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FAQ.ph is where you can read interesting facts, answers and frequently asked questions about the Philippines, its places, events and people.

10 Longest Bridges in the Philippines

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Bridges are important structures especially for an archipelago like the Philippines. It helps people reach their destination easily by land without spending much by traveling air or risky travel by water. In fact, bridges are also created to be a sign of boundaries of two places.

And now, when we talk about longest bridges in the Philippines, there are amazing architectures you may want to check. Below are the longest bridges in the Philippines.

1. Metro Manila Skyway
The Metro Manila Skyway is the country’s longest bridge with 10 km long and 17 km long including Bicutan-Alabang section and is the first fully grade-separated highway in the Philippines. It is elevated highway in Metro Manila crossing over existing South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

2. Candaba Viaduct
Candaba Viaduct is also known as “Pulian-Apalit Bridge.” It is a 5 kilometers bridge in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), consisting of four lanes. Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines (Now, Philippine National Construction Corporation) built it and was designed by Aas-Jakobsen. Also, the viaduct is raised over Candaba Swamp, which keeps the highway open to traffic even when the swamp gets flooded during the rainy or monsoon season.

3. San Juanico Bridge
San Juanico Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the Philippines with a length of 2.16 km. It is part of the Pan-Philippine Highway and stretches from Samar to Leyte across San Juanico Strait. A steel girder viaduct is its longest length and its main span is of an arch-shaped truss design. It is accessible by passenger jeepney, motorcab, bus, or private vehicle. The construction was worth $21.9 million, which started on 1969 and completed four years later. The bridge was also dedicated to Ferdinand Marcos’ wife, Imelda Marcos.

4. Narciso Ramos Bridge
Narciso Ramos Bridge is located in the Province of Pangasinan, Ilocos. It has a length of 1.442 km that connects the towns of Asingan and Sta. Maria in the province of Pangasinan. The bridge was opened in year 1997 and is one of the most important projects of former President Fidel V. Ramos.

5. Buntun Bridge
Buntun Bridge is considered as one of the longest bridge in the Philippines. It has a length of 1.369 that stretches from Tuguegarao City to Solana, Cagayan and spans over the mighty Cagayan River (the largest river basin in the country). It was constructed for the sake of the travelers who want to cross Cagayan River. The bridge has also been known as the gateway to the City of Tuguegarao.
The Buntun Bridge has a total of 15 spans, long enough to carry more than 18 tons of vehicles. The construction was worth 4.6 million-dollar and was contracted to the Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (now the Philippine National Construction Corporation).

6. Patapat Viaduct
Patapat viaduct is located at the municipality of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. It is elevated 31 meters over sea level and has the length of 1.3 km that connects the Maharlika Highway from Ilocos Region to Cagayan Valley. It is also one of the most scenic and photographed destination in the province.
The concrete coastal bridge has two lanes of traffic. It was constructed by Hanil Development Co, Ltd . and was completed in October 1986. San Juanico Bridge and Patapat Viaduct are both projects done under the Marcos administration that’s why the roads has similarities.

7. Marcelo Fernan Bridge
Marcelo Fernan Bridge is an extra-dosed cable-stayed bridge located at Metro Cebu, which has the length of 1.237 km. It is the second bridge that connects the mainland Cebu to Mactan and has four lanes. It was also constructed with the help of the Japanese Government and was opened in August 1999.

8. Magat Bridge
Magat Bridge is a road bridge located at Cabatuan, Isabela with a length of 0.926 km and was completed in 1991 under the administration of Corazon Aquino.

9. Macapagal Bridge
Macapagal Bridge is the longest bridge in Mindanao; it is located in the outskirts of Butuan City in the province of Agusan Del Norte. It has a length of 0.9076 km that connects the Butuan-Cagayan-Iligan Road and the Philippine-Japan Friendship Bridge. It was completed in May 2007 and was a project funded by Japan bank for International Cooperation for the people in Butuan.
The bridge was lobbied to former President Fidel V. Ramos, then was approved by former President Joseph Estrada, and finally implemented under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

10. Mactan Bridge
Mactan Bridge is officially the Serging Osmeña Bridge that connects Mandaue City with lapu-lapu City in Metro Cebu. It has a length of 0.864 km and is one of the two bridges that spans across the Mactan Channel. It was constructed during the term of late President Ferdinand Marcos, which began in 1970. It was then inaugurated in 1972 at 65 million pesos.

