List of Festivals in the Philippines: January

Do you want to witness and be part of the exciting and colorful cultural activities in the Philippines in this month of January?
 

Check out the list of popular fiestas or festivals happening this month.

Pabirik Festival

Location: Paracale, Province of Camarines Norte
Details: The festival is celebrated every last week of January up to the day of the town fiesta on the second day of February. Its highlight is the Pabirik street dancing competition. This festival is in honor of Nuestra Senora de Candelaria who is believed to have protected the town from Moro pirates. The name pabirik is derived from the name of an essential tool used by miners.

Tagbo Festival

Location: Poro, Camotes Island, Province of Cebu
Details: The festival is usually celebrated every 19th of January. Its highlight is the street dancing performances performed by different schools in Poro. This festival is in honor of Santo Nino de Poro who is the patron saint of the town and at the same time serves as a reminder to the new generation of how the town was born through the meeting or confrontation of two powerful tribes. The name tagbo means to meet in the Bisayan dialect.

Langub Festival

Location: Mabinay, Province of Negros Oriental
Details: The festival is celebrated every 24th of January. The highlights of the festival are the agro fairs, sports events, beauty pageants, live bands, and street dance showdown of the 6 basic Langub dance steps. Finally, it will be capped by fireworks displays. This festival is in honor of Sto. Nino (Child Jesus) and at the same time serves as a thanksgiving for the many beautiful caves that made Mabinay the "Cave Capital of the Philippines". The name langub or langob means cave in the Bisayan dialect.

Halamanan Festival

Location: Guiguinto, Province of Bulacan
Details: The festival is celebrated every 23rd of January. Its highlights are the street dances that simulate the movement of plants not to mention the colorful dresses of the dancers participating in the festival. This festival is in honor of San Ildefonso and also manifests a twin devotion to Sta Rita de Casia. The name halamanan means garden in the Tagalog dialect.

Kuraldal Festival

Location: Sasmuan, Province of Pampanga
Details: The festival is celebrated every 6th of January and ends on the 10th of January known as kawakasan (ending). The highlight of the festival is the fertility dance where participants would shout "Viva Apu Lucia. Puwera Sakit". This festival is in honor of Saint Lucy the town's patron saint who is known to help the blind and women who wish to bear children. The name kuraldal is believed to come from the Spanish word curar which means to heal.

Pansi' Festival

Location: Cabagan, Province of Isabela
Details: The festival is celebrated every 16th until the 25th of January. The highlight of the festival is the pancit eating festival, street dancing competitions, beauty pageants, and many more. The festival is to highlight the Pancit Cabagan which made the town popular throughout the country. The name pansi' is a shortened word for pancit or noodles.

Longaniza Festival

Location: Vigan City, Province of Ilocos Sur
Details: The festival is celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January. The highlight of the festival is the street dance where the dancers carry the longaniza which is the main product of Vigan. The festival is a sort of thanksgiving that also promotes the Vigan longaniza. A longaniza is a Spanish sausage made popular in the region during the Spanish colonial era.

Buling-Buling Festival

Location: Pandacan, Manila
Details: The festival is celebrated every Saturday before the main celebration of the feast of Santo Nino on the third week of January. The highlight of the festival is the cultural street dancing which originated in 1800. The festival is in honor of the miraculous image of Sto. Nino. The word buling-buling means well-polished or well-prepared.

Dinagyang Festival

Location: Iloilo City, Province of Iloilo
Details: The festival is celebrated every fourth Sunday of January or right after the Sinulog Festival of Cebu or Ati-Atihan Festival of Aklan. The highlight of the festival is the street dances where the dancers cover themselves with soot and ashes. The reason behind doing so is for them to simulate the dancing Ati tribesmen celebrating the sale of Panay Island. Aside from that historical aspect the festival also gives honor to Santo Nino. The word dinagyang came from the root word of the Ilonggo word dagyang which means make happy.

Sinulog Festival

Location: Cebu City, Province of Cebu; Maasin City, Province of Southern Leyte; and Balingasag, Province of Misamis Oriental
Details: The festival is celebrated every third Sunday of January which lasts for nine days. The highlight of the festival is the street parade where the participants wear brightly colored costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. Street performances, contests, and parades are scheduled on the days of the celebration. The festival will be capped off by the Sinulog Grand Parade on the final day. The festival gives honor to Santo Nino and is also depicting the Filipino's pagan origin and acceptance of the Catholic faith. The word sinulog came from the word sulog or strong flow.

