Panaad Festival 2023 launching on March 14

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz on Tuesday announced that the Panaad Festival will be launched on March 14, 2023 at the Provincial Lagoon.

Diaz told reporters here that the logo and the music for the Panaad Festival 2023 are in their final stages and will be presented to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for his approval this week.

“The logo is a combination of four different artworks melded together, kami na lang nag combine using our IT experts here,” Diaz said.

He also said that the theme has been finalized already.

The music needs a little finetuning so that it sounds more of a samba so “butangan ta dyutay nga patik patik sang kawayan para may local touch,” he added.

Diaz said the four winners will be announced and “they will get a surprise from the governor for contributing to our 2023 Panaad logo.”

Earlier,  Lacson said that the in-person celebration of the Panaad Festival this year “is definitely a go.”

The initial launching of the Panaad sa Negros festival was set on Feb 13, 2023.

Lacson also said the budget is already approved “so definitely Panaad will be held this year.”

This will be the first holding of the Panaad festival under the term of Governor Lacson.

Panaad festival was postponed during Lacson’s first 3-year term because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Panaad sa Negros festival is dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the province where all local government units (LGUs) gather at the Panaad Park and Stadium to showcase their products in their respective pavilions.

Diaz said that a P25-million fund was already earmarked for the festival.

He added that this does not include the financial support to all participating LGUs, which will be taken from the Grants and Donations budget of the Office of the Governor.

Diaz said that instead of a foundation, the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) will serve as the partner of the provincial government in managing financial obligations and showcasing the “best of the best Negros products” during the week-long festivities.

The festival will feature three major concerts by popular Manila bands to be spread out over the week at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

Diaz said that aside from showcasing the Lin-ay sa Negros beauty pageant, festival dances of various local government units, and many other activities, they will introduce a new event called the “Best of Negros Products” trade fair.

It will showcase the best national, regional, and provincial level winners from food to non-food categories.

Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena has been designated as Executive and Festival director of the Panaad sa Negros Festival 2023, based on the Executive Order issued by Lacson.