People have been using bridges to facilitate mobility since the ancient time. Bridges cross valleys and waters to shorten distances and also reduce travel time. With its the amazing construction that people have accomplished over time, it is interesting to see how these lists changes as bridges become longer.

Top 15 Strongest Typhoons to hit in the Philippines

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Philippines encounter numerous typhoons every year. Over the decades, people have witnessed series of typhoons with different strength, duration, and impacts. Not all typhoons are bearable especially with those folks who suffer in misery due to lives and properties lost. However, because of these storms, Filipinos became stronger and resilient as a nation.

Now, here are the lists of deadliest typhoons throughout the history in the Philippines.

  1. Haiphong -1881

Even in the modern days, Typhoon Haiphong still ranks as the deadliest typhoon that hit the Philippines. It happened in October 8, 1881, killing over 20,000 people in the northern part of the country. It has three times the death toll of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) where it also ravaged Vietnam leaving more than 300,000 people dead.

  1. Typhoon Amy (Yoyong)-1951

Typhoon Yoyong caused floods and landslides throughout the central Philippines on December 1951 where it killed a total of 991 people.

  1. Typhoon Trix- 1952

Typhoon Trix, caused floods and landslides in the Bicol region where it caused the death of 995 people back in October 1952.

  1. Typhoon Nina (Sisang)- 1987

Sisang hit the Bicol region in 1987 where it caused mudslides down Mayon Volcano. The devastation of the said typhoon also killed 979 people.

  1. Typhoon Mike (Ruping)- 1990

Typhoon Ruping ripped mostly in Visayas region, where about $241 million (10.8 billion pesos) worth of properties and crops were destroyed, mostly in Visayas Region. Millions of people also lost their homes upon hitting the Cagayan De Oro. A total of 3.2 million Filipinos fled to schools and evacuation centers for temporary shelter. Also, a total of 116, 512 homes were totally destroyed while 294, 131 others were damaged. Visayas was placed under state of calamity, due to the catastrophic effects of the typhoon.

  1. Tropical Storm Thelma (Uring)-1991

It was November 04, 1991 whenTyphoon Uring hit Ormoc, Leyte. It killed people ranging from 5,081 to 8,165 and about over 3,000 were declared missing or presumed dead after the devastation of the Typhoon in the country.

  1. Typhoon Angela (Rosing)- 1995

Typhoon Angela battered Bicol and Manila in November 1995. It brought winds up to 260 Kms per hour which inflicted damages worth $241 million (10.8 Billion pesos) in the country. Nine hundred thirty six people lost their lives while more than 96,000 homes, roads, and bridges were ruined by storm surges, flooding, and extreme winds.

  1. Typhoon Winnie- 2004

Winnie was a tropical depression that hit the Philippines on November 27, 2004. It had gusts of as strong as 55 km/h (35 mph) and a barometric pressure of 1000 mbar (hpa; 29.53inHg).  It unexpectedly possessed the disastrous power of a typhoon. IIt left nearly 1,600 people dead and 751 others missing.

  1. Typhoon Durian (Reming)-2006

Typhoon Reming affected five countries in Southeast Asia namely Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Yap State.More than 1,500 of fatalities skyrocketed these countries. In the Philippines, the typhoon hit the city of Albay, worsening the ongoing effects of Mayon Volcano at that time. Due to the areas buried with lanar, the final death toll is still unknown, but estimates range from 800 to 1,000 casualties.

  1. Typhoon Fengshen (Frank)- 2008

The typhoon struck central Philippines on June 21, 2008 that lost over 1,371 lives and left 87 people missing. It was also known for the capsizing of MV Princess of the Stars ship during the height of the storm, causing 846 dead out of 922 passengers it held.

