Bird festival soars anew in Pampanga

Students in bird-inspired costumes join the Ibon-Ebon Festival. JOAN BONDOC

CANDABA, PAMPANGA—Young people in feathered costumes flapped their wings as if in flight as they mimicked the movement of birds to signal the revival of a homegrown event celebrating the presence of migratory fowls and agricultural economy of this natural flood-drain town.

The Ibon-Ebon  (Birds-Eggs) Festival is finally returning in February 2017.

“We worked for the revival of the festival because we get many tourists who come for birdwatching. More buyers of duck eggs, fish, vegetables, melons and rice come to Candaba. The festival promotes our town,” said Reineer Catacutan, a leader of Anac Ning Candaba (Natives of Candaba).

During the ANC grand assembly on Oct. 8 attended by over 1,000 members, Mayor Danilo Baylon announced the resumption of the Ibon-

Ebon Festival to promote ecological tourism and organic agriculture.

It began in 2008 upon the initiative of then Mayor Jerry Pelayo, but was discontinued in 2013 by then Mayor Rene Maglanque.

In 2011, the event served as a thanksgiving rite for the rise of Candaba’s duck-raising industry.

From a capital of P54,000 in 2006, the Candaba Duck-Raisers Multipurpose Cooperative grew into a P7.2-million venture of 70 members. It maintains almost a million ducks, laying eggs for “balut,” “penoy” and “itlog na maalat” (salted eggs). —TONETTE OREJAS