Cebu, Philippines

Cebu is an island of the Philippines.

It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol Island. It is flanked on both sides by the straits of Cebu (between Cebu and Bohol) and Tañon (between Cebu and Negros). Cebu is located between 9°25'N and 11°15'N latitude and between 123°13'E and 124°5'E longitude in the center of the archipelago.

Cebu Island is a long narrow island stretching 225 km (140 mi) from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighboring smaller islands, that includes Mactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. Of the hundreds of small islands some are uninhabited which make them the targets of adventure-seeking tourists.

Cebu City is the capital of Cebu Island Province. The province is a long narrow island at the center of the Visayan Islands, 365 miles south of Manila. Cebu City is centrally located in the widest portion of the island at the east coast harbor.

Cebu was under Spanish rule for three centuries. After discovery of the Philippines by Magellan in 1521, the first Spanish settlement was built in Cebu in 1565 by Mexico's Spanish government to colonize the country. Cebu also has the oldest school, San Carlos University, and the oldest street, Colon Street, built by the Spaniards.

Cebu is known for its narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus, and coastal plains, all characteristics of a typical tropical island. Cebu also has predominant rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Cebu's steep mountains reach over 1,000 meters. Flat tracts of land can be found in towns of Bogo, San Remigio, Medellin, andDaanbantayan at the northern tip of the island.

The island is also infamously known as the site of Ferdinand Magellan's death in the Battle of Mactan. Magellan had joined forces with Spanish soldiers and was leading them against Lapu-Lapu, a Visayan cheiftan. There are memorials to both men on the island in Lapu-Lapu City.

Cebu is a commercial center whose main industries include copper mining, fishing and aquaculture, farming and agriculture, shipbuilding, steel and cement. In addition to San Carlos University, major universities in Cebu City include Southwestern University, the University of the Visayas, the University of the Southern Philippines, and the University of San Jose - Recoletos.

The harbor of Cebu City is an international port with ocean-going vessels and domestic ships and five inter-island shipping companies. Cebu's international airport has daily flights to Manila and an inter-island system of passenger vessels.

History

Cebu has the most historical significance. At the time of the global scramble for exotic spices in the East,a Portuguese navigator sailing for Spain, Fernando de Magallanes, came upon Zubu (Cebu). On April 7, 1521. The island then was already a flourishing village with "many sailing vessels from Siam (Thailand), China and Arabia docked at the port" as described by Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's chronicler. Then begun the Spanish era in the Philippines. However, it deteriorated upon the death of Magellan in the hands of the brave local warrior, Lapulapu, only to resurrect with the arrival 44 years later, in 1565, of Miguel Lopez di Legazpi.

Its rich and colorful metamorphosis can be traced from 1521 as Zubu, the fishing village and busy trading port, to Villa San Miguel, later to Villa del Santissimo Nombre de Jesus in 1575, then as the municipality of Cebu in 1905 up to its being a chartered city on February 24, 1937.

In the 19th century, Cebu started to exercise a dominant role in Southern Philippines' economic limelight. Agriculture, especially sugar cane cultivation and sugar manufacturing, pushed Cebu into playing an important role in this part of the country. But even more crucial than the agricultural products was her participation in trade and commerce. Proudly, Cebu has been given the honor as having many 'firsts' in the nation's history. Established by Legazpi in 1571, it became the first city in the Philippines, ante-dating Manila by seven (7) years. In point of fact, it is the oldest city in the country, having the oldest and smallest fort (Fort San Pedro), with the oldest church (Basilica of Sto. Niño), the oldest school (San Carlos) and the oldest street (Colon). Referred to as the Queen City of the South and the seat of early Filipino Christianization, Cebu is also famous for its musical stringed instruments like banduria, guitar and piccolo.

Geography

Cebu is an elongated island some 250 kilometers from North to South and 45 kilometers across at its widest point. It is central to the Philippine archipelago and some 600 kilometers south of Manila.

This location combined with a sheltered deep water harbor has made Cebu the base for most of the country's domestic shipping and the gateway to the central and southern Philippines.

The island's area of 4,468 square kilometers supports over 3.6 million people, of which 2.3 million live in Metro Cebu.

The east and west coasts are separated by a mountainous spine which rises to 1,000 metres. The climate is warm, generally 23 to 33 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, except for the summer months from March to May which are dry.

Beaches, coral atolls, islands and rich fishing grounds surround Cebu.

Cebu's central location, proximity to unusually exotic tourist destination, ready access to a diversity of plant, animal and geological wonders within the island, and remoteness from earthquake and typhoon activity are some of the special attributes which help maintain Cebu's track record.

Dialect

Bisaya (or visaya) is the dialect in the province, which is also widely spoken in the Visayas and Mindanao. Tagalog and English are also spoken and understood.

Transport and communications

Today, nearly 8 km. of shipping berths line Cebu's deep water port area, now the largest outside Manila. Efficient container handling, trucking and storage is available. The modern Mactan-Cebu International Airport is a major international gateway with direct flights to many countries. B747-400 aircraft at maximum takeoff weight can use the airport in all weathers.

Cebu's modern communications links utilize satellites, cellular telephone networks and routine land based telephone services. High quality broad band links and IDD services are available and compatible with systems worldwide. Direct links are maintained with over 116 countries. Cebu has a very high density of computer installations, and full access to the internet

Radio and television broadcast services are popular advertising mediums. Cable and satellite television installation among homes is common. The government postal services is efficient and is supplemented by established courier companies. The Philippines major cargo and logistics companies, LBC and 2Go have dozens of outlets in Metro Cebu. FedEx, UPS, and DHL, three of the largest cargo and logistics companies in the world, also have minor operations around Metro Cebu.

Sports and Leisure

The island of Cebu is, basically, a tourist-friendly one.

The southern town of Moal-boal is famous for its diving spots. Small vacation houses-cum-resort are the accommodation norm around here.

There currently nine (9) golf-courses, around the island, to choose from.

One of the island's limited array of sporting venues is the Cebu City Sports Complex. The complex was constructed when Cebu City hosted the 'Palarong Pambansa' (National Olympics). The main feature of the complex is its track and field oval, along with a 10,000-seater 'main' grandstand. An Olympic-sized swimming pool, along with a 1,000-seater grandstand, sits next to the 'main' grandstand.

Industries

Copper and dolomite mining, industrial parts assembly, food processing, footwear, handicraft, rattancraft, woodcraft, metalcraft, garments, shellcraft, ceramics, basketware, rattan and wicker furniture, cement, costume jewelry, giftware, fertilizer, stonecraft, food products and preserves, electronic devices, transistors and diodes, vehicle assembly, agricultural products.