  1. Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy)- 2009

Typhoon Ondoy has reached $244 million (11 billion pesos) worth of agricultural and infrastructure damages in 2009.  It made its landfall on the borders of Baler, Aurora. Main roads including EDSA were also declared untraversable due to the strong flood currents and clogged vehicles. Interruption in power, water connection, and communication were also experienced in the major cities.

  1. Typhoon Parma (Pepeng)- 2009

Typhoon Parma had costed the Philippines about $608 million (27.3 billion pesos). Its movement around the country went back and forth. It became severe and returned devastating the country especially the Northern, Luzon. Different dams were released, causing flash floods, storm surges, and landslides. The authorities also have placed a red alert status nationwide.

  1. Typhoon Washi (Sendong)- 2011

Typhoon Sendong hit the Northern Mindanao area in December 2011, where 1080 people lost their lives. It became very deadly, since it hit an area that is not typically visited by typhoons. Sendong dumped as 50 millimeters of rain.

  1. Typhoon Bopha (Pablo)2012

Just a year after Typhoon Sendong, another deadly typhoon hit Mindanao in December 2012. It was named as the strongest tropical cyclone that ever made a landfall in the Southern parts of Mindanao. The number of casualties caused by the Typhoon climbed to over 1,067 deaths while 834 people went missing.

  1. Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)- 2013

Typhoon Yolanda is one of the strongest tropical cyclones that hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013. The super typhoon had gusts of as strong as 315 km/h. It claimed more than 6,300 lives and another 1,061 were declared missing. Most of the fatalities were recorded in Eastern Visayas.

Despite of the devastation every Filipinos have experienced due to typhoons, the tragedies, however, taught them to become a strong nation and a better prepared country. Nature has a way of staging its surprises, and for sure, you wouldn’t want to be caught unprepared when it happens.

 

10 Visa-Free Countries for Filipino Citizens in 2017

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Have you ever wonder how far can your Philippine passport take you without a visa?

Well, as someone who wants to travel around the world, I know it can be a pain to get visas. Filipinos love travelling yet compared to big countries who’s allowed to travel as much as 173 places, Philippines is only allowed to 56 countries and territories to visit without a visa.

I know everyone of you are looking for beautiful places to travel without a visa. So, I listed down visa-free countries for Philippines Passport Holder, which is a good way to start your around the world trip.

 

  1. Singapore-30 days

Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia. It has become one of the world’s most prosperous countries and brags the world’s busiest port. Singapore is constantly evolving, reinventing, and re-imagining itself with people who are passionate about creating new opportunities. Aside from that, it is also the place where explorers, action seekers, foodies, collectors, culture shapes, and sociolisers meet.

  1. Hongkong- 14 days

Hongkong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China. It is located on the southeast coast of China, facing the South China Sea. Hongkong offers visa-free access from about 170 countries, including the Philippines. There are a lot of reasons why you should visit Hongkong, aside from it is visa-free, it is a fusion of East and West cultures, a shopping paradise bringing all the world famous brands together, a world of mouthwatering international cuisine, has a highly developed transportation network, and is the ideal springboard for trips.

  1. Thailand-30 days

Thailand is the heart of the Southeast Asian mainland and is also called the”Land of smiles”. Aside from having a comparably good infrastructure with Bangkok being an intercontinental fight hub, it is also the gateway to the region for most foreign visitors. Thailand also serves great food, it has a tropical climate, fascinating culture, and superb beaches.

  1. Vietnam- 21 days

Vietnam is a home to wealth of attractions that will seduce both budget and top-range travelers. It has stunning and varied geography, amazing cuisine, plentiful beaches, and near-endless-shopping that you won’t regret visiting the place.

  1. Maldives- 30 days

If you’re looking for white-sand beaches and an amazing underwater world, Maldives is the best choice to visit. It is a place where sands are white as the smiles of the locals, fish swim happily in the waters of the Indian Ocean, the weather is a dream, and the deep rays of the sun waits to surround you in their arms.

maldives

Image Credit: Pixabay

  1. South Korea- 30 days (ONLY if arriving at Jeju Island or after visiting Korea for 4 times with Visa.)

South Korea is littered with fortresses, temples and palaces. Travelers will enjoy the grassy burial mounds of ancient kings. It is also a wonderfully diverse with spectacular national parks, remote sandy beaches, hot spring islands, and rugged mountain peaks.

