SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 1 June)— The Magdiwata Festival of this municipality kicked off Thursday at the municipal grounds with Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo conferred an honorary title as Manobo Bae or female tribal chieftain during ceremonies early dawn.
Manobo tribal leaders led by Bardo “Datu Hag-um” Bando, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative to the municipal council, performed the Manobo ritual naming the mayor as “Bae Pinintu Maganhon,” which translates to “leader filled with love and patience.”
Another ritual praying to Magbabaya to offer the bountiful resources of Mt. Magdiwata followed the installation of Bravo as a Manobo leader that formally marked the opening of the four-day festival, the first of its kind since it was celebrated 21 years ago.
Agusan del Sur Gov. Santiago Cane Jr., along with Vice Gov. Samuel Tortor and Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Edgar Ga, graced the opening program.
Instilling environmental awareness among the townsfolk will be the focus of the festival to help protect and preserve the 1,658-hectare watershed from which the event’s name was taken.
The local government has scheduled the festival from June 1 to 4 based on Executive Order No. 48, Series of 2023 issued by the mayor on May 2.
The day-long Magdiwata Environmental Summit will take place on June 3 at the municipal grounds where experts, environmentalists, and stakeholders will exchange views on the state of the watershed.
The Magdiwata watershed is the main source of potable water of the San Francisco Water District, which services at least 9,400 commercial and residential water concessionaires in this booming town.
“There is a big change in the schedule unlike in the previous year’s celebration,” Bravo told reporters, adding that the activities will be held earlier.
These include the patronal fiesta of the Catholic church on June 2 to pave the way for the bigger Naliyagan Festival 2023 of the provincial government scheduled June 12–17.
Side activities will be held during the environmental summit. These include the search for the most innovative environment project for high school students, Magdiwata “Trashion Show” where fashion designers will show off their entries of gowns made of recyclable materials, Cebuano poetry contest on the environment, and photography contest featuring the different interesting sites of Mt. Magdiwata, and the hammock adventure going towards Sitio Cantagan in the interior village of Lucac.
On the same day, high school students will have a Diwata reforestation/tree planting activity inside the watershed.
Sporting and cultural activities are also in the program of activities.
Vice Mayor Arth Ryan Palabrica will manage the sports events like the Enduro motocross competition, New Face Taekwondo championship, tattoo contest, and tournaments in paintball, dart, billiards, tennis, basketball, volleyball, and chess.
On the first day, Bravo will led the blessing and opening of the San Francisco Mini Cultural and Heritage Gallery.
The beauty pageant “Mutya ng San Francisco 2023,” which had drawn 14 contestants, is seen to draw crowds during the talent night on Thursday and coronation night on Saturday.
The tribal street dancing is likewise expected to draw a huge crowd. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