Also, bone fishing is now one of the new fly-fishing adventures that draw thousands each year.

New Bacolod-Silay Airport

Bacolod-Silay City International Airport (Filipino: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Bacolod-Lungsod ng Silay, Hiligaynon: Internasyonal nga Hulugpaan sang Bacolod-Dakbanwa sang Silay) (IATA: BCD, ICAO: RPVB) is an international airport serving the general area of Bacolod City, the capital city of Negros Occidental in the Philippines. This airport replaced the Bacolod City Domestic Airport located in Bacolod City proper. Bacolod-Silay City International Airport inherited its IATA and ICAO airport codes from the former.

The airport is located fifteen kilometers northeast of Bacolod City on a 181-hectare site in Barangay Bagtic, Silay City. The airport is the third international airport in the Visayas and the second international airport in the Western Visayas region, after Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Iloilo International Airport, and the first international airport built on the island of Negros.

Bacolod-Silay City International Airport is designated as a secondary international airport by the Air Transportation Office, a body of the Department of Transportation and Communications that is responsible for the operations of not only this airport but also of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.

Planning for a new airport in Bacolod City commenced in 1997, when the Japan International Cooperation Agency initiated a study indicating the need for expansion at four Philippine airports: namely Bacolod City Domestic Airport, Mandurriao Airport in Iloilo City, Legazpi Airport in Legazpi City and Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City.[4] Of the four airports, two have been completed (Iloilo and Bacolod), and two are in planning (Legazpi and Tacloban).

In February 1999, another JICA study was commissioned, this time on the detailed plan of the new airport.[4] The study was completed by March 2000 and was funded by a 430-million yen grant. Immediately after the completion of the study, JICA hired Pacific Consultants International as advisers to the project.[4]

The project was opened for bidding on August 25, 2003, with the winning bid going to the Takenaka-Itochu Joint Venture (TIJV).[4] Physical construction on the new 4.3 billion-peso airport,[3] funded in part by an 8.2-billion yen loan, commenced in August 2004. A 900-day deadline was imposed for the airport to be completed,[4] which broadly corresponds to January 2007.

The airport was complete as of July 16, 2007,[5] although there was considerable debate over whether or not the airport should be opened due to the length of its runway.[5] A 500-meter extension of the runway was planned in order for the airport to accommodate larger aircraft.[5] Depending on the scenario, the airport had a foreseen opening date of November 2007 or sometime in 2010, after the completion of a diversion road leading to the airport.[5]

The first aircraft ever to land at the airport was a small fourteen-seater turboprop owned by Vincent Aviation. The Reims-Cessna F406 with aircraft registration number ZK-VAF, piloted by Steve Gray of New Zealand landed at the airport at 9:55 in the morning of September 26, 2007.[6]

The airport officially opened and began operations on January 18, 2008, and the first commercial flight to arrive was Cebu Pacific's Flight 5J 473 from Manila, an Airbus A319-100 which landed at 5:22am PST on the same day.[7] Fittingly enough, the pilot in command of the aircraft - Captain Allan Garces - was a native of Silay City.[7]

The Bacolod-Silay City International Airport has one primary runway 45 meters (150 ft) wide and 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) long, just a bit longer than its predecessor's. The runway runs in a direction of 03°/21°, and can currently handle aircraft as large as the Airbus A330.[8] Provisions for a 500-meter (1,600 ft) expansion of the present runway in order to accommodate even larger aircraft like the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A340 are also in place.

The airport is equipped with an Instrument Landing System, making it capable of handling night and low-visibility landings.

Passenger terminal

The entire airport complex is designed to handle an excess of one million passengers and 16,715 tons of cargo annually[4] and consists of 21 buildings with a total floor space of 10,075 square meters (108,450 sq ft).[4]

The largest building in the complex is the 6,187-square-meter (66,600 sq ft) main passenger terminal with three levels.[4] The ground floor holds the check-in counters, the public concourse, the arrival area and the information counter. The second floor has the three pre-departure areas with their VIP and CIP lounges; these pre-departure areas lead out to three jet bridges over an apron that can handle up to five aircraft simultaneously. The Air Transportation Office is also on the second floor, as well as the Airport Security holding room, a clinic and a nursery. On the third floor is the viewing deck with a concession area and rooms for maintenance and airport machinery.[8]

The state-of-the art main passenger terminal is equipped with a flight information display system, mechanized baggage handling systems for both inbound and outbound baggage, numerous security X-ray machines, and elevators and escalators.[8] Outside the main terminal is parking for 350 cars.[4]

Airlines

The following airlines serve Bacolod-Silay City International Airport (as of June 2008):

* Air Philippines (Manila)
* Cebu Pacific (Cebu, Manila)
* Philippine Airlines (Manila)
o PAL Express (Cebu)

Driving in the philippines

Valid driver’s licenses in the Philippines

If you plan to be in the Philippines for more than 90 days and plan to drive a vehicle, you will need a Philippine driver’s license (foreign licenses are acceptable for drivers staying here for shorter periods of time). The Land Transportation Office (LTO) issues all drivers’ licenses. Offices are located throughout the country. The following are the requirements to acquire a Philippine driver’s license, provided you have a foreign license:

1. The original foreign license plus a photocopy.

2. If the information on the license is not written in English, a translation must be provided by the Embassy of the country where the license was issued.

3. If you need a professional license, or if the foreign license is expired at the time the application is filed, you will have to take both a written examination and a road test.

4. A completed application form.

The LTO will then give you a receipt that will serve as your temporary license for 60 days pending the issuance of the permanent license.

A non-professional driver's license costs about P250 (apx. US$5), but check the LTO fees page for up-to-date prices for all levels of driver's licenses. Licenses are valid for three years.

If you have questions about professional or student (first-time) driver licenses, please contact your local LTO.

Replacing expired/lost/stolen U.S. driver’s licenses

The Embassy is not authorized to replace expired, lost and stolen U.S. driver’s licenses. Only the Department of Motor Vehicles (or the equivalent) in the driver’s home state can perform that service. You may try www.hicitizen.com or www.vitalcheck.com, which offers a fee-based service, or you may search for your state’s DMV website for instructions.

If your driver’s license has been lost or stolen in the Philippines, immediately report it to the local police station in which the loss or theft occurred. You will want to obtain a police report for your records – and this may be needed to request a replacement license. If your state requires a sworn affidavit or a notarized application for a replacement license, the Embassy’s American Citizen Services section can notarize the document for a fee of $30. Notary services are available from 8:00am to 11:00am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, excluding U.S. and Philippine holidays. You will need to provide a passport or three other pieces of identification.