  1. Macau-30 days

Macau is a tiny Chinese territory, it is known for its huge casinos and being the world’s top gambling city. It brags some popular attractions for tourist to visit. It is also a place where you do different things you like exploring the city’s famous casinos, walk around old Tipa Village, enjoy duty-free shopping, try some Macau’s unique cuisine, and appreciate its historical and cultural heritage.

  1. Malaysia- 30 days

Malaysia is a mix of the modern world and a developing nation.  It is not only a melting pot of ethnic cultures but also a blend of many different customs, cuisines, and religions. The country’s geography is very bit as diverse, from large island groups to mountains, fertile highlands, and tropical rain-forest.

Malaysia

Image Credit: Pexels

  1. Indonesia- 30 days

Indonesia was formerly known as the “Dutch East Indies” (Netherlands East Indies). The country also offers and adventure like exploring ancient temples and hiking active volcanoes to diving in largely untouched waters.

  1. Laos- 30 Days

For such a small country, it is surprisingly diverse in terms of its people. The country is combined with atmospheric Buddhist temples, places of interest and enigmatic heritage sites.

There you have it! I hope the lists above helps you decide which country to visit the next time you plan to travel around the globe. However, visa restriction can change from time to time, due to new updates so check the immigration website of the country or territory you will visit.

10 Reasons why Filipinos are attracted to Korean dramas

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Korean dramas have become one of the favorite shows of Filipinos since the first K-drama aired in the Philippines. It was then followed by more famous shows that stole the country’s heart. The surge of its popularity has been called “Hallyu”, which means “Korean wave.” It refers to the way their entertainment is spreading around the world.

Koreanovelas are all part of Filipinos daily life now, from Television, food, clothes, and a lot more shows the influence itself. But the big questions people may want to ask here, is why Filipinos are attracted to it?

Check this out to know the reason why.

  1. Attractive actors

It’s pretty obvious that Korean actors are attractive, good-looking, and at the same time talented. Many Filipinos fell in love with the genre of Korean dramas because of their hot leading man/leading lady crushes. However, you might also have noticed that it is rare for them to be paired again with the same actor/actress in another series because they don’t have permanent team ups. Thus, it is a bit hard for the viewers who would love seeing the couple again on another show. On the other hand, it is actually positive for the sake of art and creativity, because actors should be remembered first by the characters they portray and not only by who had they worked with.

  1. Storylines are not easy to predict

In Korean dramas, the storyline is not that easy to predict compared to local dramas, as well as the pacing of the plot. Korean writers are also cohesive when it comes to their storytelling. This is probably why many viewers are attracted to it.

  1. Majority are G-rated

Korean Dramas are G-rated, which means foul language is rare, love scenes rarely progress, and violence is minimal. In fact, seeing French kiss in Koreanovelas is a newsworthy. Usually, K-dramas contain family-friendly themes that make it easier to watch with your family.

  1. Cultural appeal

Watching K-dramas are educational; because it lets you absorb information about different culture. You’ll learn about different societal norms and understand that shoes are taken off at the door without anyone needing to tell you.

  1. Creativity is apparent

K-Dramas are successful in telling a story, when many elements of the show appear to have moved and makes the viewers believe in the fiction world.  Production teams spare no effort in their craft. From the location, set up, sounds, editing, and to the cinematography, they make sure that their final product come out well on screens.

  1. Romantic Story without the need of obscene scenes

The good thing about K-Dramas is that, they don’t need to show obscene scenes on Romantic dramas. It is just the right amount of butterflies in the stomach that will keep you watch the characters interact. It is always about how the viewers will feel the couple’s growing pains and happiness in the story, not how much skin they have to show.

