alyn Magadia-Dela Cruz, Nonoy Peña, Ralph Angelo Babaran, and the Whiplash Dance Company. 

The following night, the Bambanti Grand Concert capped the festival, showcasing Ely Buendia, Bea Alonzo, Moonstar88, and Regasco Rappers. The event was graced by former senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino. 

 

A Success

            Dy expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to make the 2025 Bambanti Festival possible and the hosting of diplomats a success during a convocation at the provincial capitol on January 27.

“Ang tagumpay na ito ay hindi lamang tagumpay ng ating lalawigan, kundi tagumpay ng bawat Isabeleño na nagpakita ng talento, sipag, at dedikasyon upang maipamalas ang ganda at yaman ng ating kultura sa harap ng mga dignitaryo (This success is not only the success of the province, but the success of every Isabeleño who gave their talent, diligence and dedication to show the beauty and richness of our culture to the dignitaries),” he said.

The street dancing contingent from Cauayan City (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The group from Roxas ready for the street dancing competition (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The rousing perfromance of the San Pablo contingent (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The dance of the Santo Tomas contingent promoting their Inatata Festival (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Echague group clinched prizes at the street dancing and showdown competitions (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The Makan ken Mainum Competion (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Ely Buendia sang iconic Eraserheads sings during the Bambanti Grand Concert at the Isabela Sports Complex (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Grand fireworks capped the last two nights of the Bambanti Festival (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The winners of the the Queen Isabela Pageant 2025 (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Isabela provincial tourism officer Joanne Dy Maranan, Isabela vice governor Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, Bambanti Festival creative director Nilo Agustin and fashion designer Albert Andrada

The Bambanti Village at the Isabela Capitol Complex was a main attraction (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Colors and Creativity at the Bambanti Village

The Bamabanti Village was a popular attarction of Isabela's Bambanti Festival (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Beside the agricultural and tourism booth of the town of Alicia was its giant bambanti (scarecrow) installation, made of dry rice stalks and grains, depicting a farmer holding a bigao, a woven winnowing pan. It wore a hat and skirt in rainbow colors. 

“The municipality of Alicia boasts of gender sensitivity. This shows that Alicia wants to include the LGBTQ+ in its ascension to progress. Let us not belittle the economic contributions of this group in the town,” its statement said. 

For the first time, representation of the LGBTIQ+ community was clearly expressed in a giant bambanti installation, as the Bambanti Festival 2025 highlighted inclusion. The bambanti as well as the booth highlighted the town being as the “rice granary” of lsabela. 

            Alicia’s booth was one of the 34 agricultural and tourism booths with giant bambanti installations that participated in the trade and tourism fair at the Bambanti Village. The fair was one of the most attended attractions of the Bambanti Festival of the province of Isabela in northern Luzon.

Inspired by the scarecrow, called bambanti in Ilocano, and said to pay homage to agriculture and workers, the festival was created in 1997 and has grown to be the biggest touristic and cultural event in the Cagayan Valley Region with a series of events and activities including the fair.  

            Most modern and local government-organized festivals in the Philippines featured trade fairs, where local products and cultures are showcased. Many feature booths of different barangays or towns, and over time, these booths become more spectacular and attractions themselves. Competitions among the best booths are also held.     

            The Bambanti Village is a prominent example. Aside from the booths, which mostly made of local materials, the village also sports giant installations of the bambanti or interpretations of the bambanti. 

In this year’s Bambanti festival, which was held from 19 to 25 January, the Bambanti Village was again set up at Isabela Provincial Capitol Compound, serving as a one-stop destination of the province’s best offerings and drawing crowds. At night, the booths lit up, delighting visitors who took endless selfies. 

            The fair also became a venue for artists, designers and craftsmen to showcase their creativity in making the booths that best highlight local produce, heritage and cultures.   

            The booth of San Pablo featured its heritage structures— the casa real and the

Ruins of Saint Paul the Apostle Parish Church—as well as a local product, chicharong baka, which covered the booth and bambanti installation. 