Ati-Atihan Festival

Location: Kalibo, Province of Aklan
Details: The festival is celebrated every January concluding on the third Sunday of the month. The highlight of the festival is the tribal dance where the dancers wear indigenous Aeta or Ati costumes. It is said that the festival inspired many other festivals such as the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo and the Sinulog Festival of Cebu. The festival gives honor to Santo Nino and is also depicting the story of the 10 Malay Datus that bought Panay Island from the Atis. The word ati-atihan means to be like an Aeta. 

Coconut Festival/ Coco Fest

Location: San Pablo City, Province of Laguna
Details: The festival is celebrated every first until the second week of January. The highlights of the festival are street dances, float parades, street programs, and nightly programs. The festival gives honor to Saint Paul the Hermit and also to the most important product of San Pablo City -the coconut. 

Bailes de Luces Festival

Location: La Castellana, Province of Negros Occidental
Details: The festival is celebrated starting the 30th of December and ends on the 5th day of January. The highlight of the festival is the nighttime dance parade where the dancers wear costumes that lights up making the dancers look like angelic beings. The festival is a thanksgiving for the people of La Castellana. The Spanish phrase Bailes de Luces means dances of lights.

Kahimunan Festival

Location: Butuan City, Province of Agusan Del Norte
Details: The festival is celebrated every third Sunday of January. The highlight of the festival is the street parades said to be patterned to the Sinulog Festival of Cebu. The festival gives honor to their patron saint Santo Nino. The word kahimunan is a Lumad term that means gathering.

Salibanda Festival

Location: Paete, Province of Laguna
Details: The festival is celebrated every third and last Sunday of January. The highlight of the festival is the parade of the Santo Nino around town and the fluvial parade afterward. Prepare to get wet though as the revelers will be greeted by a splash of water. The festival is in honor of Santo Nino. The word salibanda is a combination of the phrase "sali sa banda" or join the band.

Dugoy Festival

Location: Sablayan, Province of Occidental Mindoro
Details: The festival is celebrated every 18th of January. The highlights of the festival are the street dances that showcase the Mangyan and the different other ethnocultural groups from the whole archipelago that have subsequently settled in Sablayan. The festival gives honor to the Dugoy Spirit of camaraderie and friendship between tribes. The word dugoy refers to the Mangyan spirit that promotes harmony.

Location: Philippines

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 4, 2014 at 1:36 AM

    Sinulog!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MichelleJanuary 24, 2014 at 7:58 AM

    You have a great blog with so many gorgeous photos! I must add the Philippines to my buucket list now! I used to be a teacher as well. Nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioJanuary 24, 2014 at 10:36 PM

      Thank you Michelle! Yes you must visit the Philippines! =) You'll have 7,107 islands to visit and choose from.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2015 at 5:02 PM

    i just love philippines !! <3 <3

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Book your hotel thru KLOOK

Klook.com
Subscribe and get updated with the latest travel articles of The Backpack Adventures

Popular posts from this blog

Patungan Beach - Cavite

Image
Located in Barangay Sta. Mercedes (Patungan) in Maragondon , Cavite, Patungan Beach is one of the province's little-known beach destinations. It is situated inside Patungang Cove which is south of Mt. Palay Palay which is also known as Pico de Loro . Patungan Beach Patungan Beach Details The area near Patungan Beach is home to about 100 - 200 families, most of which are fishermen hence the alternate name of the barangay - Patungan Fishing Village . According to the locals that I interviewed, their place was once an isolated  barangay , reachable only by boat, horse, or foot. Thankfully, with the completion of the  Nasugbu - Ternate Highway  and  Kaybiang Tunnel , the barangay was finally connected to the province. However, there is still no direct public transportation system that serves the area coming from Manila.  Patungan Beach - Maragondon, Cavite The beach from a distance Check out these photos of Patungan Beach: Just a heads up, ...
Keep reading