  1. Great OST

Dramas, movies, or telenovelas without detailed sounds would be unappealing. The background music makes it more interesting to watch and feel the mood of the story. There is no doubt that viewers really got hooked in watching K-dramas because of the music they played in every scenes. Although Filipinos don’t understand the lyrics but the music has no language barrier.

  1. Cool clothes

Fashion in K-dramas has definite trend appeal that’s why every Filipinos are now influenced by the Korean fashion style, even their hairstyles.

  1. Vocabulary strech

Filipinos are attracted to Korean Dramas because they find it fun hearing their accent. Aside from that they’re able to know several Korean words and phrases like “thanks” and “sorry” through watching it. Most importantly you’ll know what “Oppa” means, once you start watching their shows.

  1. Create emotional connections with the viewers

Korean dramas successfully create emotional connections in every viewer. The characters are developed in such a way that the viewers can relate to the character and feels the same emotion. The cliff hanger endings leave them squirming till the next episode and the tension is built up expertly.

There are many reasons why Korean dramas have gained such a wide following of non-Koreans. Stepping into the K-drama world may seem like entering a sort of fantasy world, yet to all the fans out there, they find piece of reality in that magical place. And as long as they appeal to the taste of TV audiences, Koreanovelas will continue to warm the hearts of every Filipinos.

 

10 Unique Christmas Traditions in the Philippines

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When it comes to Christmas, no one celebrates it better than the Filipinos. Philippines is known for celebrating the longest Christmas season in the world. As a matter of fact, you’ll already feel its season once the “ber” months hit your calendar and it officially ends on the Feast of Epiphany (Three Kings) on the first Sunday after the New Year.

While Christmas is a holiday celebrated worldwide, some Filipino traditions uniquely embraced and have transformed into something that can totally call “ours”.  Below are the customs and traditions that are uniquely Pinoy.

  1. “BER” MONTHS

There is no other country that celebrates Christmas longer than the Philippines. As a matter of fact, once the “ber” months set in, Filipinos will begin decorating their houses, establishments, and streets with gleaming displays, huge Christmas trees, and astounding decorations. Aside from that, you’ll start hearing timeless Jose Marie Chan Christmas classics as well as different Christmas carols in shopping malls and on the radio.

  1. PAROLS

Parol or also known as Philippine lantern is a unique Filipino decoration traditionally made from colorful papers, bamboo sticks, and shaped-like five-pointed star.  In 1928, these lanterns were originally designed to help villagers find their way to chapels and churches to pray. Also, these lanterns are used to further enhance the spirit of Christmas. Putting up parols in homes, schools, establishments, offices, and schools is a common Filipino tradition.

  1. SIMBANG-GABI

Completing the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo is in almost everyone’s bucket list. It is a tradition originated in the early Spanish colonial period as a practical compromise for Filipino farmers who began working before sunrise, to avoid working in the fields under the heat of the sun. Simbang gabi is a nine-day series of masses to honor Blessed Virgin Mary. The mass starts from December 16 to Christmas eve. Filipinos wake up before the crack down to attend the mass in hopes of having a granted wish once they complete the nine days.

  1. CAROLING

Like any other countries, Christmas is celebrated with songs and praises. Usually, in the Philippines, group of people would fill the streets visiting houses with their instruments like tambourines and guitars singing their favorite Christmas songs. Then after the homeowners reward the carolers with money, they would sing their words of thanks. Recently, caroling has become a fund-raising activity by private organizations and Socio-economic groups.

  1. PANUNULUYAN

“Panunuluyan” is another Filipino tradition ob served in some provinces in the Philippines. This tradition is similar to Mexican Posadas where the journey of Mary and Joseph in search for shelter while Mary was pregnant is being re-enacted. In the Philippines, the re-enactment is done on the eve before Christmas.

  1. NOCHE BUENA

After the midnight mass on Christmas, everyone’s looking forward to this event. Noche Buena is a grand family dinner and a hearty feast full of delicious Filipino food such as lechon, pancit, ham, queso de bola, and a lot more. This has also been a favorite family tradition in the Philippines.