Obtaining an international driver’s license

The American Automobile Association (AAA) issues international driver’s licenses in the United States. Request an application from the American Automobile Association, 1000 AAA Drive, Heathrow, FL 32746-5063. Return the completed application to the same address with a photocopy of your valid U.S. driver’s license, two passport-size (2x2 inches or 5x5 centimeters) photographs and a check (U.S. banks only) or international money order for $10.00 payable to the AAA. The international driver’s license issued by the AAA is valid for one year. An international driver’s license is only valid for use in the Philippines by U.S. citizens who are here for less than 90 days.

International driver’s licenses are also available to Philippine driver’s license holders through the Philippine Motor Association in Quezon City (Tel.: 02-723-0808) or in Manila (Tel.: 02-526-8305).

The following documents are needed: a valid Philippine driver license, passport and a copying fee of P900 (subject to change).

Insurance

You are required to have local third-party auto insurance with a Philippine insurance agency of your choice. This coverage must be for at least P750,000, with P20,000 for compulsory third-party liability and P365,000 each for bodily injuries and property damage.

Third-party liability, as well as comprehensive and collision insurance, can be obtained from several local insurance agencies that also provide claims processing and accident assistance.
In addition, many people choose to carry comprehensive insurance, which covers damage to your vehicle from causes other than an accident, and/or collision insurance through a U.S. company that will insure in the Philippines.

If you choose to carry insurance through a U.S. insurer, make sure that it will provide comprehensive or collision insurance in the Philippines. In addition, it may be useful to find out whether this insurance will be accepted in the Philippines.

Marine transport insurance may also be purchased to cover vehicles shipped to the Philippines.

Documentation of Motor Vehicles

Following are the requirements for registration of motor vehicles with the Land Transportation Office:

• NEW REGISTRATION
• Imported motor vehicle
• Original Invoice
• Certification of Payment of Taxes
• Letter of Confirmation of Certificate of Payment from the LTO Central Office Registration Section
• Philippine National Police – Traffic Management Group Clearance
• Actual inspection of motor vehicle resulting in completed Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (to include stencils of motor and chassis numbers on the form)
• Early Warning Device

1. Locally Assembled/Rebuilt Vehicle

• Confirmation of Dealers Report from Registration Section, Central Office or Regional Office
• Original Sales Invoice/Commercial Invoice of motor/chassis CR and OR of motor/chassis if taken from another vehicle
• Certification of Payment of Taxes from Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue if motor/chassis is imported
• Philippine National Police – Traffic Management Group Clearance
• Insurance Certificate of Cover
• Affidavit of rebuilt of Owner/Mechanic
• Actual inspection of motor vehicle resulting in completed Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (to include stencils of motor and chassis numbers on the form)
• Early Warning Device

For light private vehicles 1-5 years old, the registration fee is currently P1000. For vehicles over 5 years old, the fee is currently P700.

For more detailed information about registration of motor vehicles, contact your local LTO.

Philippine specifications

Implementation of right-hand-drive vehicles into the Philippines is prohibited. Diesel-powered vehicles, including passenger cars, may be imported without regard to engine displacement or weight restriction.

Air-conditioning is necessary for safety reasons and because of the hot and humid weather, pollution and annoying dust. Cars should be undercoated, tropicalized and equipped with heavy-duty springs and shock absorbers. A vehicle with high clearance may be the most appropriate for individuals who plan to travel outside Metro Manila due to frequent heavy rains and flooding and poor road conditions. Bring a spare muffler, tail pipe, fan belts and radiator hoses to the Philippines if you ship a U.S.-model car, since these parts are particularly susceptible to the heat and humidity in the Philippines. Touch-up paint and chrome protective lacquer are also useful. Parts for some cars may be unavailable in the Philippines. However, competent labor for auto repairs is significantly less expensive than in the United States.

Driving and safety conditions in the Philippines

While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning the Republic of the Philippines is provided for general reference only, and may not cover every location or circumstance.

Travel within the archipelago is possible by boat, plane or car. Traffic conditions are often crowded and chaotic. Drivers routinely ignore stoplights, lane markers and other traffic control devices and traffic rules are rarely enforced. As in most places where traffic is highly congested and under-regulated, driving in the Philippines requires maximum attention and patience to avoid accidents. Vehicles on the road include automobiles, trucks and buses as well as manually-operated tricycles and carts. Due to a lack of navigable sidewalks, pedestrians also use the road in most areas. Many roads are in disrepair, with large potholes; roads under repair are often not clearly marked or identified and may be a significant hazard, especially at night. Lower-lying roads will frequently be flooded after even a light rain, making it difficult to see holes and other obstacles. During the rainy season, roads at higher elevations sometimes experience landslides.

Pedestrians should exercise extreme caution when crossing roads. Driving off the national highways and paved roads is particularly dangerous, especially at night. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive by U.S. standards, and are the recommended form of public transportation. All other forms of public transportation, including the light rail and jeepneys, should be avoided for both safety and security reasons.

All front seat occupants of vehicles are required to wear safety belts. Traffic signals and signs, often in English, are similar to those in the U.S., and traffic moves on the right. U.S. auto insurance is usually not accepted in the Philippines, and foreign drivers involved in serious accidents may face extreme difficulties. The central Philippine agencies responsible for transportation and safety are the Department of Transportation and Communication and the Department of Public Works and Highways. In several large metropolitan areas, emergency police services can be reached by dialing 166. Emergency ambulance service is slow and unreliable and crews are rarely equipped or trained for life-saving measures.

Safety of Public Transportation: Poor
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Availability of Roadside/Ambulance Assistance: Poor

Accidents and traffic stops

Since traffic accidents are common in the Philippines, it pays to be prepared for such an event. Due to the relatively low speeds of traffic movement, most accidents are minor. However, if you have a cell phone, it is a good idea to carry it in your vehicle. You should have a copy of your car’s registration, official receipt and auto insurance policy in the glove compartment. Also, you may want to keep a list of emergency phone numbers in the glove compartment. In all cases, police officers are prohibited from charging or requesting fees for any services.

What to do in the event of an accident:

1. Stop immediately and determine whether anyone has been hurt. If someone is injured, help take him/her to a hospital or call an ambulance.

2. Take all possible precautions to prevent additional accidents by stationing persons to direct traffic and clear the road of any debris.

