Northern Samar prepares for 1st ‘Ibabao Festival’ in June

Northern Samar map. INQUIRER FILES

TACLOBAN CITY — Northern Samar is gearing up for its first-ever “Ibabao Festival,” to be celebrated during its founding anniversary on June 19.

The local government has allocated P10 million for the festival, which will showcase the province’s rich history, tourism, and culture.

“Ibabao” was the old name of Northern Samar, which became a separate province in 1965 when Samar Island was divided into three provinces.

The other Samar provinces are Eastern Samar and western Samar.

“Through the Ibábao Festival, we hope to foster cultural awareness, engender deeper appreciation of the history, cultural heritage, and development of Northern Samar, and instill pride, integrity, understanding, and unity among the present and future generations of Norte Samarnons,” said Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan in a statement on Tuesday, May 23.

He hoped that the Ibabao Festival would help attract more tourists to the province.

The Ibabao Festival will be formally launched on June 4 in a grand float parade to be participated by all the 24 towns of the province.

The festival will end on June 19, the founding day of the province.

Among the activities during the Ibabao Festival is the holding of an agri-tourism trade fair, search for Mutya san Ibabao, a business conference, a cultural night, a night market, mass bloodletting, founding anniversary commemorative program, ‘Kauswagan Awards,’ and the ‘Festival of Festivals,’ a cultural competition by the 24 town-contingents on June 18.

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