  1. AGUINALDO

Aguinaldo is a common tradition for every Filipinos to visit their relatives during Christmas day. Kids often wear their finest clothes when visiting their relatives. During the visit, kids would practice the old-age tradition “mano” as an act of respect to elders. For the most part, they are rewarded and presented with gifts like toys or money by their relatives or godparents. This is when they receive their “pamasko”. These gifts are popularly called as “Aguinaldo”.

  1. MONITO-MONITA

Speaking of gifts, another adaptation of Secret Santa is called “Monito Monita”. It is a form of exchanging gifts where every participant has his or her anonymous gifts. This is usually done during Christmas parties in schools, houses, or offices.

  1. BELEN

Another popular decoration in the Philippines are the belen The Belen is similar to the Nativity Scene in many western nations that shows the Holy Family t the birth of Jesus. This is often showcased in many churches, schools, homes, offices, and establishments. This are being displayed until the Feast of Epiphany or Three kings, which marks the end of Christmas season in the Philippines

  1. THREE KINGS

Three Kings is a religious event in the Philippines celebrated with a mass, every January 6. It also marks the end of the Christmas season. The celebration of Epiphany is also known in the Philippines as “Pasko ng matatanda” (feat of the elderly) to honor the senior citizens.

Christmas is much celebrated everywhere in the world. This is a season to give love and give thanks. Filipino Christmas may feel like in the middle of summer or it neither has snow nor mistletoe, there’s still no doubt that Pinoys always have a jolly Christmas. This is why everyone can say “Iba talaga ang pasko sa Pinas.” (Christmas is indeed different in the Philippines.)

Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival 2017: Leyte’s Festival of Festivals

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The Pintados Festival in Tacloban Cty is a Filipino Festival with its own unique flavor. It recalls the Pre-Spanish history of the native Leytenos from wars, epics and folk religions. The most expected aspect in Pintados is the festive dancers, painted from head to toe with designs that look like armor to resemble tattooed warriors.

This year, the Pintados Festival once again showcase the unique culture and history of the people from Eastern Visayas. It is one of the local traditions of the province that celebrates the ageless art of body painting. So I am here to bring you all over the event by experiencing the Pintados Festival.

Body paint

A boy with ageless art of body painting.

It was 27th of June, around 7 am when I and my boyfriend went to Grandstand for the Pintados grand parade. I can see a lot of people roaming around the area and there were also police officers securing the place. And since we have an I.D. it was easy for us to enter and exit the vicinity. But as usual it didn’t start immediately; it was around 9 a.m. when the parade started.

Grandstand

Contingents at the Grandstand while waiting for the parade to start.

The procession started at Grand Stand going to Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Paterno Street, Sta. Cruz Street, Juan Luna Street, Avenida Veteranos, Real Street, Justice Romualdez Street, Rizal Avenue,  and then back to Grandstand.

Under the heat of the sun, the different contingents in an amazing array of colors fill the streets of Tacloban City. At first sight, they may seem outrageous as grown men pour into the streets decorated in such dazzling colors as luminous blue or neon green. But as one gets used to this and sees the dances depicted, one gets a glimpse of the history of the people that once lived on the islands of Leyte so long ago.

Kaplag Mahaplag

Kaplag festival of Mahaplag

 

Tribu Mangirisda

Tribu Mangirisda of Tanauan , Leyte

 

Patiklos festival

Patiklos festival of Sta. Rita

Despite of the heat of the sun, the sweat, the exhausted feeling dancing all over the street, I can still see each of them smiling without any hesitations. And though I feel like I’m a dead beat that day, while taking pictures of them. I still enjoy experiencing the music, the parades, and the warm atmosphere of a fun, local festival.

Around 10:30 a.m. the parade is over, the contingents were about to prepare for the program and ritual dance which will start at 1:00 p.m. So, we decided to eat our lunch first before going back to the Grand stand.