Imus City Plaza - Cavite

Image
Located in the center of the Poblacion or town proper of Imus City in the province of Cavite, Imus City Plaza is one of the city's scenic and historical attractions. Imus City Plaza Imus City Plaza Details This plaza is located in front of the equally historical Imus Cathedral and Imus City Hall . Imus City Plaza is also the first place to greet you if you're heading to the cathedral via Sapinoso Street.  Imus City Plaza - Imus City, Cavite General Licerio Topacio The general guarding the flag Checking out each angle of the monument Imus City Plaza History Imus City Plaza is probably easily remembered because of the monument with two vintage artillery flanking it. The monument stands as an honor to the children of Imus who joined the fight for the independence of the country against Spain. As for the man standing on top of the monument, he is General Licerio Topacio . He is one of the most notable sons of Imus. He is famously known for honorably declinin...
Keep reading

Gifu Castle - Gifu

Image
Located in the city of Gifu in Gifu Prefecture, Gifu Castle ( 岐阜城 )  is a mountaintop castle that stands as one of the symbols of the city.  Gifu Castle  ( 岐阜城 ) Gifu Castle History Built by the Nikaido Clan during the Kamakura Period sometime between 1201 to 1204, Gifu Castle was once called Inabayama Castle by its original owners. It was a formidable castle which overlooks the surrounding countryside of then Mino Province. On September 13, 1567, the castle and its defenders under the leadership of Saito Tatsuoki of the Saito Clan came under siege by the numerically superior army of Oda Nobunaga.  Gifu Castle - Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture Gifu Castle as displayed at Mt. Kinka Ropeway Station Make sure to get some brochures at Kinkazan Ropeway Station We rode the ropeway up Mt. Kinka Despite its strategical and strong position on top of Mt. Inaba, the castle still fell to the hands of Oda Nobunaga due to his cunning strategy of sending in si...
Keep reading

10 Things to Do in Otaru City

Image
10 Things to Do in Otaru City Otaru City ( 小樽市 ) is a port city in the Shiribeshi Subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan . The name is believed to be of Ainu origin. It possibly means " river running through the sandy beach ”. For those planning to visit Otaru City to check what it has to offer, here are the 10 Things to Do in Otaru City : Otaru City manhole covers 1. Take a picture of Otaru’s unique manhole covers . So far, I have seen 2 unique manhole covers. The first one is the one with the otter and the other is the one that features the Otaru Canal. However, there is a colored version of the latter located near the LeTao Main Store. Aside from that, there is an  Otaru Pokemon Manhole Cover  featuring the Alolan Vulpix with what appears to be stained glass windows as his backdrop. Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branch 2. Visit the  Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branch  and learn about the golden age of banking in Otaru City. You can watch the map projection on the ceiling of i...
Keep reading

Myozenji - Gifu

Image
Located in 679 Ogi-machi, Shirakawago in Gifu Prefecture, Myozenji  ( 明善寺 ) is a historic religious establishment found in the historic village of Shirakawago .  Myozenji  ( 明善寺 ) Myozenji History Myozenji Temple was established in 1748 to provide the village people with a place to practice their religion and also to give spiritual protection to the village. For half a century,  the small temple  housed the mo nks who catered untiringly to the spiritual needs of the locals. In 1800, the temple was finally improved with the construction of the main hall, monk's residence, and the bell tower gate. Myozenji - Shirakawago, Gifu Prefecture Myozenji's Hondo Myozenji's bell tower Myozenji is surrounded by nature. Check out this small frog I saw near the temple ...and this lizard too! What makes the Myozenji unique is its thatched roof which uses the same materials as that of the famed gassho-style houses of the village. Like the t...
Keep reading

Embetsu Shrine Revisited Winter 2022

Image
On August 12, 2022 , during my 41st week in Japan as an ALT under the JET Programme , my family and I had the pleasure of visiting Embetsu Shrine for the first time as part of our five-day "Drive Up North" Road Trip . Later, on December 22, 2022 , I had the opportunity to revisit the shrine. What made this return visit particularly special was experiencing it during the winter season. Intrigued by how the shrine would be transformed by snow, I made the trip after finishing my duties at Embetsu Agricultural High School . As expected, the shrine exuded a captivating charm, its grounds adorned in a blanket of snow, truly a magical sight to behold. Embetsu Shrine Revisited Winter 2022 Embetsu Shrine details ( Winter ) For those who weren’t able to read my previous article about Embetsu Shrine , you might want to click this 👉 LINK 👈 to read about the history of the shrine. Regardless, here’s a summary of it. Embetsu Shrine - Embetsu town, Hokkaido Prefecture Embetsu Shrine ...
Keep reading

