Dueñas ready for its 3rd Anihan Festival

Duenas, Iloilo – The municipality of Dueñas is set to celebrate its 3rd Anihan festival and Patronal Fiesta starting September 24 to 30, 2005.

Mayor Robert Martin U. Pama said that the holding of the Anihan Festival is a way of opening the door to a “new Dueñas” that is truly the seat of history in Panay and one that has abundant resources yet to be discovered.

The festivities will kick off on September 24 with a parade and opening program in the morning and the Search for Miss Anihan in the evening.

The festival's highlight is the Tribes competition on September 25, which will be participated in by five groups coming from four high schools and one elementary school in the municipality.  The performances will depict this year's theme “Sulong Duenasanon sa Kauswagan Padulong,” enriching the town's history, practices, customs and traditions during and after harvest season.

A showcase of the town's agro-industrial products to be participated in by the 47 barangays will also be put up.  The 47 booths will vie for various awards in the “PINAKA” (the biggest) contest for corn, banana, coconut, native chicken and others. In feature is also the search for “ Pinakamatahum” or most beautifully decorated goat.

The Dueñasanon will also have the chance to display their skills in the Laro ng Lahi on September 28, where they will play and enjoy the different indigenous games famous in the town.

Taking from his message in last year's kick-off program, Mayor Pama said that the Anihan Festival was beginning to create for Duenas a new sense of history, where the people can take a glimpse of their rich culture and heritage, not the brand which they have been erroneously known for, as a town of “aswang” (witches). (CDIO/PIA 6)