Yuletide season merrier for Iloilo town
SAN MIGUEL, Iloilo – The officials and people of this Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development (MIGEDC)-member town, located 17 kilometers from here, have two big reasons to be merry this month.
December is the season of Christmas and it is also during the month that San Migueleños celebrate their annual religious and cultural festival in honor of their Patron Saint St. Michael the Archangel.
The parish is joining other devotees worldwide by holding the nine-day "misa de gallo" traditional masses that began Dec. 16 every 4:00 early in the morning.
Starting Dec. 20 until the 23rd of the month, the town led by the municipal government headed by Mayor Gregorion S. Villarico celebrated their religious and cultural festival called "Pasidungog" or tribute to.
A series of activities was lined up by the local government unit to celebrate the festival this year in coordination with the Parish Church of St. Michael, Department of Education (elementary and secondary), business sector, non-government organizations, barangays and Sangguniang Kabataan, and other sectors.
Among the major highlights of the festival are the nightly food festival, tribal competition, composo and binalaybay contests, cultural presentation by the town's schools district headed by its Supervisor Ninette D. Ira, and battle of the bands to showcase the musical talents of home-grown and visiting bands.
The tribal competition is slated Dec. 23 at the town plaza and will be participated in by clusters of the town's barangays.
Mayor Villarico is the overall chairperson of the event with Michael Salaveria as coordinator. The members of the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice Mayor Victor Saclauso and key personnel of the local government serve as coordinator of the various activities.
The festival is the town's response to the call of the government for LGUs' support to its tourism development and promotion program especially in the Central Philippines Super Region including Iloilo, which is the country's tourism hub. (PIA)