Panabo to celebrate 5th Binulig Festival

PANABO City, the Banana Capital of the Philippines, will celebrate its Binulig Festival on October 10 to 14.

Marking this year’s celebration with the theme, “Pagpasalamat. Panaghiusa. Paglambo!”, the city government, through its City Agriculture and City Tourism and Promotions Office, prepared an exciting lineup of activities as thanksgiving for the city's bountiful harvest and to showcase its rich agricultural produce.

Incidentally, the Binulig Festival is celebrated together with Buwan Ng Tribu. This is the first institutionalized celebration of the Indigenous Peoples’ Month in the region with the enactment of City Ordinance No. 14-17 last July 3, 2017, establishing the Buwan Ng Tribu to be celebrated annually every October.

The five-day celebration will kick-off with Sayaw sa Kadalanan, a vibrant street dancing parade participated by the Binulig Na Ani contenders to be followed by their showdown proper at Panabo City Gym Grounds.

Panabo City tourism officer Cher Bastida said this year’s Binulig Festival is much different from previous celebrations as the city will hold a Ginanggang Fair and Bangus Festival. “The Ginanggang Fair and Bangus Festival will be 200 meters long, and will be available to the public for free. People can also bring and grill their own banana, but they’ll have to bring their own rice for the Bangus Festival,” Bastida said. The Ginanggang Fair, which features a long line of grilled skewered bananas will be held on October 11 at Panabo City Parks and Plaza, after the 9 a.m. Agri-Aqua Fair at 9 a.m. while the Bangus Festival will be held at the Mariculture Park on October 12 from 9 a.m. to 12noon. Meanwhile, an Investment and Market Opportunities Forum on Cardava, Cacao, and Banana will be held on October 12 at Gaisano Grand Mall Panabo, which will benefit farmers and entrepreneurs in the city.