Kalilangan: GenSan's Festival Of Culture

MANILA, Philippines — It will be an explosion of colors and culture as Gen. Santos City showcases its artistic side when it celebrates the multi-awarded Kalilangan Festival as part of its 73rd founding day.

Derived from the root word “Kalilang”, the fest literally means "celebration" in the Maguindanaoan dialect. The month-long festivity kicks off on Feb. 10 with an assortment of sports tournaments, native Flipino games, cultural shows, barangay gatherings and special interest events.

According to Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, Kalilangan is a social gathering marked by the exchange of amenities among traditional leaders, elders, allies and townsfolk.

She said that this year’s festivity bears the theme “Convergence in Divergence: Enriching Heritage, Bridging Cultures,” which will highlight the unity and diversity among peoples of various faiths and ethnic origins which have made Gen. Santos their home.

The cultural extravaganza is also a pageantry of unique and colorful ethnic rites, rituals and traditions like marriage celebrations, religious ceremonies, anniversaries, royal enthronements and other social activities.

Kalilangan is a two-time recipient of the Best Tourism Event (Culture and Arts Catergory, City Level) of the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines in 2009 and 2011.

Festivities draw to a close on Feb. 27 with the Salubungan “Parada ng Lahi” and the Kadsagayan (Street Dancing) to mark the founding of the city as the coastal district of Dadiangas.

Formerly known as Dadiangas town of Cotabato, the city was established in 1939 by Gen. Paulino Santos of Tarlac, civilian administrator of the National Land Settlement Administration, upon the instruction of President Manuel Quezon. It was converted into a city on September 5, 1968 and was named after him.

Custodio pointed out that aside from being the country’s tuna capital, the city is also being groomed as an ecotourism spot because of its natural wonders, such as the Klaja Karsts Ecotourism Park which is being developed into one of the country’s best ecoparks.

The park, which overlooks the city, Mt. Matutum and Sarangani Bay, is a splendid location for nature camping, canyoneering, bird watching and other close-to-nature adventure activities. For adrenaline junkies, it has a 500 and a 300-meter zipline, as well as a cable car.

The city also boasts of historic spots such as the World War II Japanese bunkers, Gen. Paulino Santos Museum and the Mindanao State University Museum.