Quirino Province sets 48th founding day fest

THE Province of Quirino marks another milestone as it celebrates its 48th founding anniversary through the 20th Panagdadapun Festival from September 6-10, which showcased its rich history and cultural heritage.

With the theme “I Love Quirino Forever More”, celebrations opened with an array of events, such as indigenous arts and crafts exhibit, job fair, the Search for Binibining Quirino pageant, sports tournaments, sociocivic events, and entertainment concerts topbilled by leading rock bands Moonstar 88 and Tanya Markova.

A major event is the first Quirino Invitational Wakeboarding Competition

which will gathered more than 70 of the top boardriders from all the wakeparks in the country at the newly-opened Quirino Watersports Complex.

The festival’s highlight was the grand parade, anniversary program and Panagdadapun street dance parade showcasing the municipal festivals of Penenkakasisit of Nagtipunan, Pagay-Pagay of Saguday, Panagsasalog of Maddela, Ginnamuluan of Cabarroguis, Pammadayaw of Diffun, and Panagsalukag of Aglipay.

According to Quirino governor Dakila Carlo Cua, the celebrations underscored the economic, political and governance gains the province has achieved since its creation on Sept. 10, 1971 from its mother province of Nueva Vizcaya.

He noted that this year’s celebration is special with the consecutive annual Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Seal of Good Local Governance Award from 2015-2018 the province received for its excellence in financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order.

It is also a recipient of the 2018 Best Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s Gawad Kalasag, the country’s premier annual awards for outstanding contribution in DRRM and humanitarian assistance.

Moreover, the province’s Cabarroguis Homestay Association received the 2018 Asean Homestay Award in Ha Long, Vietnam for its homestay program to support its emerging tourism industry.

He noted that the fest, which literally means “gathering” in the Ilocano language, is also an opportunity to showcase Quirino’s natural charm through its ecotourism attractions, such as the Aglipay Caves and Provincial Forest Park, Siitan Nature Park in Nagtipunan, Governor Rapids at the Cagayan River in Maddela, and the countless waterfalls tucked inside the forests.

For more information, follow the Provincial Government of Quirino fan page on Facebook or log on to www. quirinoprovince.org.ph.