            The colorful booth of Roxas sported a crown that depicted the vegetables and other ingredients used in making the Ilocano dish pinakbet, as the town regularly holds the Pinakbet Festival. Its bambanti installation was in the form of the wasay-wasay or praying mantis to symbolize “the resilience, industriousness and solidarity of our people to build a stronger and

More progressive Isabela sa Bagong Pilipinas” and their thanksgiving to God. 

            Another insect was the inspiration behind the booth of Tumauini, described as “abaling head-shaped structure crafted from banig (palm),” explaining that the “abaling or tateg (salagubang in Tagalog) is the grub or larva of the abal-abal or sibbaweng. They come out from the soil in the month of May after the early rains have softened the ground. These are usually found and gathered near or on river banks in the rainy seasons which only lasts for two weeks. It is considered as exotic food in Cagayan Valley.” 

            On the other hand, its bambanti installation showed how abaling is an agricultural pest, explaining that it “highlights the locals’ appreciation for nature's duality. The abaling insect, though considered a pest, is also a sought-after exotic delicacy among the Ibanags. Deep fried abaling is a flavorful and beloved dish, symbolizing the community's ability to turn adversity into opportunity.”

The Maconacon booth’s design was “inspired by the ruins of industrial buildings and the long stretch of the rain forest of Sierra Madre,” explaining that the “remnants of the company named Acme, owned by Filipino and Chinese businessmen, can still be found in the barangay of Malasin” and that the town was called a “city in the jungle” because of “Acme Group of Firms' presence in the 1960s as a producer of plywood and other wood by-products, a significant economic driver and providing thousands of jobs in the area.”

            “Apart from the economic and employment contribution from 1965 to 1992, Sierra Madre mountain range was exploited due to the volume of trees cut down to the processed and converted into products. A group of rebels or NPA assaulted and destroyed the entire factory in December 1992, leaving behind ashes, coals, and smoldering equipment,” the booth’s information sheet said.  “Years after the destruction, nature began its quiet yet determined healing process. As the once-bustling remnants of the logging company were slowly reclaimed by the land, with vines, trees, and shrubs weaving through the decaying structures as if nature was rewriting the story.”

            Maconacon’s bambanti installation depicted the Philippine eagle, explaining that the eagle’s “presence in the municipality is an indication that the forest is still a healthy environment and a haven for various wildlife species,” and that it “represents courage, strength and greatness of the Maconaconian people despite the natural disasters…”

The booth of the provincial capital, Ilagan, promoted as the “Corn Capital of the Philippines,” was described to be “in its ultra-modern, minimalist design,” while the bambanti installation was said to be a “work of art in its amazing stylized body-form of twirled wires—truly an image of modernization in the tradition of the old, amidst the vast farm lands, corn fields and grazelands.”

            The rest of the booths all also had their own stories to tells about their towns, making the village also a venue for learning.

The best booths and giant bambanti installations were recognized on 24 January, during the finale of the Bambanti Festival street dancing competition. Two set of winners were revealed for the booths and installations—in Category A (for cities and first-class municipalities) and in Category B (for second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-class municipalities).

Ilagan City clinched the first place in Category A of the Best Agri-Tourism Booth, followed by Cauayan City (second place), Alicia (third), Tumauini (fourth) and Palanan (fifth). In Category B, Cordon emerged victorious. Also recognized were San Pablo (second place), Quezon (third), Divilacan (fourth) and Maconacon (fifth).

In the Best Giant Bambanti Installation, Ilagan City again bagged the first place in Category A while Gamu topped Category B. Other winners were Alicia (second place), Tumauini (third), Cauayan City (fourth) and Jones (fifth) in Category A, and Cordon (second), Luna (third), San Agustin (fourth) and Quezon (fifth) in Category B.