3. If the other parties involved in the accident become hostile or accusatory, give them your name, phone number and business card and ask them to call you when they are calmer so you can work out the details.

4. If you feel at risk or threatened by the section of town where the accident took place, travel to the nearest police station or inform the nearest police officer. Philippine accident investigation procedures require the driver of an involved vehicle to report to the local police station to give a statement. Expect this request and cooperate if all parties are amicable.

5. Carry a photocopy of your Philippine Driver’s License and surrender this to the police. Do not give up your original license. This is often lost at the station and you’ll never get it back.

6. Be sure to obtain complete information about the other party – name, address, driver’s license number, license number of the vehicle and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle if other than the driver.

7. Do not express opinions about the accident except to the appropriate officials. Do not admit fault or liability.

8. Notify your insurance agent of the accident.

If you are given a traffic ticket, it should be in one of two forms: a Traffic Violation Ticket or a Temporary Operating Permit (if your license has been confiscated). If you receive a Traffic Violation ticket, the procedure for paying the fine is as follows:

1. Present your original TVR to the designated redemption center. If the yellow copy has not yet been submitted by the apprehending officer, your TVR will be given an extension of up to one week for you to return to represent your TVR.

2. Your assessment will be given to you.

3. If your penalty is a fine and you admit the violation you will be directed to the collector or cashier to pay the fine.

4. Present your official receipt to the Data Processing Section.

5. Wait for your name to be called for your license to be released.

This process should take about one hour but you may experience significant delays.

If you receive a Temporary Operator’s Permit after your license is confiscated, the following procedure applies:

1. Go to the LTO or agency 72 hours from the time of apprehension (this is the validity period of the TOP). There are times when the apprehending officer cannot, for some reason, submit the copy to that LTO office or agency during the time allotted, in which case you would be given an extension not to exceed one week.

2. Go to the Law Enforcement Section where a case number will be given to you.

3. Use this case number to identify yourself at the Traffic Adjudication Section.

4. If you admit to the violation, you will be ordered to pay a fine.

5. If you contest the validity of the violation, the apprehending officer will receive a subpoena for a confrontation with you before a Traffic Adjudication Section lawyer within one week.

6. If admitting to the violation, pay the fine. You should receive an official receipt.

7. After paying the fine, your license should be returned.

Philippines as a call center hub

In 2004, the Philippines already captured 20 percent of the total world market share in contact center services. The Philippine government estimates the Philippines could capture 50 percent of the total world English-speaking market in 2008. This industry, aside from contributing 12 percent in to the Philippines gross national product, is also the fastest growing provider for Filipino college graduates. The Information and Communications Technology division of the BOI reported that the call center industry experienced a growth rate of 70 percent in 2005 making it the most dynamic of all sectors in the Philippine information technology industry. According to industry forecasts, more than a million Filipinos would be employed in the call center industry, with more than US$12 billion in revenues in the year 2010.

The Philippines is also considered as location of choice due to its less expensive operational and labor costs.

The country offers 24/7 multilingual and multimedia supported premium services for marketing, sales, customer care, crisis management, investor relations and other key business applications. The reasons cited for the bullish outlook towards the Philippines have been, among others, due to lower operating costs, English language proficiency and high ICT skills yet low-cost workforce.

The Philippines is considered a major player in the global BPO market. In 2005, the country ranked in the top 10 world wide for top BPO destinations, according to neoIT's 2005 Mapping Offshore Markets Update.

Call center duties and responsibilities

While call centers actually began in the Philippines as simple providers of e-mail response and handling services, these have developed capabilities for almost all types of customer interactions, ranging from travel services, financial services, technical support, education, customer care, online business to customer support, online business to business support.

The calls handled by various Philippine call centers can be classified into inbound and outbound calls. For outbound calls, the services cover telemarketing, advisories, sales verification. credit and collection, reactivation/reinstatement of accounts, loyalty program benefits, customer services and order entry. Inbound calls cover a broad range of services, from all types of inquiries, technical help, transcription, complaints, customer service, support, sales, marketing, and billing.

Call center agents are typically assigned in graveyard shifts, interacting with customers from all over the world, mostly from the United States and must adhere to strict performance metrics.

Common call center recruitment and training process

The recruitment process for new call center agents may include (but is not limited to) the following:

• phone screening - this stage determines the voice quality over the phone and how the applicant responds to the call;
• initial interview - conducted by the company human resource department or another outsource staffing firm to test the speaking skills, attitude and how confident the applicant responds to questions;
• examination - this includes aptitude tests, computer-based call simulations and emotional quality (EQ)/ attitude tests; and
• final interview - to assess customer service, technical, or sales skills.

Locations

According to 2005 industry estimates, there are over a hundred call centers in the Philippines, the bulk being in Metro Manila mainly in the business districts of Ortigas Center in Pasig City, the Makati Business District, Eastwood City Cyberpark in Quezon City, and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. However, both local and foreign-owned call centers have ventured to regions outside Metro Manila, setting up offices primarily in Metro Cebu and other key cities such as Baguio City, Bacolod City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, Angeles City, Dumaguete, Lipa City, Cainta in Rizal, Bacoor, a town in Cavite and Santa Rosa City, in Laguna.

Philippine Folk Dance

Sublian - The term “subli” is from two tagalog words “subsub” meaning falling on head and “bali”, which means broken. Hence, the dancers appear to be lame and crooked throughout the dance. This version is originally a ritual dance of the natives of Bauan, Batangas, which is shown during fiestas as a ceremonial worship dance to the town’s icon, the holy cross. Tinikling - Tinnikling is considered the national folkdance with a pair of dancers hopping between two bamboo poles held just above the ground and struck together in time to music. Originated from Leyte Province, this dance is in fact a mimic movement of “tikling birds” hopping over trees, grass stems or over bamboo traps set by farmers. Dancers perform this dance with remarkable grace and speed jumping between bamboo poles. Maria Clara - Maria Clara is the main female character in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere -a literary piece that features the colonial situation of the Filipinos during the Spanish regime. She was characterized as a Filipina woman of virtue and nobility. This dance is a mix of Spanish gracefulness and customized native props, such as bamboo castanets and Asian fan. Female dancers wear Maria Clara dress that typifies the European style, while men are in barong tagalog, a traditional Filipino embroidered long-sleeve shirt made of pineapple fiber. La Jota Manileña - It is a dance named after the capital city of the Philippines, Manila, where an adaptation of Castilian Jota afloats with the clacking of bamboo castanets played by the dancers themselves. The costume and the graceful movements of the performers noticeably inspired by Spanish Culture. Most Philippine dances were originally patterned after European dances during the Spanish regime. Pandango Sa Ilaw, Cariñosa, Rigodon and Balitao are examples of these dances Filipinos are known for. Aside from these western-influenced dances, ethnic-created dances such as Tinikling made its way to nationwide recognition. Despite its apparent adaptation to western dances, still Filipinos pay tribute to their cultural roots. Every district in the islands has its own folk dance, interpreted attractively in festivals and local shows, which have added to the country’s reputed contribution to world’s illustration of traditional arts.

