Matabungkay’s Balsa Festival:Bringing back tourists in Batangas

Welcome back tourists

Already on its third year, the Balsa Festival was first held on May 18, 2002, to bring tourism in Batangas back on the track.

The concept was first brought into light by the innovative and creative minds of the management team of the Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel – a first-rate leisure enclave whose impeccable customer service is renowned in the industry.

After three years of careful planning and successful staging of the festival, with the help of the Department of Tourism, Matabungkay is again within the map of the backpacking adventurer to the high-tech radar of executives who just want to have a leisurely vacation while enjoying good food, crystal-clear waters, and of course, the famous Batangueño hospitality.

Balsa Festival at its best

The 2004 Balsa Festival kicked-off, recently with Ati-atihan dancers parading in the Matabungkay vicinity to invite spectators to join the celebrations thus, making the event even more meaningful.

The Balsa Festival will not be complete without its yearly attraction, the Balsa Decor Competition. Here, the competitors are judged not only for their unique ideas but for creating a balsa using the indigenous materials found within the area.

At the end of the day, the Balsa decor competition proved a tough one to crack, with every competitor coming out with concepts replete with creativity.

The Balsa Race Boat competition, on the other hand, is a team-effort of 10-12 virile men pushing the balsa into its obstacle course while maintaining coordination and team work.

In addition to the festival highlights, native Filipino games such as "palo sebo," "halik sa biik," and "agawan sa buko," were also held, to the delight of amused spectators. Cultural nights and beach parties rocked Matabungkay during the two evenings.

Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel

Aside from the yearly Balsa Festival, tourists have another reason to visit Matabungkay all year-round—the Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel (MBRH).

The MBRH is a first-rate beach and hotel resort which offers relaxing respite from the bustles of city life. It has conference facilities, sports and recreation facilities with 70 hotel rooms and 16 octagon villas to house its guests.

MBRH has been awarded by the National Consumer Council and Parangal ng Bayan Foundation as the "Most Outstanding Beach Resort." It was also awarded "Total Quality Management (TQM) QC 100 Model" and the "Quality Star Award for Leadership in Tourism under Platinum Category" by the Business Initiative Directions in Madrid.

Aside from showing the local tourism industry how to excel in this stiffly competitive arena, the MBRH primarily aims to bring back the town’s popularity in the tourism map and likewise, help its community draw revenues from it.

[ Matabungkay Beach Wiki ]