Tubungan holds 4th Tubong-tubong festival

The municipality of Tubungan is set to hold its 4 th Tubong-tubong Festival this April 29 – May 1, 2005, in commemoration of the town's 67 th Foundation day.

This year's celebration carries the major theme: “Tubungan banwa ko . . . Pagkatubunganon bugal ko” (Tubungan My Town, My Pride) and has a sub-theme: “Kasugpon sang Kahapon . . . masanag nga Palaabuton” (A Sequel to the Past, A Brighter Future).

The first day of the three-day festival will open with a civic parade at 1:00 pm, highlighting a Float Competition featuring the various tourist spots in the municipality.

This will be followed by a launching program and the opening of the Food Festival, Agri-Fair, One Stop Shop center and the Tubungan Small Cut flowers Association. Last year's grand champion, Tribu Igsibad of Bantayan festival, Guimbal, Iloilo will perform at the Tubungan Public Plaza.The day's festivities will be capped by the Search for a Star sponsored by the PNP-Tubungan.

The second day of the festival will begin with a Marathon Race at 7:00 in the morning, followed by the Bicycle Drag Race and all sports activities for the rest of the day, while the Search for the Tubong -tubong Queen 2005 will be held in the evening.

The third and final day will open with a Holy Mass and the Tribes Competition later in the morning, where 8 tribes from 8 districts of Tubungan will perform, depicting the various culture, beliefs and traditions of Tubunganons through choreographed performances.

Tubungan Mayor Victor Tabaquirao said that it is the inherent spirit of Tubong-tubong (contribution/chip-in) of the people that will make the festival a success. He added that each yearly festival helps raise the awareness and increase the appreciation of the Tubunganons of their customs and tradition and of their tourism potentials.

The name Tubungan came from the word :”TUBONG”, a term used in gambling or in games, meaning “addition,”“contribution” or “chip in” to the original bet. The Spanish Laws of the Indies required a place to have a certain population in order to be recognized as a town. To comply with this requirment, people from neighboring towns were recruited and encouraged to settle in the orginal town called TIN-AN. The recognition of Tubungan as a town during the Spanish regime was made possible through the “tubong-tubong (contribution) from other towns, in terms of population. CDIO/PIA