The following are examples of popular Philippine folk dances:

Binasuan - Originated in Pangasinan Province “meaning with the use of drinking glasses”, this vibrant dance basically shows off balancing skill of the performers. Glasses filled with rice wine are placed on the head and on each hand carefully maneuvered with graceful movements. This dance is common in weddings, fiestas and special occasions.

Rigodon - Originated from Spain, this dance is commonly performed at formal affairs like inaugural balls where prominent members of the government participate and enjoy.

Pandanggo sa Ilaw - The word pandanggo comes from the Spanish dance “fandango”characterized with lively steps and clapping while following a varying ¾ beat. Pandanggo requires excellent balancing skill to maintain the stability of three tinggoy, or oil lamps, placed on head and at the back of each hand. This famous dance of grace and balance originated from Lubang Island, Mindoro.

Kuratsa - Commonly performed during festivals in Bohol and other Visayan towns, this dance portrays a young playful couple’s attempt to get each other’s attention. It is performed in a moderate waltz style.

Itik-itik - According to history of this dance, a young woman named Kanang (short for Cayetana) happened to be the best performer in the province of Surigao del Norte. At one baptismal reception, she was asked to dance the Sibay, and began improvising her steps in the middle of her performance imitating the movements of an “itik”, a duck, as it walks with choppy steps and splashes water on its back while attracting its mate. Because of its unusual steps and fascinating interpretation, the audience began imitating her.

Maglalatik - Originally performed in Binan, Laguna as a mock-war dance that demonstrates a fight between the Moros and the Christians over the prized latik or coconut meat during the Spanish rule, this dance is also shown to pay tribute to the town’s patron saint, San Isidro Labrador. It has a four-part performance such as the palipasan and the baligtaran showing the intense battle, the paseo and the escaramusa- the reconciliation. Moro dancers wear read trousers while the Christian dancers show up in blue. All dancers are male; with harnesses of coconut shells attached on their chests, backs, thighs and hips.

Cariñosa - Cariñosa is a word that describes an affectionate, friendly and lovable woman. This dance is performed in flirtatious manner with fans and handkerchiefs to assist the dancers’ hide-and-seek movements.

Sakuting - Originated in Abra, this dance interprets a mock fight between Ilokano Christians and non- Christians with training sticks as props. It is traditionally performed during Christmas at the town plaza or from house-to-house as a caroling show. As a return, the dancers receive presents or money locally known as “aguinaldo”.

Pantomina - Meaning "Dance of the Doves", this dance is the highlight of Sorsogon’s Kasanggayahan Festival every third week of October. Groups of participants, mainly elderly in colourful costumes, dance to the tune of Pantomina song. It is a courtship dance originated from immitating the courtship and lovemaking of doves that then showed during the dance where men attempt to please the women.

Other Philippine Ethnic Dances:

Banog - Cordillera In this dance, performers portray hunters shielding their chickens from the famishing hawk. The hawk ends up entrapped and dies in the hands of hunters.

Salisid - Kalinga, Cordillera This is a courtship dance that symbolizes a rooster trying to attract the attention of a hen. This is performed and portrayed by both male and female dancers as the rooster and hen respectively. The dance starts when each of them are given a piece of cloth known as "ayob" or "allap".

Palok - Kalinga, Cordillera - A tribal dance. The natives of Kalinga perform this dance in most of their social events. Male dancers hold gangsa or gong- a percussion instrument made of copper, and beat it with wooden stick.

Lumagen - Kalinga, Cordillera A tribal dance. This is a traditional thanksgiving dance by the Kalinga tribe performed to celebrate good harvest and events such as birth of first-born child, victory in battles and weddings.

Idudu- Abra, Cordillera A tribal dance. This dance stages a common family life in the Itneg or Tinguian society. It illustrates the family as the main foundation of the tribe’s community. Several traits of an ordinary family are shown. It depicts a father plowing the field while the mother caring for the children. But as soon as the father finishes work, the mother takes over on planting, sowing and all the remaining chores to do in the field. At this time the father is left to take care of the kids. During the dance a Local singer breaks into an Idudu or lullaby to put the baby to sleep. Idudu, a dance taken from Idudu lullaby, obviously portrays the different roles in a Tinguian family

Dinuyya - Cordillera Ifugao dance Famous in the Ifugao region, this dance is regularly staged during festivals in Lagawe. Three kinds of gong instruments such as, ordinary gongs, tobtob- a brass gong played by beating with open palms and, hibat, a kind of gong played by beating the inner surface with a softwood are used in this dance.

Bendayan - Benguet This dance, which is more known as Bendian, is performed to commemorate the arrival of headhunters in their district. Performers dance in a circle and show off their lively traditional steps.

Binaylan - Agusan This is a ritual dance, which originated from the Bagobo tribe living in the central uplands of Mindanao, imitating the movements of a hen, her banog or baby chicks, and a hawk. The hawk is sacred and is believed that it has the power over the well being of the tribe. The hawk tries to capture one of the baby chicks and is killed by the hunters.

Malakas at maganda - Leyte A Tribal dance. This dance depicts the birth of the first man and woman who came out of a bamboo tree. It has been said that the woman named “maganda” (beautiful) and the first man “malakas” (strong) are the parents of the whole community in the island. The dance demonstrates how a bird discovered the noise coming from the inside of the bamboo and perched until it opened. A man and a woman came out of the big bamboo tree and, the birth of this legendary couple is amusingly interpreted in this dance.

Burung-Talo - Sulu The dance is a unique fighting dance in a form of martial arts by the Tausug tribe. Performers demonstrate a battle between hawk and a cat. With their acrobatic movements and tough facial expressions, this dance is highlighted with the accompanying energetic beat of drums and gongs.

Kadal-Blelah- South Cotabato A tribal dance where in the dancers perform simulation of movements of birds.

Kadal Tahaw - Tiboli dance- south cotabato A tribal dance performed by Tiboli tribe, this dance that mimics the hopping and flying behavior of Tahaw bird is performed to celebrate good harvest.

