SAKADA Festival

CABUGAO, Ilocos Sur — A unique festival was held here recently to celebrate the departure of the last batch of 6,000 migratory workers now called Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for Hawaii in 1946 on board SS Maunawili. In the same year, some 710 women and 1,425 children relatives of said Filipino sakadas followed them on board the SS Marine Falcon.

Some 1,000 balikbayans attended the festivities billed as the 4th Global Reunion of Cabugenians that coincided with the 5th Intayon Cabugao Festival, celebrating the centenary of Ilocano-Filipinos continuous migration to Hawaii from 1906 to work at various sugarcane plantations there.

The "Sakada Festival" was highlighted by streetdancing around the town participated in by "sakada" descendants, and activities such as a beauty contest and investment forum.

Cabugao Mayor Dioceasar S. Suero said this town, dubbed as "Boracay of the North," has gained headway in its eco-tourism promotion after the successful launch of its investment forum.

Suero said balikbayans and visitors who attended the forum held at the Cabugao Beach Resort expressed their interest to invest in the town particularly in tourism industry development.

"Our townmates from abroad had signified their willingness to invest some of their earnings for some economic and tourism projects here.

"With the success of the first investment forum held in Ilocos Sur coupled with the much-awaited operation of the Salomague Free Port Zone, the town’s economic boom is expected in the next 10 years, Mayor Suero said.

Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson, Cong. Salacnib Baterina, local officials of Cabugao and Undersecretary Herminigildo Dumlao, head of the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area–Program Management Office (NLGQC-PMO), have spearheaded the creation of the Ilocos Sur Special Economic and Freeport Zone (ISSEFZ) project in Port Salomague. The project aims to promote not only tourism but also other job-incentive projects in line with the economic agenda of President Arroyo.

For his part, Vice Governor Deogracias Victor B. Savellano disclosed that all eco–tourism ventures presented during the forum will complement the forthcoming operation of the Salomague Freeport Zone.

The initial priority programs identified during the forum were the establishment of commercial banks, appliance center and motor center; the rehabilitation of ice plant; the construction and operations of a greenhouse; seaweeds farming, organic farming; founding of a Montessori-inspired school; and development of various places with potential for tourism.

Some of the tourist destinations here are the beach resorts located along the "white sand" beach in Barangay Pug-os like the Ponce Del Mar Restaurant, Amytony Beach Resort, Cabugao Beach Resort, Cordillera Pug-os Court and Nueva Segovia Beach Resort.

"Aside from our historic Port Salomague and Pugos beach, we also have the Salapasap beach, the seven–hectare mangrove plantation in Barangay Dardarat, the surfing and snorkeling site in Barangay Sabang beach, the historic St. Mark Parish Church built in 1722, the clean Cabugao River and the one-hectare Cabugao Central Park," Suero disclosed.