Pontevedra’s Guyum-guyuman Festival is back

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The municipality of Pontevedra, Capiz is celebrating the “Guyum-guyuman Festival” on May 5 to 15, 2023.

The purpose of the festival is to promote and exhibit the town’s different products, particularly its seafood.

Pontevedra is a rich source of sea shells, fish, crabs, and shrimp.

Though it started as Balintawakan Festival in 1988, it was renamed Guyum-guyuman Festival in 2008 to depict the way of life of the inhabitants of this town formerly called “Caguyuman.”

Caguyuman means “anthill” because many people from neighboring municipalities came to the area like a swarm of ants for commerce and trade.

Barter trading is still practiced in the municipality during market days.

Mayor Henry Tumlos said they are expecting many visitors to join the festivities which were postponed for years because of the pandemic.

The municipal agreement set aside P6 million for the festival.