The Bambanti Village came alive at night with lights (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The giant bambanti installation of Alicia expressing inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ community (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The booth of Roxas depicted ingredients of the pinakbet and its bambanti installation was in the form of the praying mantis (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The San Pablo booth covered in chicharong baka (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The booths of San Guillermo and Luna (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The giant bambanti installation of Gamu was in thr form of a horse (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The booths of Alicia and Palanan with its revolving door (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

In the booth of Burgos, a map of the grains produced in Isabela (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Local kakanins, inatata and binallay, offered in the Ilagan City booth (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Read the article published in the Daily Tribune:  https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/03/colors-and-creativity-at-the-bambanti-village

Bambanti Festival’s Creative Costumes Articulate Touristic Festivals and Local Cultures

Bambanti Festival 2025 King and Queen Creative Attire Exhibit at a mall in Ilagan City

    Elaborate and spectacular costumes have increasingly become anticipated attractions in many touristic and cultural festivals in the Philippines. Usually worn by contestants in beauty pageants and street dancing competitions, these costumes make manifest the creativity of local designers, interpreting local cultures and cultural icons through textiles and other materials. 

            Costumes have earned themselves a separate event at the Bambanti Festival of the province of Isabela in northern Luzon. Inspired by the local scarecrow and said to pay homage to agriculture workers, the festival was created in 1997 and has grown to be the biggest touristic and cultural event in the Cagayan Valley Region with a fat slate of different events. One of these events is the Bambanti Festival King and Queen Presentation. 

            The festival king and queen are the lead performers or symbolic leaders of a contingent in the street dancing parade and competition. Most likely, this practice of having a festival king and queen started with the Sinulog Festival of Cebu, and was adopted in several festivals.   

            In the Bambanti Festival, a separate competition was created for the festival kings and queens and another for their costumes, the Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costume Competition. This year’s festival, which was held from January 19 to 25, 2025, featured entries from thirteen municipalities and cities.

The Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costume exhibit, together with the Queen Isabela Creative Attire exhibit, was mounted and was on view at the Northstar Mall in Alibagu, Ilagan City, from January 20 to 22 for the public to see the costumes up close. The Bambanti 2025 Festival King and Queen Presentation was held at the Queen Isabela Park on January 23. 

The participating municipalities and cities were Roxas, Jones, Cauayan City, Palanan, Echague, Alicia, Ilagan City, Santo Tomas, San Manuel, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Luna, and San Isidro. Most of the costumes represented their recently created touristic festivals.

Ilagan City’s costumes were designed by Mark Anthony B. Baliao and paid tribute to the mammangi, the corn farmers, while San Isidro’s costumes, called Luntian, were designed by Ryan Malagayo Español from San Jose, Nueva Ecija, who is frequently commissioned to create costumes. Made of different materials such as rattan and palay (unhusked rice and rice stalks), San Isidro’s costumes were meant to symbolize rich harvest and pay homage to agriculture and other sources of livelihood.

Español also designed the costumes of Roxas. Called Siklab ng Roxas, they depicted the native hut and vegetable ingredients of the Ilocano dish pinakbet as the municipal government annually holds the Pinakbet Festival. 

Designed by Mark Anthony S. Pimentel, Luna’s costumes, called Piedra Artistica, showed the town’s Bato Art Festival. “Here in Luna, where stones are symbols of strength and art brings life to dreams, resilience and creativity shine brighter than ever,” their statement enthused.

San Pablo’s entry, called The Majestic and Magical Baka Warriors and designed by Juan Clarra from Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, depicted the municipality’s Baka (cow) Festival, which started in 2004 and promotes the cow’s milk industry. The festival king and queen costumes were described as “futuristic and magical baka warrior[s]” 

“The three-dimensional and life-size cow warrior costume is a celebration of the wonderful magic that cow gives to the people of San Pablo. The ensemble was made out of environmental-friendly materials, diamond mats, mirror carpets and fabric. Giving emphasis to the costume are crystal and wooden beads which are individually laid together that aims to portray hope and illuminate faith in every Isabelinos heart,” their statement said.

