Pandayan Festival: Uniquely Badiangan

Text and photos by: Bombette G. Marin

BADIANGAN, Iloilo will celebrate its Pandayan Festival alongside the town’s 51st Foundation Anniversary and 50th Municipal Religious Fiesta Celebration in honor of its Patron Saint, St John the Baptist, on June 17 to 24, 2019.

Pandayan Festival is an annual event that showcases and celebrates the best of blacksmithing or pagpamanday, considered one of the earliest trades in Badiangan.

Barangay Bingawan is the most popular source of finely crafted bolos in Iloilo. Men and women in the barangay are becoming active in the manual production of bolos.

Pagpamanday has its roots in local rural culture and is prominently featured in every tribe presentation during Panadayan Tribal Dance competition. The festival has been a fixture in Iloilo for over 15 years and is part of the fabric of the province and the annual festival calendar.

The show, scheduled this year on June 21 (Friday) at 1 p.m., had always lured audiences from all over the province by being unique and authentic.

Aside from bolo-making, tribal presentations showcase the town’s thriving backyard industries such as hand-loom weaving and tahu-making, allowing spectators to learn the art and processes of Badiangan’s handmade crafts.

Aside from Pandayan Festival, there are always new things to discover in Badiangan. Some of the adventures in store for guests is the weaving center in Barangay Cabayogan, located three kilometers from the poblacion, where the production of hablon and patadyong is done almost on a full-time basis.

Badiangan Tahu Instant Ginger Tea in Barangay Iniligan tastes entirely different, remarkably better than any other brand available in the market. It continues the long history of making ginger ale in the old fashion way.

Bingauan Bolo is one of the main produce and source of income for the locals in Barangay Bingauan where almost a third of the residents in the area are bolo makers.

Appreciation of basic organic farming is introduced at Ephrathah Farms. A sprawling 7-hectare resort situated in Barangay Sariri, it offers accommodations, swimming pools, restaurant and function rooms, and a glass chapel.

The farm is situated on a rolling hill planted with organic fruits and vegetables. It has a Greenhouse, Vegetable Garden, Mini-Zoo, Aquaculture, and Livestock.

For the adventurous, experience the breathtaking zip line ride or try wall climbing and rappelling, mountain biking and ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) at reasonable prices.

Jade Energetic Paradise and Adventure Corp. in Barangay Cabayogan is a 28-hectare farm resort abundant with various fruit-bearing trees such as mangoes, mangosteen, dragonfruit, calamansi, coconuts, banana, jackfruit, rambutan, papaya, pomelo, star apple and more. It has swimming pools, pool slides, restaurant and accommodations for those who would want to stay overnight.

With this year’s theme, “Badiangan: Withstanding the Challenges, Enjoying the Growth and Progress, Facing the Future with Faith, Cooperation and Courage,” the festivity will open on June 17 (Monday) with a Motorcade at 6 a.m., Mass at 7 a.m., Foot Parade, Opening Program with the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Agri-Fair, Pasidungog at 2 p.m.;

June 18 (Tuesday) is the Oath-taking of newly Elected Municipal Officials and a Farmer’s Forum in the afternoon; June 19 (Wednesday) Sinadya sa Banwa Opening Parade at 7:30 a.m. and LIGA Night the evening;

June 20 (Thursday) Health Day in the morning and MAC-PNP Night in the evening; June 21 (Friday) Pandayan Festival Tribal Dance Competition at 1:00 p.m. and the Search for Bb. Pandayan at 7 p.m.;

June 22 (Saturday) with Cooperative Day and Night activities starting with a Mass at 7 a.m.; June 23 (Sunday) High School Night; June 24 (Monday) a Diana at 4:00 a.m., Procession at 7:30 a.m. and a Mass at 9:00 a.m. in the evening is the Culminating Activity at 7 p.m. with Disco.

Badiangan is a fourth-class town is located in the northwest central portion of Iloilo Province. It is 40 kilometers or an hour’s drive from the city.

The town is bounded in the north by the municipality of Dueñas; in the northwest by the municipality of Lambunao; the municipality of Pototan in the east; in the southwest by municipality of Janiuay; and the municipality of Mina in the southeast. Badiangan has a total land area of 7,750 hectares politically subdivided into 31 barangays.

Badiangan is populated by 27,005 (2015 Census on Population) Badianganons.