FESTIVALS IN ORIENTAL MINDORO

1. Santo Niño de Calapan Festival is the first and last festival of the year, in Calapan City,
Oriental Mindoro. This month-long celebration begins in December. It finishes with a grand
parade and feast on the 1st January.
 The Feast of Sto. Niño (the child Jesus) is celebrated in many cities and towns across the
Philippines. But Calapan City’s Santo Niño Festival is a month long with the Feast taking place
on 1st January.
 The festival honors the city’s patron, the young child Jesus, Santo Niño. The celebration starts
in December, extends across the Christmas season and finishes on 1st January.

2. Kalap Festival - The festival is relatively new, launching in 2009 and it celebrates the founding
anniversary of Calapan as a City.
 The tagalog word ‘Kalap’ can mean both “to gather wood” or “branch (of a tree)”. Some people
believe that in the distant past it was an area where communities came together when out
gathering wood.

 Others believe that the name came about because a community of people moved from another
nearby area; as a ‘branch’ of that community. In the context of the festival, Kalap is used to
mean a gathering together of the city’s history and culture in one event, falling on the city’s
founding anniversary.

3. Mahalta Na Festival- Mahalta Na celebrates the Founding of Oriental Mindoro and how
religion, culture and tradition are an integral to the lives of the people of Mindoro.
 MAngyan (tribe),
 Mount HALcon,
 TAmaraw (Buffalo) ,
 NAujan Lake MAHALTA Na

4. Basudani Festival, Bansud – January - The Basudani is a harvest thanksgiving Festival and
takes place in honor of the patron saint Santo Niño. The main celebration is a street dancing
parade.
5. SIPAG Festival, Roxas – January
 This festival celebrates the produce and ingenuity Roxas is most famous for:
Saging (Banana)
Isda (Fish)
Prutas (Fruits)
PAlay
Gulay
6. Banana Festival, Baco – January
 The Banana Festival is held on Baco’s Founding Day, to give thanks for the abundance of the
banana in the area. Celebrations include traditional serenades (lupakan and harana) and the
Pandangguhan; dance with lights. There is Street dancing as well as meals and treats made
with banana’s out on display for hungry festival goers.
7. Coco Festival, SAN TEODORO – February
 This festival honors and celebrates San Teodoro’s most prominent product; the coconut.
8. Pandang Gitab, Calapan City – February
 The Pandang Gitab Festival is a unique festival as it takes place at night. The Pandang Gitab
honors a tradition from the island of Lubang Island, Mindoro. It has been the official festival of
Oriental Mindoro, since 2001.
 Pandang sa ilaw “to dance with light” is a traditional dance honoring the practice of the
wives of fishermen, who would carry oil lamps down to the shore to meet their husbands. The
Festival is alight with groups dancing the traditional steps, in colorful costumes based on the
baro’t saya, and holding lamps or lights.
https://myranggo.com/the-hottest/hot-events/santo-nino-calapan-festival/
9. Sulyog Festival, Bongabong – March
 The Sulyog Festival honors the two main products from the area; Banana’s “Suli” and
Coconuts “niyog”. It also honors the patron saint Joseph and features street dancing which
reflects the farming customs and traditions of the town.
10. Bahaghari Festival, Pinamalayan – April
 This is a very colorful festival depicting the brilliance and importance of rainbows in
Pinamalayan history and culture. Rainbows represent the unity, harmony and resilience of the
people. Activities include a colorful street dance competition, cultural and religious
presentations and a product and trade fair.
11. Sab’uyan Festival, Pola – June
 The Sab’uyan Festival is held in honor of John the Baptist. A Fluvial Procession takes the
image of Saint John the Baptist back to where it was found; the sea. Many people board the
boats and throw water at each other as a blessing and good luck. Once back on dry land the
image is carried around the streets, followed by street dancers.
12. Pakapya-Agtike Festival, Socorro – June
 Replicates the harvest thanksgiving rituals of the Tadyawan Mangyan Tribes. The festival
includes a street dancing competition and activities which celebrate Socorro’s abundant crops
and harvest.
13. Biniray Festival, Bulalacao – June
 This festivals honors patron saints Peter and Paul, introduced by Panay settlers, and the
blessings from the sea. It’s an early morning start, with a flotilla of colorfully decorated boats in
Bulalacao Bay. The saints statues are then paraded through the streets, with local schools
taking part in street dancing displays. A parade also takes place after sunset, finishing at the
church where they are crowned amidst singing and dancing.
14. Dabalistihit Festival, Naujan – September
 The name for this Festival comes from the various species found in the Naujan Lake;

DAlag
BAnak
BangLIS
TIlapia
HITo
 The festival includes a street dance parade, with props and costumes reflecting the various
species found in the lake.
15. Kapakyanan Festival, Victoria – September
 Known as the ‘fruit basket of Oriental Mindoro’ Victoria celebrates its abundance of fruits, such
as rambutan, lanzones and durian. Kapakyanan is a Mangyan term meaning abundance.
16. Kawayanan Festival, Gloria – October
 This festival celebrates the abundance of different varieties of “kawayan” (Bamboo) grown in
the area. The Festival features street dances with costumes made from bamboo materials. A
Trade Fare is also held showcasing furniture, souvenirs and other products made from
Bamboo.\
17. Kaaldawan Iraya Festival, Puerto Galera – October
 This festival celebrates the Iraya Mangyan Tribe and its unique culture. The festival features
Iraya Dances, indigenous games, songs and folktales. The highlight is the street dance
competition.
18. Mangyan Festival, Mansalay – November
 Celebrates the Mangyan’s , the idigenous tribes of Oriental Mindoro. It promotes the highest
ideals of the Hununuo and Buhid tribes, as well as the people of Mansalay.