Uncovering Lambunao through Binanog Festival
To greet the new year, a promising festival will open to enthrall visitors with a lasting impression of the rich history, legacy and culture of the people of Lambunao. The BINANOG Festival highlights the town's most highly developed art---its binanog dance, an integral part of the customs and traditions of the Bukidnons in Lambunao. It depicts the coupling mechanism of banog birds (dapay or hawk) to the symbolic beating of a gong that synchronizes the pulsating movements of the feet and hands of the dancers and reaches its climax as the female dancer catches her male counterpart with the use of her handkerchief. The dance may be either in a form of a celebration known as the Inagong Sayaw-Sayaw or Dinagmay, a courtship dance.
The municipality often described as a premier for natural destination in the province is celebrating its 5th BINANOG Festival. The BINANOG Festival of Lambunao has spread its influence to greater heights, attracting more visitors with its neighboring provinces. It is a major tourism attraction in the province, rich in cultural heritage. Celebrated annually, the weeklong festivity starts in January 8, 2007 with an Opening Salvo alongside the Agro-Industrial Fair and Food Festival. The festival culminates with the tribe competition.
Witness BINANOG Festival in Lambunao, a town rich on various attractions of all kinds. A 48-kilometer or an hour leisure trip by either van or bus from the city then one can further enhance the experience of being one with nature, filling his eyes with magnificent views of verdant landscape teeming with life.
Lambunao's natural character is located northwest from Iloilo City. Home to 61,084 (2000 Census on Population) people, the town is bounded in the north by Calinog; Duenas and Pototan in the east; in the south by Janiuay and Badiangan; and a portion of Janiuay and Valderama of Antique in the west. Its 73 barangays live peacefully in its 40,709-hectare land area.
It's amazing how much Lambunaonons care for Mother Nature. Located at the West Visayas State University College of Agriculture and Forestry in Barangay Jayubo is the MARI-IT CONSERVATION PARK, a Rescue and Captive Breeding Center for exotic birds like Dolongan and Tarictic Hornbill, White-spotted Deer, Warty Pigs, Racquet-tail Parrot (Dangag or native pikoy) and other species in the brink of extinction. Another plus factor about this place is its close proximity to INAS, MONTILLANO and AGUAS Falls, three of the more popular and accessible falls for first-time or visiting tourists. Boasting of lush greens and majestic trees, the area around these falls provide refuge to various floras endemic to the area or hear birds singing an ode to Mother Nature, making it an ideal camping site for those who like to commune with nature.
One of Lambunao's stable and growing industry is its lakatan. Much of the best produce is grown in PUPANTA ARC situated in Barangay Pughanan, an area that boasts of two freshwater springs over its lush vegetation that offer visitors an exciting outdoor adventure where they can go rock climbing, fishing and bird-watching.
As tourism initiatives in Lambunao strive for ecological progress and industry leadership, a wide variety of programs and projects are expected to strengthen the town's overall appeal to its many visitors. Under the leadership of Hon. IGNACIO L. RAMIREZ, JR., municipal mayor, these programs and projects are backed-up by supportive and peace-loving people and are assured to shape the present and will continue to shape the future landscape of tourism promotion not only for the town itself, but for the province of Iloilo in a globalized world.
(Bombette Marin)