After taking our lunch, we witnessed different ritual presentations from the contingents. Joining the festivals from the Leyte province were the Lubi-lubi festival of Calubian, Buraburon festival of Burauen, Tolo-Usa festival of Tolosa, Buyugan festival of Abuyog, Sanggutan festival of Barugo, Kaplag festival of Mahaplag, Maisayaw festival of San Isidro; Ibid festival of Caibiran, Biliran province, Patiklos festival of Sta. Rita, Samar, and Tribu Mangirisda of Tanauan , Leyte.

Seven competing contingents are from Leyte, one from Samar and one from Biliran and while all contingents were bursting with their energy, massive and colorful props that completely filled the streets as well as the basketball court sized stage.

pintados5

Contingents were bursting with their energy, massive and colorful props.

 

 

Ibid festival of Caibiran

Ibid festival of Caibiran, Biliran province.

 

Maisayaw festival

Maisayaw festival of San Isidro

 

Patiklos festival

Patiklos festival of Sta. Rita

This year’s Kasadyaan competition was won by Buraburon festival of Burauen with P750. 000 cash prize. The second place went to Buyugan festival of Abuyog with P500, 000 cash prize, while the Sanggutan festival of Barugo was the third place winner with P250, 000 cash prize. All the participating contingents will also receive P 50, 000.

 

Sanggutan festival of Barugo

Third Place: Sanggutan festival of Barugo

 

Buyugan festival of Abuyog

Second Place Winner: Buyugan festival of Abuyog

 

Buraburon festival of Burauen

Grand Champion: Buraburon festival of Burauen with Best in Street Parade, Best in Festival Music, Best in Costume, and Bitoon han Leyte 2017

 

The superior story line, dance execution, and set designs of Burabon Festival stood out and earned the nod of the judges. Huge and larger than life images of the Senior Santo Nino de Tacloban were the common props of the participants that expressed the adoration and filial piety of the Leytenos to the Señor Santo Niño.

 

Senior Santo Nino de Tacloban

Huge and larger than life images of the Senior Santo Nino de Tacloban.

Meanwhile, Kasadyaan which means “merriment” in the Visayan dialect plays an important role for it strengthens the sense of pride and portrays the local folklore and legends of the municipality. This marked the beginning of the Pintados Festival, which was first celebrated in June 29,1987. In 1995 the foundation started the Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival and was henceforth called as the “Festival of Festivals.” Little did they know that they were laying the groundwork for making the festival a national cultural event depicting the rich cultural past of Leyte and its colorful customs and traditions.

The Pintados Festival managed by Pintados Foundation, Inc. was formed by the people of this city in celebration of the feast day of Sr. Santo Niño. Years later, it was merged with the Kasadyaan Festival chaired then by now mayor Petilla.

Sangyaw Festival 2017 in Tacloban City

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Sangyaw Festival is a religious, socio-cultural event and a popular native festival held every 29th of June in Tacloban City. Sangyaw means “to herald news” in the local dialect. It was created by former first lady Imelda Marcos in the 80s.

The festival has been revived in 2008 by her nephew and former Mayor Alfred Romualdez. The revived festival became a big success and participated by cultural contingents from different performing groups of various festivals in the country to compete on this side of the region.

 

Parade of lights 2017

128th fiesta celebration of Sangyaw Parade of Lights, brightly colored lights with the conceptualized floats.

This year, the Sangyaw Festival once again showcase the unique culture and history of the people from Eastern Visayas. Thousands of Tacloban residents were mesmerized and amazed on Wednesday night (June 29) by the Sangyaw parade of lights with its theme: Unity in progress, an annual event hosted by the City Government in line with its 128th fiesta celebration.

It was around 5 p.m. when we head to downtown area and witnessed the parade of lights. And as usual, some roads were closed to pave the way for the 128th fiesta celebration. We were just standing in front of Real Mcdo while waiting for the parade to pass by in our area.

 

Sangyaw parade

At MacDonald’s Real while waiting for the parade.

Thousands of spectators lined the streets of Tacloban City.Patterned after the previous year’s Sangyaw Parade of Lights, brightly colored lights with the conceptualized floats and the dancing Street performers coming from Tacloban’s barangays, schools and community based contingents were seen during the parade.