            The costumes were also meant to symbolize “the interrelatedness of the cow and human being,” with the headdress symbolizing “the importance of the circle of life which means that everything humans have needed to survive and thrive was provided by the natural world.” 

            The costumes of San Manuel were also designed by Clarra. The Kalabajuan: A Salute to the Carabao and Farmers of San Manuel costumes promoted the Cariada Festival, “a celebration of bountiful harvest because of rice farming” that “showcases the tradition of carrying cavans of rice from fields going to the kamalig, which was made possible with a carabao-pulled sled or kariton,” after which a “feast was usually prepared and tendered by the landowners to the kargadores and tenants, their humblest way of celebrating and thanking the Lord for a bountiful harvest,” their statement narrated.

The costumes were “a tribute to the golden harvest of our farmers and it pays homage to the carabao which is of great help and company of our dearest farmers in the fields.” The design aimed to show “how our diligent, resilient and vigilant farmers meticulously transport their harvest.” They were “embellished with green and gold shimmer fabric and details representing the green fields of San Manuel and the golden grains and recognitions that the municipality had through the years,” and “also detailed with scarecrows which symbolizes protection and embodying the farmer's effort to safeguard their livelihood.”

“Lastly, the bold, solid and structural masterpiece implies the strength, patience and hard work of the carabao being the backbone of our farmers who are among the pillars of the town's dynamic economy,” the statement emphasized. 

The costumes of Santa Maria highlighted the Mabbanga Festival, with the headdress and headpiece, “showcasing elements of Santa Maria's pottery craftsmanship,” featuring “vibrant colors, mimicking the hues of local pottery and agricultural produce, with embellishments resembling clay pots, traditional patterns, and recyclable materials.” The worn backdrop “captures the essence of Santa Maria's agricultural landscape, celebrating its bountiful harvests and fertile lands,” incorporating “flowing fabrics that represent the movement of crops swaying in the wind, with appliqué details mimicking corn husks and bundles of harvested produce.”

Designer Alvin Floralde Pasion described the costumes for Santo Tomas: “When worn, this attire transforms the wearer into a living emblem of the Inatata Festival's spirit. The flowing fabrics, tactile elements, and interactive features invite others to celebrate, connect, and share in the joy. It's not just clothing—it's a moving story, a wearable tribute to heritage and innovation.”

Designed by Danny Ross Trinidad, Jones’ costumes, called Alay, highlighted the local rice variety, the pinilisa. 

“The boy's attire features a deer, symbolizing a significant offering made in thanksgiving for the abundant yield, while the girl holds a chicken, a traditional token of gratitude for prosperity and sustenance,” he described.

Other features of the design were the “kariton traditionally used by farmers to transport rice, emphasizing the agricultural roots of the Pinilisa Festival and paying tribute to the hard work and dedication of the farmers of Jones, Isabela,” and the rice mill, “symbolizing progress and the crucial role of rice processing in the community's livelihood.”

“The ensemble is adorned with representations of the heads of four elders (Gaddang, Ibanag, Yogad, and Itawes) highlighting the deep ties to the cultural heritage and ancestral wisdom of Jones, Isabela,” he further said.

Cauayan City's costumes were inspired by indigenous culture and guided by sustainability. Their statement said, “At the core of the design is the recurring circle motif, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all living things and the cyclical nature of existence. This motif reflects indigenous values of sustainability while aligning with global aspirations, as outlined by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Geometric patterns rooted in indigenous heritage are interwoven with accents that showcase Cauayan City's initiatives in responsible consumption, climate action, and sustainable development.”

The name of the pair of costumes of the coastal town of Palanan, Ibay, is a Paranan term for the Agta people, who are indigenous to the area. Made mostly of sabutan or pandan, the attire “is a testament to the Agta people's deep connection with nature, as then have thrived for generations amidst Palanan’s majestic mountains, lush forests, and pristine shorelines.” Other Agta accessories were also added. 

