Philippine Travel Advisor

Dinagsa Festival  -  January 25, Sunday. A day every negrense is excited about. Most especially to party goers, students, festival enthusiast and all walks of life.  Dinagsa Festival of Cadiz City is very popular due to its festive and colorful street and paint party. It’s been more than a year since the devastation of the super typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines and Cadiz City was one of the affected areas. Although Cadiz was washed by the typhoon, yet there is no reason to fret and stop them from celebrating their very long tradition. That is to give honor to Senior Sto. Nino. Last year celebration was a simple, very fun and colorful. Several activities were lined up to give fun to the visitors and locals as well.  This year the beautiful city of Cadiz will once again celebrate and commemorate its charter anniversary. Street dancing is one of the most awaited and one of the main highlight during the festivities. I may say that the Dinagsa of Cadiz is one of my fav...

Photo Courtesy : http://indencioseyes.wordpress.com/ Bacolod City is known as the City of Smile, also the capital of the sugar bowl of Philippines, Negros Occidental. It symbolizes progress and business opportunities. Its fast pace towards progress enable them to become one of the most progressive cities in the Philippines. Bacolod, a home of Masskara Festival is a living proof of ups and downs way back then. The Masskara Festival which symbolizes hope is a tool of escapism during dark and dire times. When immigrants from the neighboring island like Iloilo came here for business ventures, the province of Negros propelled its economic growth. Prominent families started to cultivate sugar and became the province main source of income. The sudden growth of income means more business opportunities and jobs. More and more immigrants most especially “sakada” came here to plant and harvest sugar cane. Haciendas and villages sprout like mushroom that makes landlords and sugar barons. Sugar...

The Municiplity of Binalbagan possesed a rich historical, cultural and folkloric events regarding the origin of the place. In old times, Binalbagan is abundant in shrimp productions, in which it is exported to nearby towns. During that time shrimp often got spoiled when being traveled. The locals found remedy to preseved shrimp while in transit. Traders would beat  barks from a tree and place it over the basket of shrimp. It produces a liquid that acts and believed to be a preservative. This process is called "Balabag"  which some locals believed the place was derived. Courtesy by: flickriver.com Another folklore about Binalbagan origin was about the huge snake that blocked the mouth of Binalbagan river. Believers called it "binalabagan" or blocked, which evolved later on into Binalbagan. These rich historical event is manifested through the festival called Balbagan Festival. It features the seven basic movements of a serpent imitates by the dancers during the ritua...

La Carlota City is in the southwestern part of central Negros Island nestled in the foot of the sacred Mt. Kanla-on which is the highest peek in Central Visayas .  The rich culture of La Carlota is manifested through the celebration of Pasalamat Festival. A weeklong celebration of thanksgiving to the bountiful harvest which falls every nearest Sunday of May.  It culminates with a Mardi Gras like parade of floats and caricatures. Dancers clad in their colorful indigenous costumes. Sashaying in the tune of samba which drumbeaters created out of carabao leather drums and percussion instruments from indigenous materials.  The original "sambita" or the samba beat was first conceptualized by late Mayor Luis "Nonoy" Jalandoni Jr. In which the original Pasalamat Festival was a simple marry making and street dancing to mark the end of the milling and harvest season to give thank to God Almighty for the bountiful harvest. The first festival took place on May 1, 1980 after sev...

                                                      Photo by: Arnel Dats of Dats Snapshot It is my second time watching minulu-an festival. Last year it was raining before the competition start. This year it was a sunny afternoon and a good weather greeted every contestants. Though i was late and haven't seen the first performer. I focus on the next until the last. But unlucky i was unable to witness the announcement of winners, it happened that my sister is tired and want to refresh. So we gone home. Out of 27 Barangays only 8 tribes participate in this year competition. Every contestant give their best to empress the board of judges.The term Minulu-an was the old name of the city. The story evolve in a very brave man who was Kapitan Sabi. He was so brave that he drove away the moro bandits to keep the city safe. The festival was celebrated every 10th...