ATI-ATIHAN

The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), Held
on the third Sunday, in the town of Kalibo Philippines in the island of Panay originally came from Batan,
Aklan, then adopted later by some neighboring towns. The name Ati-Atihan means "to be like Atis" or
"to make believe Atis", the local name for the Aeta aborigines who first settled in Panay Island and other
parts of the archipelago.

The festival consists of tribal dance, music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and
parade along the street. Christians and non-Christians observe this day with religious processions. It has
inspired many other Philippine Festivals including the Sinulog Festival of Cebu and Dinagyang of Iloilo
City, both adaptations of the Kalibo's Ati-Atihan Festival, and legally holds the title "The Mother of All
Philippine Festivals" in spite of the other two festivals' claims of the same title.

ANILAG

Laguna is known for its fine cuisines, products, and delicacies like espasol, buko pie, and cassava cake.
Anilag Festival is the major and most colorful festival in Laguna. Through the festival, Laguna citizens
celebrate the fruitful success of their land and give thanks to the mighty Provider for their bounty.

Anilag festival is formerly called as “La Laguna Festival”. This festival started as a celebration of the
region’s Foundation Day and a unique blend of local, cultural, historical, and religious celebrations all
rolled into one. This event aims to promote Laguna’s prime tourist attractions and celebrate the fruits of
its land and creativity of its people. The word ANILAG is derived from “Ani ng Laguna” (Harvest of
Laguna). Anilag Festival is the Mother of All Festivals in the province of Laguna.

PINTAFLORES

Annual festival in the City of San Carlos which takes its name from the Spanish word “pinta” (tattoo) and
“flores” (flowers). It is in fact a combined version of the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival and the Dance of
Flowers, both of which derive from the legend of Princess Nabingka, a daughter of a chieftain from Cebu
who sailed with her entourage to San Carlos in the early 17th century. The story goes that the princess,
separated from her family, became melancholy in her new home and so all tribesmen were ordered to
plant flowers and trees to try and revive her spirits. But these did not take in the humid plains, and so
instead it was decreed that all tribesmen and women must tattoo their bodies with flowers instead.
Today, the dancers at the festival have their bodies painted and wear flamboyant floral costumes in
memory of the beginnings of San Carlos.

TUNA FESTIVAL

Unlike other festivals that celebrates fruit such as the Lanzones Festival and the Mango festival, this is a
celebration of everything tuna, this is the place to go when you want to savor tuna dishes. The tuna dish
cooking contest is one of the most incredible parts of the festival. Have your fill of deliciously cooked
tuna before making your way to the street carnivals where the vivacious locals dance away to melodious
tunes.
The outdoor lover will certainly fall in love with the floats designed like tuna fish. This is also fun for the
kids, so parents should feel free to travel with the little ones. If you prefer musical and energetic
performances, do look out for the drum-and-lyre performances.

This festival is an excellent location to socialize with the locals and learn more about their culture.
Interact with the local fishermen and find out what it is like to live a day in their shoes. Do not forget to
buy fresh first grade tuna. You could also have it prepared by the beach so you can relish a tastefully
prepared local tuna dish.

MANGGAHAN

Guimaras is well-known as one of the best summer destinations in the country due to its pristine
beaches. But more than that, the place has thousands of things to offer. There are still unexplored
resources, and natural beauties far from anyone could imagine. With the rich historical heritage of
Guimaras, one would surely feel amazed at how the place evolved into what it is today. Starting from
the Spaniards, Americans down to the Japanese, they all felt that something is unique and amazing with
the place. It was only after World War II that the place has been free from colonizers and they began to
gather the left pieces together and build a better and stronger society. With the hand-in-hand efforts of
the locals, the island once again achieved its glorious beauty making it as one of the top tourist
destinations in the entire country. Additionally, the place is also the HOME of the sweetest MANGOES in
the world.

In celebrating the Maggahan festival, the five municipalities (Buenavista, Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San
Lorenzo, and Sibuang) prepare and organize for the entire festivity. It is a month long (month of May)
celebration which aims to showcase the richness of the culture of the entire Guimaras. Additionally, it is
also a form of giving back and a thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest of Mangga (mangoes). Tracing back
its history, it was only being celebrated before like a week celebration, but as the years go by, it has
become a month-long celebration.

SIKHAYAN

Sikhayan stands for Sikap Kabuhayan, an annual festival celebrating the Roseñian’s spirit of enterprise
which through the decades has fueled Santa Rosa’s economic growth. It recognizes the contributions
made by Santa Rosa’s sectors, from farmers, fisherfolks, artisans, workers and entrepreneurs big and
small, to the city’s continuing progress.