Sayaw sa Cuyo - Palawan Cuyo is a small island and capital of Palawan. There, the feast day of St. Augustin is traditionally celebrated with parades, processions and small performances by groups coming from all over Cuyo Island and the nearby islets. Island dances, blended with strong Old Cuyo ethnicity and Spanish-influenced steps, are all brought out when Cuyo celebrates its festivals. Today, pretty young girls daintily swirl hats to the waltz and other European steps designed to bring out the freshness and glow of the performers.

Karatong - Palawan A Muslim dance. During the festival of San Agustine in the island of Cuyo, the celebration also includes the blossoming of mango trees. The parade starts from the church patio and ends at the town plaza with ladies waving their colorful props “Bunga mangga” that symbolize the flowers of mango tree, while men lively strike their karatong instruments; creating a scene of joy among reveling towns folk.

Dugso - Bukidnon A thanksgiving dance from the talaindig tribe.

Gayong-gayong - Capiz -A Muslim dance. In rural gatherings, this dance offers much fun. Gayong is a pet name for Leodegario. According to the legend and to the words of the song, Gayong and Masiong (pet name for Dalmacio) once attended a feast commemorating the death of a townsman. While eating, Masiong choked on a piece of Adobo so he called, "Gayong! Gayong!" to ask for help to dislodge a bone from the Adobo meal from his throat. In this dance, Masiong’s liking for feasts and the consequence of his gluttony are held up to playful ridicule.

Kapa Malong-Malong - Cotabato A Muslim dance. This Maranao dance is performed with women wearing malong and shawl, mantle or head piece, whereas men wear sash or waist band, shorts or bahag and head gear or turban traditionally worn in the fields.

Pagapir - Lanao del Sur This dance is usually performed to commence an important affair. Dancers of this dance are usually from the royal court or high society group of Lanao Province. They use apir or fan to coordinate with their small steps called kini-kini, which symbolizes their good manners and prominent family background.

Pangalay- Zamboanga Del Sur A muslim dance. Originally performed by wealthy families during a wedding celebration, this fingernail dance is now a popular festival dance in Sulu.

The Famous Filipino Balut

A balut is a fertilized duck (or chicken) egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. They are common, everyday food in the Philippines. Popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein, hearty snack, balut are mostly sold by street vendors at night in the regions where they are available. They are often served with beer.

Preparation
Balut are most often eaten with a pinch of salt, though some balut-eaters prefer chili and vinegar to complement their egg. The eggs are savored for their balance of textures and flavors; the broth surrounding the embryo is sipped from the egg before the shell is peeled and the yolk and young chick inside can be eaten. All of the contents of the egg are consumed, although the whites can be uneaten. In the Philippines, balut have recently entered higher cuisine by being served as appetizers in restaurants: cooked adobo style, fried in omelettes or even used as filling in baked pastries.
Balut-making is not native to the Philippines. A similar preparation is known in China as maodan (Chinese: 毛蛋; pinyin: máodàn; literally "feathered egg"), and Chinese traders and migrants are said to have brought the idea of eating fertilized duck eggs to the Philippines. However, the knowledge and craft of balut-making has been localized by the balut-makers (mangbabalut). Today, balut production has not been mechanized in favor of the traditional production by hand. Although balut are produced throughout the Philippines, balut-makers in Pateros are renowned for their careful selection and incubation of the eggs.
Fertilized duck eggs are kept warm in the sun and stored in baskets to retain warmth. After nine days, the eggs are held to a light to reveal the embryo inside. Approximately eight days later the balut are ready to be cooked, sold, and eaten. Vendors sell cooked balut out of buckets of sand, used to retain warmth, and are accompanied by small packets of salt. Uncooked balut are rarely sold in Southeast Asia. In the United States, many Asian markets occasionally carry uncooked balut eggs, though their demand in North America is not very great. The cooking process is identical to that of hard-boiled chicken eggs, and baluts are enjoyed while still warm.
Duck eggs that are not properly developed after nine to twelve days are sold as penoy, which look, smell and taste similar to a regular hard-boiled egg. In Filipino cuisine, these are occasionally beaten and fried, similar to scrambled eggs, and served with a vinegar dip.
The age of the egg before it can be cooked is a matter of local preference. In the Philippines, the perfect balut is 17 days old, at which point it is said to be balut sa puti ("wrapped in white"). The chick inside is not old enough to show its beak, feathers or claws and the bones are undeveloped. The Vietnamese prefer their balut matured from 19 days up to 21 days, when the chick is old enough to be recognizable as a baby duck and has bones that will be firm but tender when cooked. In Cambodia, most people prefer to eat it while it is still warm in its shell. Served with nothing more than a little garnish, it is widely popular. Usually, it is accompanied by a mixture of lime juice and ground pepper.

In popular media
Balut has been the "shocking" topic of some television shows because of its taboo nature in some Western cultures. In two episodes of Survivor: Palau and two episodes of Survivor: China, separate challenges featured attempts to eat this Asian delicacy. Similarly, Fear Factor frequently uses balut as a means of grossing out contestants. Recently, contestants of The Amazing Race Asia 2 had to eat 8 baluts as a team before receiving their next clue. The Travel Channel show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern also featured Balut, where the host pronounced 18-day-old balut one of the strangest foods he'd ever eaten in his life, but far better tasting than he had expected. The members of the rock band Switchfoot ate balut on stage at their concert in the Philippines. Episode 28 of the Switchfoot Podcast shows video footage of this occurrence.

Map of the philippines

What makes a "Filipina" So special?

Filipina women are just like any other women in the world. They are humans who seek happiness and fulfillment of their dreams, they are resilient, they laugh and they cry, they win and they fail but after a failure, they can stand up and learn from it.

So what makes Filipina women irresistible? Filipina ladies are warm and caring. Their inner beauty, sunny disposition and charm adds to the physical attractiveness and gracefulness they possess. Filipina ladies are naturally romantic, loving, resourceful and have old-fashioned values. They are optimistic and have flexible personalities. They have the capability to adapt to any situation and accept things they can not change. They are also outgoing by nature and are pleasant company. Equipped with a generous share of great sense of humor, Filipina ladies are prone to see the lighter side of life in sticky situations.

Filipina females are raised in a special sense of honor called delikadesa (daintiness). You can never see a conservative Filipina engage in loud arguments and shouting match because they were taught to be polite and soft-spoken. There are exceptions though because modern-day Filipinas who are influenced by other cultures are losing this trait.

When Filipina ladies enter into a relationship, they look at it as a serious business and a life-long commitment. There is no "absolute divorce" in Philippines so if you are looking for a trial-and-error marriage, look for a bride somewhere else.