The culture of the indigenous Yogad people, particularly their hunting and weaving practices, thus the name, Manganup annu Manannun (The Hunter and the Weaver), was the inspiration behind Echague’s costume entries, designed by Harold S. Dela Cruz for the festival queen and Kennedy Jhon T. Gasper for the festival king.

Designed by Michael Barassi, Alicia’s costumed symbolized “the town's success in achieving a bountiful harvest particularly as the top rice producer in the province. It also emphasizes the pride and unity of the local community in their shared achievements, showcasing Alicia as a beacon of progress and prosperity within Isabela giving birth to Pagay Festival.”

            The winners for the Best Festival King, Best Festival Queen, Best Festival King Costume, Best Festival Queen Costume, in Category A (for cities and first-class municipalities) and Category B (for second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-class municipalities), were revealed at the finale of the Bambanti Festival street dancing competition on January 24.

Ilagan City bagged the first place in Category A of both the Best Festival King and Best Festival Queen contests. It was followed by Cauayan City (second), Jones (third), Alicia (fourth) and Echague (fifth). On the other hand, Luna emerged as the first-place winner in Category B in both the Best Festival King and Best Festival Queen contests. It was followed by Santa Maria (second), San Manuel (third), San Pablo (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth) in the Best Festival King contest, and Santa Maria (second), San Pablo (third), San Manuel (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth) in the Best Festival Queen contest

In the Best Festival King Costume contest, Category A, the winners are Palanan (first), Echague (second), Ilagan (third), Alicia (fourth) and Jones (fifth). In the Best Festival Queen Costume contest, Category A, the winners are Palanan (first), Ilagan (second), Echague (third), Alicia (fourth), and Jones (fifth).

In Category B, winners of the Best Festival King Costume contest are San Manuel (first), San Pablo (second), Luna (third), San Isidro (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth), while the winners of Best Festival Queen Costume contests are San Manuel (first), Luna (second), San Pablo (third), San Isidro (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth).

Costumes from Ilagan City were a nod to its main produce, the corn (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

San Manuel's festival king and queen depicting carabaos, which are important to agriculture (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

San Pablo's festival king as a 'cow warrior' (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The elaborate costume of the festival king of San Isidro, depicting agriculture and other products (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festival king and queen costumes of Santo Tomas (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festival king and queen from Santa Maria in costumes highlighting pottery (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festival king and queen of Luna wearing costumes promoting their Bato Art Festival (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

*Published in the Daily Tribune. Read at https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/02/creative-costumes-articulate-tourist-festivals-and-local-cultures.

Ilagan City Iconifies Corn Farming and Celebrates Local Culture in Mammangi Festival 2024

Ilagan City is proclaimed Corn Capital of the Philippines (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Poblacion Cluster 2 emerged as the overall champion of the Mammangi Festival Street Dance and Showdown Competition (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Fireworks lit up the sky capping the Mammangi Festival Street Dance and Showdown program (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Stationed at a small park along a main highway, the giant replica of the butaka has become familiar to residents and travelers in the northeastern part of Luzon Island, making the hefty Spanish-era chair with long arms and a slating back, said to be used for resting and birthing, a cultural icon of Ilagan City. But as you go around the capital of the sprawling province of Isabela, especially around the city proper, the details of public structures depict the images of the corn, the city’s top crop. 

            Ilagan has been trumpeting its being the Corn Capital of the Philippines, as proclaimed by the Department of Agriculture on August 11, 2015, on the third anniversary of its cityhood. 

            The Spaniards introduced corn into the Philippines from Mexico, where it is native, via the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. It was cultivated in Cebu in 1700s, according to earliest records, and then its farming spread throughout the country, becoming an important crop, second to rice.  Ilagan City presently is the leading corn producer in the Cagayan Valley region and one of the major producers in the country. The fourth largest city in the country 17,568 hectares of its land dedicated to farming corn, yielding an annual harvest of 168,774 metric tons and contributing 2.17 percent to the national corn production. Most of the harvest are used in making animal feeds and cooking ingredients such as starch, syrup and oil.