 

Parade of lights

Competing contingents of the 2017 Sangyaw festival of lights were: the Barangay Contingents (Brgy. 77 Fatima Village; Brgy. Aslum Sagkahan; Brgy. 39 Serin; Brgy. 23-A.P. Burgos; Brgy. 49 Youngfield; Brgy. 2 Jones Street; Brgy. 6-A Sto. Nino Ext.; Brgy. 70 Rawis Anibong & Brgy. 92 Apitong.

 

Parade of lights

Brgy. 58 Aslum Sagkahan

 

Parade of lights (brgy. category)

Brgy. 2 Jones Street

 

Parade of lights Brgy. Category

Brgy. 70 Rawis Anibong

School participants were Collegio de la Salle Foundation of Tacloban City; Northern Tacloban City National High School; Kapagian School; Eastern Visayas State University; Palanos Elem. School; Cirilo Roy Montejo National High School; Sto. Nino Sped Center; Scandinavian National High School & Fisherman’s Village and the Merry makers (Jolibee; Taebo jammers Asso. of Tacloban; Rising Star Movers; Tacloban Institute of Technical Studies Inc. & SMART Float with Migo Adecer).

 

Parade of lights school category

Fisherman’s Village (School Category)

 

School category

Parade of lights School Category.

Together with the City Government and barangay family Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez was joined by her husband former Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, daughter Sofia, 1st Dist. Leyte Congresswoman Yedda Romualdez , Atty. FM Romualdez, guest Sen. Sonny Angara, DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes and the SANGYAW Foundation Inc. family.

Sangyaw festival also featured celebrities like Joseph Bitangcol, Michelle Vito, and Neil Coleta.
Thousands of spectators lined the streets of Tacloban City.

 

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Joseph Bitangcol, Michelle Vito, Sofia Romualdez, and Sen. Sonny Angara

 

This year’s Sangyaw competition winners of each category were: Barangay Street dance Champion- Brgy. 92 Apitong; 2nd placer- Brgy. 49 Youngfield; 3rd placer- Brgy. 58 Aslum Sagkahan with awaiting cash prizes of 70K, 50K & 30K. While for School Category Street Dance Champion- Palanog Elementary; 2nd placer- San Jose Central School; & 3rd placer- EVSU with cash prizes of 50K, 30K & 20K.

Meanwhile, the winners for the BEST Float were: Champion- Kapangian Central School; 2nd placer- San Jose Central School and 3rd placer- Sto. Nino SPED with awaiting cash prizes of 80K, 50K & 30K.

On the other hand, the Merrymakers competing categories were: Champion- Taebo jammers; 2nd placer- Rising Star and 3rd Placer- Jollibee with awaiting cash prizes of 10K, 7K & 5K. Other joining barangay contingents got 5K each.

Parade of lights 2017

The week-long celebrations peaks on the 30th of June, the Grand Fiesta of Tacloban celebrated with the traditional turn-over ceremonies of the “Teniente” made by the immediate past Hermano Mayor to the incoming Hermano Mayor. This is accompanied by the ritual of giving the medallion containing the names of all Hermanos Pasados and the Standartes. Fireworks and grand parades mark the occasion. Every house in the city prepares a feast and opens its doors to guests and well wishers.

Miss Universe 2016 in the Philippines: Everything You Need to Know

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Duterte meets Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach

President Rodrigo R. Duterte meets Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach in Malacañan Palace (Image by: Presidential Communications Operations Office).

Miss Universe is an annual International pageant run by Miss Universe Organization. This pageant is one of the most awaited and publicized beauty pageant and is held in more than 190 countries worldwide. It was founded in 1952 by the California-base clothing company Pacific Knitting Mills and Miss universe organization and the brand is currently owned. The title “Miss Universe” was first used by the International Pageant in 1926. The first Miss universe Pageant was held in Long Beach, California in 1952 and Armi Kuusela from Finland became the first title holder of Miss Universe.

Now, on its 65th Miss Universe Pageant, it will be held on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. And since the annual pageant will be held here in the Philippines, here are the things that you should know about Miss Universe 2016: [Read more…]

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