Bambanti Festival 2017 celebrates ‘Isabela for the Universe’

With “Isabela for the Universe (Isabela Para sa Daigdig)” as its theme, Bambanti Festival 2017, slated for Jan. 23 to 28, depicts the blossoming of Isabela as an outstanding province in the Philippines.

Organized by the provincial government, the annual event highlights Isabela’s community life, history and heritage through a celebration of the province’s rich harvest, bountiful produce and colorful culture.

Bambanti Festival 2017 is a tourism, trade, investment and environment project featuring the province’s various indigenous world-class products, lifestyle merchandise items and cuisine as pride of place.

“Isabela for the Universe (Isabela Para Sa Daigdig)” celebrates the successes that the province has enjoyed and proudly shares with the world. It aims to become a template for economic growth, socio-cultural development, disaster preparedness, and the agriculture productivity of the community.

It is a showcase of Isabela’s universal love — its love and respect for fellow Isabeleños, for the community, for the province (its natural resources, culture, agriculture, industries). This is what the province offers to the whole of mankind, and to the universe.

Since its beginning, the festival has been represented by the scarecrow, which is “bambanti” in Ilocano. The

bambanti is a representation of protection.

Visitors have a wide array of festivities to look forward to including the provincewide Giant Bambanti (Scarecrow) Showcase; Bambanti Street Dance and Showdown Competition; youth talents in Bambanti Musical Street; Isabela’s very own Hip-Hop B-Boy Group Dance Competition; Search for Bambanti Festival King and Queen; an Agri-Ecotourism Exhibit and Sale, among many more.

For inquiries, call the Office of the Provincial Administrator, Isabela Provincial Capitol at (078) 323-0173 or visit www. isabela.ph.