Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap delivers her message during the official launch of Saulog Festival 2023 on Thursday, March 16.
TAGBILARAN CITY — The Saulog street dancing competition here has returned after being suspended for three years due to COVID-19.
The local festivity is celebrated from March to May 21, with the Saulog street dancing competition as the main highlight on Sunday, April 30.
The Saulog Festival in Tagbilaran City is an annual cultural affair in honor of St. Joseph the Worker. This Thanksgiving festival was inspired by the local word “saulog,” which means to celebrate.
City Mayor Jane Yap said the street dancing featuring 15 contingents from different villages is probably the most exciting part of the celebration.
READ: Saulog sa Tagbilaran Festival makes a comeback this April 2023
“Saulog Tagbilaran is an opportunity for us to showcase our traditions, our music, our food, and our art, and to share them with the world,” she said.
Yap said the tourism recovery also translates to economic recovery.
“Now that we are back on face-to-face activities, this is our avenue to promote the tourism industry of Bohol and our beloved city of Tagbilaran,” she said.
This year’s Saulog Tagbilaran is packed with activities and significant events, including Mutya sa Tagbilaran and the Maoy sa Mayo Saulog Concert on May 1.
Regular Saulog activities such as the Tagbo saTagbi/Kumbira sa Tagbilaran (Food Fair) and Saulog Nightly Activities on April 15 to May 7; and the Saulog Fluvial Parade on April 29 are going to be staged as well.
Tagbilaran’s fiesta on May 1 is the opening salvo of the month-long merrymaking in Bohol province, where a fiesta is held every day in the different towns, down to the last barangay. One can practically go around the province without money and eat for free.
READ: Saulog Festival to boost tourism recovery in Tagbilaran City, rest of Bohol – Mayor Yap
But while Tagbilaran welcomes tourists, Yap reminds all their visitors to observe strict regulations against the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).
She said there is enough supply of pork in Tagbilaran.
Through the Veterinarian Office, the provincial government of Bohol reported that the province has remained ASF-free and has a 254% sufficiency level of hog production.
The pork supply in the province is also sufficient even if the entry of pork from outside the province is currently banned.
Bohol keeps a P6-billion hog industry. About 90% of these come from backyard hog growers who would be severely affected by the disease should it infect their farms.
RELATED STORY
P10M worth of projects await winner of Bohol Governor’s Cup 2023