            Thus, in conceptualizing a festival, corn farming immediately came up as inspiration. In 2011, an ordinance was passed declaring the Mammangi Festival as the city’s official festival with the support of Ilagan mayor Josemarie L. Diaz. The name came from the Ibanag, one of the languages in the city, which refers to the cultivation of the corn as well as to the corn farmers, which number to 12,708, who the annual event is said to honor. The festival is scheduled for the first week of May to also celebrate the anniversary of the city’s founding on May 4, 1686.

            The Mammangi Festival, like other recently created festivals in the country, primarily aims to promote the city as well as be an avenue for celebration with a lineup of different events from competitions to shows. It is also designed to be a touristic draw and a showcase of local culture as well as tourist attractions. 

            Over the years, the Mammangi Festival has developed to become one of Isabela’s biggest events, second only to the provincewide Bambanti Festival in January. From 2020 to 2022, the festival was not held because of the coronavirus pandemic and made a return in 2023 but was held in August due to super typhoon Mawar.

            This 2024, the festival, held from May 5 to 10, continued its comeback on a bigger scale with the theme “Liveable City of Ilagan 2030: Isinasapuso Ng Bawat Ilagueño.” Beginning with the 338th Aggaw na Ilagan and a thanksgiving mass, the festival slate was filled with Tienda Ilagan Agri-Ecotourism and Food Fair, Cultural Olympics, Binibining Ilagan Grand Coronation Night, Barangay Night, Gawad Ilagueño awarding ceremony, Off-Road Challenge, the Street Dance and Showdown Competitions and the Mammangi Grand Concert.

 

Tienda Ilagan Agri-Ecotourism and Food Fair 

The Tienda Ilagan Agri-Ecotourism and Food Fair, inaugurated on May 4 and open throughout the festival, was one of the most visited features of the festival with booths of different barangays, government agencies and businesses. Attractively constructed to reflect local cultures, functions and aspirations, the booths offered local products. 

            In the booth competition, the Western 1 booth was declared champion in Category A (barangay clusters), with Poblacion 2 as second runner-up and San Antonio 1 as first runner-up, while in Category B (agencies), the champion was the Isabela Electric Cooperative II booth with Department of Agriculture as second runner-up and Sagittarian first runner-up.

People flocked to the nighly banchetto on one of Ilagan_s main streets, near the  Agro-Eco Tourism Booths (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

 

The Mammangi Festival Agro-Eco Tourism Booths also came alive at night with lightings (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Cultural Olympics

The Cultural Olympics, whose pre-finals were held on May 5 at City of Ilagan Community Center, consisted of competitions in singing, photography, sculpture and painting for residents. On 9 May, the winners were revealed. 

In painting, Jorome Tarun of Bliss Village emerged as champion while Joey Gibs Eusebio of Namnama was first runner-up and Maureen Lozada of Naguilian Sur second runner-up. In photography, Veronica Versoza of Santa Barbara was declared winner, while  John Christopher Navarro of Allinguigan was first runner-up, and Lucky Danielle dela Rosa of Bagumbayan second runner-up. Alexander Juan of Alibagu was proclaimed champion in the solo singing contest.

 

Binibining Ilagan 2024

            Beauty pageants have been a fixture in Philippine festivities. The grand coronation night of Binibining Ilagan 2024 was held on May 6 at the City of Ilagan Sports Complex, where 20 candidates vied for the crown. Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo and model Than Perez served as hosts with actor Alden Richards making an appearance as guest artist.

            Johnlene Ariola from the barangay of Alibagu won the Binibining Ilagan 2024 title. Binibining Ilagan 2023 Kristine Joy Guzman, who recently won Queen Isabela 2024, passed on the crown to the Financial Management graduate of Isabela State University Cauayan.

