BACOLOD CITY — The 10th edition of the “Pana-ad sa Negros” festival unfolds March 29 to April 5 this year in a park named after it located in a sports center known for being in the middle of a forest of eucalyptus trees.
Dubbed as the “Pana-ad sa Negros,” the event brings together the festivals of the towns and cities of the province in a week-long affair in a single venue.
Everyday during the Pana-ad festival, visitors will be treated to presentations of the famous celebrations in this province such as Bacolod’s MassKara, La Carlota City’s Pasalamat and San Carlos’ PintaFlores, Bago City’s Babaylan and La Castellana’s Bailes de Luces as well as other fiesta presentations from the rest of the province.
Aside from this, visitors will see and “walk through” the entire province through the permanent booths of each town and city at the park – structures that symbolize either their history, their arts, their culture or prevailing industry. Talisay City, for example, has a replica of an ancestral house, beckoning people with a sign, “Dayon Kamo” meaning “come inside,” the famous Negrense line that speaks of his hospitability.
Calatrava, which is located in the mountainous north, has a cave for its booth, emphasizing the town’s wildlife attractions.
The fishing town Toboso built a fish, its mouth wide open, to house its exhibits, and has a banca sitting beside it for effect.
Pontevedra’s is a replica of the “bulangan” or cockpit, a reminder that it hosts the famous Balbina Cup derby.
The booths will sell agricultural as well as light industrial products from the Negros countrysides – fruits and vegetables as well as baskets and other weaves, shell-, wood- and other crafts.
Pana-ad is a showcase of our best…products, food, fiesta presentations and the gentle people among others, according to Gov. Joseph Maranon who is now on his second year as governor. It is a celebration where we also highlight our rich cultural heritage, he said, adding: “We are happy to invite everyone to come, join Pana-ad and discover Negros Occidental.”
Maranon has made the festival one of the major planks of his tourism development program. Another tourism anchor, a rehabilitated Mambukal Summer Resort, a famous Negrense landmark, will have its soft opening in time for the festival.
Like the giant fiesta that it is, Pana-ad has lined up activities that are reminiscent of the ones celebrated in the old towns in the past as well as those showcasing the province’s development strides.
Festival chair and board member Angelito Colmenares said these activities include furniture and “Crafts for the World” exhibits as well as a harvest festival, a garden show, a trade fair, a food fest and cooking demo.
Also on schedule is a dog show, hot air balloon exhibition, a five-cock derby, athletics, concerts, baratillo, a national shootfest and a Jobs Fair.
Like in the town fiestas, there will be an employes night, a youth day, composition contest, Pop Dance Showdown, an on-the-spot painting contest, choral and folk dance competitions.
Of special interest is the Adlaw sang Tumandok (Day of Indigenous People). The I.P’s will showcase their crafts and culture on this day with games as well as presentations.
This year, festival organizers are mounting a presentation called Pintados de Negros – a body painting competition that harks back to the early days of the province, when Negrense ancestors colored their bodies with creative designs. Out of this was also born what is hoped to become the icon of the festival – a tattoo in the face, arm or anywhere in the bodies of festival promenaders. Tattoo artists and body painters will be around to do this for a small fee.
And like the fiestas of yore, Pana-ad will be highlighted by selection of Lin-ay sang Negros, a beauty and talent search for the lady who embodies the Negrense beauty, as it has been embodied by the likes of Susan Magalona, Susan Roces, Aurora Pijuan, Binky Montinola, Ma. Isabel Seva and Gretchen Oppen-Cojuangco
All these will take place at the Panaad Park and Stadium that is located amid a eucalyptus forest a few minutes away from downtown Bacolod.
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