The festivities start in March while the tribal street dance competitions begins in July to coincide with the
“Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan” (The People of Bohol) festival. It includes the re-anactment of the
blood compact, religious mass and street parade and dancing and search for the Miss Bohol.

The street dance competition which is the highlight of the festival is held in Tagbilaran City. Each group
creates its own dance with special colorful costumes and lively choreography.

Pintados is the name of native warriors who were tattooed as marks of courage, either from fighting or from surviving its arduous process. While Kasadyaan means merriment and jollity in Visaya.

The higlights of the festival are Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, Pintados Festival Ritual Dance Presentation and the “Pagrayha” Grand Parade. The festive dancers fill the streets of Tacloban City. They are painted from head to toe with designs that look like armor to resemble the tattooed warriors of old.

The festival showcases the rich and colorful cultural heritage and history of Leyte and Samar.

Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Washington thought of the holiday in 1909 while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father’s Day observance to honor all fathers.

Father’s Day is usually celebrated by treating Dad to a tasty meal together with the family. It can be at home or at your father’s favorite restaurant. Express your love, appreciation and gratitude.

The central event of the festival is the Santacruzan (Festival of the Cross), a procession commemmorating St. Helena’s (moher of Constantine the Great) finding the “True Cross” in Jerusalem. It is preceded by a nine-day Novena in honor of the Holy Cross.

On the ninth day, usually on a weekend, the Santacruzan is held. Each of the lovely ladies, with their
handsome escorts, dress up in their best gowns and portray various religious characters in the story. The Reina Elena, accompanied by a little boy representing King Constantine, and the other sagalas walk under beautifully decorated arches.

She was specific about the location of the apostrophe; it was to be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world.

On Mother’s Day we honour the woman who nurtures our family, leads us to our first day of school, and shares in each achievement. She is the superwoman of the household.

Make sure you Mom knows how much you love and appreciate her. Make her breakfast in bed, take her out for lunch. Send her a special gift today! Click here.

This Mother’s Day, be sure to treat her extra special.

There’s also the Binatbatan Street Dancing Contest were dancers wear colorful, innovative costumes
and props. Binatbatan is an Ilocano fold dance. “Batbat” is the first process in making the Iloko
Abel. The street dancing depicts the long standing way the Ilocanos beat the cotton pods with
two bamboo sticks to separate the seeds from the fluff called “batbat”.

Other activities are the ramada games, Santacruzan, religious rituals, food fairs and exhibits.

The Panagbenga Festival, also known as the Baguio Flower Festival, is named after a kankanaey term meaning “a season of blooming.“ The festival is a tribute to the beautiful flowers the mountain city of Baguio is known for.

The Panagbenga Festival has been held in February each year since 1995, featuring flower-laden floats similar to Pasadena, California’s famous Rose Parade. It is street dancing with an Philippine touch with market encounters and other activities. The street dancers’ Cordillera-inspired costumes, and the traditional Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration highlight the native Igorot culture.

Favorite Panagbenga resources are:

• Panagbenga Festival
• Tips for a Great Panagbenga Experience in Baguio!
• Baguio Flower Festival Blooms Anew