            Meanwhile, Clare Arce, also from Alibagu, was declared Binibining Ilagan Turismo, Sining at Kultura and Lalaine Bulan from the barangay of Bangag, Binibining Ilagan Agrikultura. Completing the court are first runner-up Justine Molly Asis from the barangay of Alinguigan and second runner-up Valerie Ann May delos Santos from the barangay of Sindon Bayabo.

 

Barangay Night

            Officials of Ilagan’s different barangays and guests gathered together for a night of celebration and recognitions on May 7 at the City of Ilagan Community Center. 

Winners of the Most Outstanding and Improved Barangays Awards were unveiled. They were Lullutan for disaster preparedness, Osmena for financial management, Bliss Village for environmental management and sanitation, Calamangui 1st for sustainable education, Cabisera 3 for social protection, Santa Isabel Sur for youth development, Alinguigan 2nd for health compliance and responsiveness, Cabisera 10 for tourism development, Baligatan for business friendliness and competitiveness, and Alibagu for safety, peace and order.

            The event also included the Inter-Cluster Cultural Dance Contest and entertainment featuring comedians Allan K and Wally Bayona.

 

Street Dance and Showdown Competitions

            The street dancing contest and showdown are always the exhilarating highlight of almost all modern festivals in the Philippines and this is true for Mammangi Festival. Officials, participants, supporters, spectators and visitors converged at the City of Ilagan Sports Complex on May 9 to be enthralled by costumes and movements of the eight contingents composed of clusters of barangays—Poblacion 1, Poblacion 2, Western 1, Western 2, Northeastern 1, Northeastern 2, San Antonio 1, and San Antonio 2.

            Participants, all young students, donned their colorful costumes inspired by traditional countryside attire and corn, and performed dances exulting corn farming and farmers as well as elements of local culture. 

In the street dance category, Poblacion 2 was hailed as champion, while San Antonio 2 was declared first runner-up, Western 1 second runner-up and Poblacion 1 third runner-up. In the showdown category, Poblacion 2 again bagged the championship. Other winners were Poblacion 1 (first runner-up), San Antonio 2 (second runner-up), and San Antonio 1 (third runner-up).

After revealing the dance winners, organizers also revealed the overall winners, based on their cumulative achievements in different festival competitions. The cluster of Poblacion 2 reigned supreme. They were followed by San Antonio 2 and Western 2 as first runners-up, and Western 1 as second runner-up.

            The program was capped with a grand firework display, an apt representation of the joy of victory as well as the successful holding of the festival.

 

Gawad Ilagueño and Grand Concert

            The last night of the Mammangi Festival was reserved for recognizing outstanding Ilagueños in different fields, 

The 2024 awardees are Jojo M. Ramos in the field of education; chief of police Lord Wilson J. Adorio in the field of peace and order; Department of Information And Communications Technology undersecretary Heherson M. Asiddao in the field of public administration and governance; basketball player Ricci Paolo U. Rivero in the field of sports; Perine V. Agraviador for the youth sector; Evelyn C. Diaz for the women’s sector; Dr. Victor Jesus D. Villaroman in the field of business administration and entrepreneurship; and Dr. Herbee M. Barrios in the professional field.

Special citations were also bestowed to Nida D. Aranda in the field of education; Mark B. Agcaoili in the field of music, arts and culture; Ilagan Fil-Chinese Volunteers in the field of peace and order; and nurses Steve M. Esteban and Xyza Aura M. Malloch in the professional field.

            The night  was capped by a concert featuring December Avenue, ending the festival with music, lights and anticipation for the next festival.

Corn plants being cultivated in the vast fields of Ilagan (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Steamed corn being sold by the roadside (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A lively performance of Western Cluster 1 contingent (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The Northeastern Cluster 1 contigent performed during the Mammangi Festival Street Dance and Showdown (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The Northeastern Cluster 2 contingent showed their mettle in street dancing  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Crowd lit up their mobile phones during the finale concert featuring December Avenue (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)