Coinciding with the city’s founding as a separate and independent town in the Province of Laguna, the
Sikhayan Festival showcases the Roseñians perseverance and determination to improve their lives and
that of their communities. It is a festival that pays tribute to the people’s unrelenting and resolute
effort, to their profound sense of community, to their deeply rooted cultural heritage, and to their
enterprising spirit. As proven by its history, the Roseñians have worked hard and the Sikhayan Festival is
the people’s way of giving thanks and looking forward to a much better future.
MASSKARA

The Masskara Festival through the years gives the people of Negros, as well as local and foreign visitors,
a chance to drink and be merry for 20 days. Originally designed to show the hardships of the people of
Negros, the Masskara Festival has become a tool of escapism and a way to generate revenues for big
business. It has indeed come a long way, and it is clear that the path turn away from the progressive
goal.

Bacolod City is known for the popular Masskara Festival which takes place here Oct. 1-20. Local and
foreign visitors get a chance to enjoy 20 days of merry making, beer drinking, dining and street dancing.
On the weekend nearest to 19 October, the biggest party in Bacalod is scheduled to take place. Bacalod
is the capital city of the country's sugar-producing province of Bocalenos.

The term Masskara is created from two words: mass, meaning crowd, and the Spanish word cara, for
face; thus the double meaning for "mask" and "many faces". It was coined by Ely Santiago, a painter,
cartoonist, and cultural artist, who devoted show in his art works the many faces of Negrenses
overwhelmed with various crises.

group of masskara dancers A smiling mask, which is the symbol of the fiesta was conceived by the
organizers to show the happy spirit of the Negrenses despite experiencing bad times in the sugar
industry.

PINTADOS

The Pintados Festival is a cultural-religious celebration in Tacloban based on the body-painting traditions
of the ancient tattooed "pintados" warriors.[1] In 1986, the Pintados Foundation, Inc. was formed by the
people of Tacloban to organize this festival in honor of Sr. Santo Niño.[2] Years later, it was merged with
the Kasadyaan Festival which is always held on June 29.

The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival is a merry-making event lasting a whole month, highlights of which
include the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, the Pintados Festival Ritual Dance Presentation and
the "Pagrayhak'' Grand Parade. These festivals are said to have began from the feast day of Señor Santo
Niño, held every June 29th. The Leyteños celebrate a religious festival in a unique and colorful way.
Since the Visayans are experienced in the art of body tattooing, men and women are fond of tattooing
themselves.

PANAGBENGA

Panagbenga Festival (English: Flower Festival) is a month-long annual flower festival occurring in Baguio.
The term is of Kankanaey origin, meaning "season of blooming".[1] The festival, held in February, was
created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon
earthquake.[2] The festival includes floats that are covered mostly with flowers not unlike those used in
Pasadena's Rose Parade. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower-
inspired costumes, that is inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the
Cordillera region.
Aside from boosting the economy through tourism, the festival also helped the younger generation of
indigenous people to rediscover their culture's old traditions. The indigenous people were first wary
with government-led tourism because of the threat that they will interfere or change their communities'
rituals.

BINIRAYAN

The Binirayan festival is an event celebrated in the province of Antique in the Philippines. "Binirayan"
literally means "where they sailed to".

The Binirayan Festival commemorates the legend of the arrival of the ten Bornean datus on the island of
Aninipay now known as Panay. (See the legend of Maragtas.) As Governor Evelio B. Javier, the Father of
Binirayan Festival, reminded the Antiqueños during the earlier celebrations, "let us gather the strands
and memories of our past, as we look back with pride, that we may look ahead with confidence to
Antique tomorrow."

Binirayan Festival's permanent theme is "Retracing Roots, Celebrating Culture and Greatness."

SINULOG

The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which roughly means "like water current
movement;" it describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of
two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into
Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation, and street dancing. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to
perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually
accompanied by songs in the native language

Sinulog is the ritual prayer-dance honoring Señor Santo Niño or the Child Jesus. An image of the Child
Jesus is said to be the baptismal gift the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan gave Hara Amihan
(Humanay) of Zebu (now Cebu) in April 1521. The image, believed to be miraculous, is housed at the
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in downtown Cebu City.

LUBI-LUBI

Sayaw “Lubi-Lubi” (coconut dance) is an indigenous fun dance (street parade) utilizing the city’s
abundant coco plants and materials. It is a celebration of peace, love and unity among the Gingoognons
done every May 22nd to pay honomage to the local patroness Sta. Rita de Cascia on her annual feast
day. It involves the city’s rural and urban barangays

DINAGYANG

The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on the 4th Sunday
of January, or right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan. Dinagyang was
also voted as the Best Tourism event three times in a row among any other festivals in the Philippines, it
is also the most awarded festival in the country, because of its legacy, popularity and innovation it
receives an honor and regarded as World Class Festival.

Dinagyang began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, the first Filipino Rector of the Agustinian Community
and Parish Priest of the San Jose Parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in November 1967 after
observing the Ati-Atihan Festival in the province of Aklan.