Shoboji and Gifu Daibutsu - Gifu

Image
Located in 8 Daibutsu-cho Gifu City in Gifu Prefecture, Shoboji ( 正法寺 )  is known as the temple which houses one of the three largest Daibutsu or Great Buddha statues in Japan . Shoboji   ( 正法寺 ) Shoboji and Gifu Daibutsu History Officially named Kinpouzan Shobouji (Temple) and also called Shohoji , Shoboji was first established in 1638. It joined the Obaku school in 1692. Although the temple incorporated many aspects of the Obaku school, its architectural style and sacraments are in the Chinese style.  Shoboji - Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture Shoboji as seen from the road Buy your entrance ticket here. It's only 200 yen. Here's what appears to be a tsukubai but could also be a chozubachi or purification font As was already written, Shoboji houses one of the largest statues of Buddha in Japan. It was the 11th head priest of the temple, Ichyuu (Ichu) who planned for the construction of Gifu's Great Buddha in 1790. Sadly, he never saw the completed Bud...
Keep reading

Takayama City - Gifu

Image
Located in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture, Takayama City  ( 高山 ) is said to be in the heart of the Japanese Alps. It also currently has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan . Takayama City  ( 高山 ) Takayama City History Takayama City is also called Hida-Takayama in reference to the old Hida province and also to differentiate it from other places in Japan with the same name. The name  Takayama  means "tall mountain", probably in reference to the mountains that surround it.  Takayama City's famed Sanmachi Suji Part of the town near the Old Town District as seen from our room in the hotel Walking the streets of Takayama City Crossing the Nakabashi Bridge The history of the creation of Takayama started with its establishment in 1889. During that time, it was the most populous municipality in Gifu Prefecture. In 1936, the town merged with the town of Onada forming the city of Takayama. It continued to grow as it annexed ...
Keep reading

List of Festivals in the Philippines: April

Image
Do you want to witness and be part of the exciting and colorful cultural activities in the Philippines in this month of  April ?   Please check out the list of popular fiestas or festivals happening this April . Rodeo Masbateno Festival Location:  Masbate City, Province of Masbate Details:  The festival is celebrated every 9th to 14th of April. Its highlights are the bull riding competition, lassoing, 2-4 carambola, and bulldogging. This festival showcases the "cowboy skills" of the Masbatenos. Kangayedan Festival Location:  Pagudpod, Province of Ilocos Norte Details:  The festival is celebrated every 22nd to the 26th of April. Its highlight is the parade of cultural dances. This festival's objective is to safeguard the ecological beauty from destruction and also to renew the vow of the townspeople to replenish and protect the environment.  Butanding Festival Location:  Donsol, Province of Sorsogon Details:  The festival is celeb...
Keep reading

10 Things to Do in Abashiri City

Image
10 Things to Do in Abashiri City Abashiri ( 網走市 ) is a city in the Okhotsk Subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan . There are several ideas as to how the name 'Abashiri' came to be. It was believed to be derived from the Ainu language, like apa-siri which means leakage/ground, and ci-pa-sir  which translates to the land we discovered. For those planning to visit Abashiri City to check what it has to offer, here are the 1 0 Things to Do in Abashiri City : Abashiri manhole cover 1. Take a picture of Abashiri’s unique manhole cover . So far, I have seen 1 unique manhole cover. It is common and can be seen around Abashiri City proper.  Abashiri Roadside Station / Road Station Ryuhyo-kaido Abashiri 2. Visit the  Abashiri Roadside Station  /  Road Station Ryuhyo-kaido Abashiri  ( 道の駅 流氷街道網走 ) and buy products that are made in the city. You can also get the roadside station stamp here for the Hokkaido Stamp rally booklet. Don’t forget to take photos of the Abashiri Po...
Keep reading