Once married, Filipina wives puts her husbands and family at the top of their priority list, and it is their goal to excel in home and family management. They believe in a one-man one-woman relationship and are lifetime partners, holding a high regard for the sanctity of marriage. Filipina ladies are excellent home keepers, and being a good wife and mother is a trophy for her.

Filipina women are willing to sacrifice their own happiness and careers for the sake of their families. They are very supportive to their husbands. The Philippines is under a patriarchal society where the husband is the head of the family but in cases when the husband is unable to fulfill his obligation, like in the case of illness, death or separation by distance, the Filipina wife stands by him and takes the responsibility as the breadwinner on her shoulders.

Filipinas are well educated. As young as three years old, the Filipino children start going to pre-school. Parents too sacrifice and forgo other needs just so their children can finish their studies. This in an edge the Filipinas have over others because they can easily fill in jobs.

Filipino girls are religious. As a predominantly Roman Catholic country, children are raised to be devoted to the church at an early age. A lot of people may think that the Philippines is a factory producing ideal women who will be loyal and take care of their husbands even until their retirement. This is not putting the Filipinas on top of a pedestal but when you take a Filipina for a bride, expect somebody to stay with you for life.

Join Ati-Atihan festival - Kalibo

The Ati-Atihan is a festival in honour of the Santo Niño, celebrated in the third week of January. During the last three days of this week-long festival (fiesta), a parade is characteristic. A colourful happening with celebrants who paint their faces in many different ways and who are dressed in the most exceptional costumes. The dancing on the rhythms of the drums makes this festival comparable with carnival in Rio in Brazil!

The fiesta is celebrated in Kalibo on the island of Panay (Visayas)

The origin

In the thirteenth century, long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, light-skinned immigrants from the island of Borneo (Kalimantan) in Indonesia arrived on Panay. The local people of Panay, the Ati (negritos), a small and dark (black) kinky-haired people, sold them a small piece of land and allowed them to settle down in the lowlands. The Atis themselves, lived more upland in the mountains.

One time the Ati people was in need of food because of a bad harvest in their homelands. They came down to the lowlands of the Maraynon and asked them food. Every year since then, the Atis came down to the lowland inhabitants to ask for some food
They danced and sang in gratitude for the helping hand। A real friendship was born and the Maraynon started to paint their faces black in honor of the Atis and took part in the festival

Spanish influence

After the Spaniards settled down in the Philippines, some Catholic elements infiltrated in the fiesta, especially honoring Santo Niño. A Spanish representative arranged a deal with the local leaders of the Atis and the leader of the immigrants from Borneo. The outcome of the deal was, that in the future the existing native celebration would be dedicated to the Santo Niño. Nowadays it is a mix of parades, procession and dancing people on the rhythms of monotonous music of drums or the rhythmic tinkling of metal and stone on bottles. It looks as if the dancing never stops! The ritual dance originates from the Atis. The name Ati-Atihan means "make-believe Atis."

Viva kay Santo Niño!

It is said that the procession is the climax of the fiesta. It is held on the last Sunday. The street dancers never fail to enter the Kalibo church every time they pass by.

Join Sinulog festival - Cebu

The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival honors the child Jesus, known as the Santo Niño, patron of the city of Cebu. It is a dance ritual that commemorates the Filipino people's pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity.

The festival features a street parade with participants in bright-colored costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a "Sinulog sa Kabataan", performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the grand parade.

Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex.

Festival

The Sinulog celebration traditionally lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. The day before the parade, the Fluvial Procession is held at dawn with the Santo Niño carried on a pump boat from Mandaue City to Cebu City, decked with hundreds of flowers and candles. The procession ends at the Basilica where a re-enactment of the Christianizing of Cebu is performed. In the afternoon, a more solemn procession takes place along the major streets of the city, which last for hours due to large crowd participating in the event.

On the feast day at the Basilica, a Pontifical Mass is celebrated by the Cardinal with the assistance of several bishops of Cebu. Most devotees go to the Basilica to attend the mass before heading out to the streets to watch the parade.

Background

The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which is "like water current movement," which 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. 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.

The Sinulog dance steps were believed to originate from Rajah Humabon's adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon's grief when Baladhay was driven sick. He then ordered his natives to bring Baladhay into a chapel where the Sto. Niño was enthroned. Moments later, surprisingly, Baldhay was heard shouting and was found dancing with outmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to whether why was he awake and was shouting. Baladhay explained that he found a small child, pointing to the image of the Sto. Niño, on top of him and trying to wake him up. He, at great astonishment, scared the child away by shouting but couldn't explain why he was dancing the movements of the river. Up to this day, the two-steps forward and the one-step backward movement dance is still used by the Sto. Niño devotees believing that it was the Sto. Niño's choice to have Baladhay dance what the holy child wants them to dance.

History

Pre-Spanish and the first wave of Spaniards

Historians have noted that before the first Spaniards came to Cebu, the Sinulog was already danced by the natives in honor of their wooden idols called anitos.

On April 7, 1521, the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan arrived and planted the cross on the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory in the name of the King of Spain. He presented the image of the child Jesus, the Santo Niño, as baptismal gift to Hara Humamay, wife of Cebu's Rajah Humabon. Hara Humamay was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, mother of Carlos I. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also baptized to the Christian faith. At the moment of receiving the image, it was said that Queen Juana danced with joy bearing the image of the child Jesus. With the other natives following her example, this moment was regarded as the first Sinulog.

This event is frequently used as basis for most Sinulog dances, which dramatize the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to the Queen. A popular theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often afflicted by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirits.

Coming of Legazpi

After Magellan died on April 27, 1521 on the shores of Mactan, the remnants of his men returned to Spain.

The conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Cebu on April 28, 1565 and destroyed the village ruled by Rajah Tupas. In one of the huts of the burning village, one of Legazpi's soldiers named Juan Camus found a wooden box containing the image of the Santo Niño lying amongst several native idols. Historians later said that during the 44 years between the coming of Magellan and Legazpi, the natives of Cebu continued to dance the Sinulog but no longer to worship their anitos but to show their reverence to the Santo Niño.

The Augustinian friars that accompanied Legazpi in his expedition proclaimed the statue miraculous and built a church on the site where it was found. The church was called San Agustin Church, later renamed to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Letter to the King

After Juan Camus found the Santo Niño in the burning village, Legazpi was said to have included the incident in his report, entitled "Relation of Voyage to the Philippine Islands":

"Your Excellency should know that on that day when we entered this village (Cebu City), one of the soldiers went into a large and well-built house of an indio where he found an image of the Child Jesus (whose most holy name I pray may be universally worshipped). This was kept in its cradle, all gilded, just as if it were brought from Spain: and only the little cross, which is generally placed upon the globe in his hands, was lacking. The image was well kept in that house, and many flowers were found before it, and no one knows for what object or purpose. The soldier bowed down before it with all reverence and wonder, and brought the image to the place where the other soldiers were. I pray to the Holy Name of his image, which we found here, to help us and to grant us victory, in order that these lost people who are ignorant of the precious and rich treasure, which was in their possession, may come to a knowledge of Him."

Present

Since 1521, devotion to the Santo Niño has grown and has taken root in Filipino popular piety, particularly in the Visayas; pilgrims from different parts of Cebu and the rest of the Philippines make their yearly journey to the Basilica to take part in the procession and fiesta. Starting in 1980, the Cebu City government organized the Sinulog Mardi Gras and eventually gave incentives to dance groups.

The first Sinulog parade was held in 1980, organized by David Odilao, then Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development. The parade was composed of students dressed in moro-moro costumes, dancing the Sinulog to the beating of drums.

The idea caught and thus, under the direction of the Cebu City Mayor Florentino Solon with the help of several influential Cebuanos, Odilao turned over the Sinulog project to the Cebu City Historical Committee under Kagawad Jesus Garcia. It was the task of the Committee to conceptualize the Sinulog festival and make it into a yearly event from then on.

In 1981 the following year, the concept of the Sinulog Parade was actualized, involving practically every sector in the Cebuano community. Marking its difference from another popular festival, the Ati-Atihan in Aklan, the Sinulog focuses not on the ritual itself but on the historical aspects of the dance, which, as it has been said, represents the link between the country's pagan past and Christian present.

Sinulog coat of arms

The Cebu City Historical Committee, which was responsible for the conceptualization of the Sinulog as a provincial event, decided to adopt a logo for the Sinulog to identify it as an institutionalized yearly event. They turned to the coat of arms of the Santo Niño which consisted of a two-headed hawk that was the mark of the ruling House of Habsburg in Europe. The emblem represented the twin purpose of the Habsburg dynasty as "Champion of Catholicism and Defender of the Faith." At the time when Spain sent expeditions to the Philippines, they were under the Habsburg dynasty.

The Sinulog committee then incorporated the two-headed eagle to a native warrior's shield. The native shield is supposed to symbolize the country's resistance to colonization while the Santo Niño's coat of arms printed on its face represented the country's acceptance of Christianity.

Join Masskara Festival - Bacolod City

MassKara: A Thousand Smiles Per Minute
By: Imogene S. Kana-an, Bacolod City Tourism Officer

What started as "just a new activity" to spice up an otherwisese routine civic-military parade, awarding ceremonies and a literary-musical program for a city charter anniversary, Bacolod City's MassKara Festival is now 3 years short of its third decade and has already become of the entries of the Philippines to the global tourism community.
The MassKara Festival of Bacolod City has repeatedly represented the country in some major festivals in Asia, notably in the Chinggay Festival in Singapore in 1998, the Lunar Festival of Hong Kong in 2001, in the International Tourism Festival of Shanghai in 2004 and in the Midosuji Festival Parade of Osaka, Japan, emerging as champion in the foreign category and first runner-up in the local category - the first award to be given to a foreign participant in the 10-year history of that Japanese festival.
Among the Philippine festivals, MassKara is one that has also been to almost all major festivals in the Visayas and Luzon. mostly on exhibition performances. During the 23rd Asian Games held in Bacolod City in November 2005, the MassKara dance got the most applause from the athletes, visiting dignitaries and the international press covering the event.
The word MassKara has a double meaning. First, it is a fusion of the English word "mass" or many and "kara", the Spanish word for "face." MassKara then becomes a "mass of faces," and these faces have to be smiling to project Bacolod already known in the late 70's as the City of Smiles. MassKara also is the dialect "maskara" for the English word mask, which gives rise to the use of giant smiling masks in varied hues, colors and brilliance which the gaily costumed dancers wear as they stomp, swing, pulsate and gyrate in the major streets of the city every third weeded nearest to the 19th of October, which is the City Charter Anniversary of Bacolod.
The concept of combining the English word "mass" and the Spanish word "kara" is a mind product of the then Art Association of Bacolod president, the late Ely Santiago, with the support of the late city councilor chairman of the committee councilor on tourism, Romeo Geocadin and the then Negros Occidental Department of Tourism head and now city mayor of Bacolod, Atty. Evelio R. Leonardia, the concept has become a reality, with the city having her first MassKara Festival in 1981.
After two or three years, the MassKara would have died a natural death. But thanks to the tenacity of an Evelio R.Leonardia to lobby at the city council and to initiate the movement among tourism stakeholders, the festival moved on, year after year, despite political economic, natural or man-made impediments. Now, after 28 years, it has not only attained its recognized festival stature- as a national ANVIL awardee of the Philippine Public Relation Society - but also as one major tourism identity for Bacolod City.
Through the years, MassKara has evolved and has undergone a lot of changes from its attempt during its start in 1980 to be historical by portraying vignettes of Philippine history, to the time when it has become a symbol of survival, when the sugar industry as the lifeblood of the Bacolenos continued to plummet down.
The long years of affluence and abundance brought about by the sugar industry, with Bacolod as its center of trade and commerce, has made the Bacoleno a lover of the good life. He knows how to laugh heartily while his fine taste is seen in his cuisine, in dressing, the sports he indulges in and the kind of car his bulging pocket chooses. But beneath all these, he is also resilient because he knows how to take things in stride in times of crisis. He can still smile as sincerely as during the times of plenty. Decades after the backlash of the sugar industry, Bacolod now no longer depends on this cash crop and the Bacoleno still celebrates life along the mainstream of contemporary events, industry and technology.
The MassKara Festival is here to stay, an icon for Bacolod as the City of Smiles. Today, with the more than four hundred fifty thousand Bacolenos giving their warmest smiles, MassKara becomes a festival of a thousand smiles per minute, projecting the Bacoleno's ability to smile, to be gregarious and charming and to shoe his instinct to survive and triumph over trials and challenges. MassKara is not history nor is it anchored on any historical, religious or cultural event. Artistic, yes. MassKara is simply his story, that is the Bacoleno as a human being whose innate capacity for goodness, happiness and beauty is expressed in the sights, sounds, color and rhythm of a people celebrating the might and bounty of a Great Creator.