Joanna Marie O. Santos
May 05, 2023

The Philippines is rich with centuries of history and culture implemented into the very root of the country, a lot of that culture is still prevalent in the Philippines to this very day! All year round there are festivals that take place in every city pretty much every month! So what can you expect to see when going to these festivals? The answer varies depending on which one you get to see, but we expect the longevity and power of the religious festivals will intrigue and fascinate you in the Philippines. 

 

While these festivals have religious tones by nature through the implementation of certain cultural heritages and Catholic spirituality, they are still rife with life and vitality. During your encounters with the many locals and celebrations going down in the bustling streets, you will find the dancers wearing elaborate and colorful outfits, as they more often than not dance down a road or street in the accompaniment of heart-pounding music. 

 

These stunning events are something you absolutely cannot miss, so why not start planning now? Come explore the different festivals in the Philippines that you can find in the upcoming month of May!

 

 

Flores de Mayo / Santacruzan

 

 

Flores de Mayo, also known as the Queen of Philippine Festivals, is a month-long festival dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary starting from May 1-30. This event is one of the most celebrated festivals in the Philippines, as you can find kids and devotees celebrating the festivities in churches, praying and enjoying homemade lunches with friends and families. You can also run into the sponsors who facilitate events and hand out prizes known as Hermanos and Hermana, in which you will be given a free snack.

 

The celebrations of this month-long festival all culminate in an event that takes place on the last Sunday of May, known as Santacruzan. This is an event that takes place in a church and recreates the story of St. Helena as she finds the sacred cross, where the play will consist of 19 biblical figures and 21 Marian titles to supplement the recreation of the story. Devotees, in the event, will sing songs of praise and recite Holy Rosary while holding onto candles. You will also find that participants in the event wear Barong Tagalog for men while the women wear Filipina-inspired gowns and dresses. 

 

The festival started when Spaniards introduced the idea to the country in the 1800s. This event is a tribute to the Virgin Mary as it is believed that she blesses farmers with rain when asked, and the celebration that follows expresses their gratitude to her. This religious festival in the Philippines especially took off after the dogma of Immaculate Conception was proclaimed in 1854. 

 

 

Pahiyas Festival

 

 

In Lucban of Quezon, you will find that houses have been decorated beautifully with produce like fruit, vegetables, eggplants, turnips, and even kiping. If you find these decorations, you might think this is an interesting marketing campaign, but that is not the work of quirky marketing, but rather the celebration of the Pahiyas Festival. This is one of the many local festivals in the Philippines that are unique to the location that it takes place in.

 

Held for one month starting from May 15th, the festival celebrates the harvest seasons and honors the patron saints. The history of this particular festival in the Philippines goes all the way back to the 15th century, where local farmers offered their harvests to St. Isidore de Labrador. However, the offerings became too much for the church to store, and so the priest decided that it would be easier to go to the homes of the community and bless them there. 

 

The tradition still goes on strong today, as people celebrate this momentous occasion. You can expect to try their local delicacies and even pick up a basket and pick up some produce while you are seeing the sights!

 

 

Agawan Festival

 

 

Alongside the Pahiyas Festival, another festival that shares similar roots is the Agawan Festival. This also starts on May 15 and takes place in Quezon province, but this festival is found particularly in the municipality of Sariaya. The celebrations also include a parade, residents decorating their homes with produce, and honors St. Isidore de Labrador. The name Agawan means “rivalry” in English, as celebrants try to compete in getting as much of the produce as they can hanging from the homes of the locals. Other names for the festival is the “Happy Pandemonium”.

 

While this festival is one of the harvest festivals that take place in Quezon, they share a similar background in honoring St. Isidore. One additional piece of history that correlates with this specific event is that the festival anime, Agawan,is an idea that came from Rev. Fr. Raul Enriquez, the former town's parish priest and former president of Sariaya Tourism Council. 

 

 

Balangay Festival

 

 

The Balangay Festival is native to Butuan City in Agusan Del Norte that takes place in the month of May. The Balangay Festival is an event that commemorates the earliest transients that settled on the Butuan territory on board the Balangay boats. The celebration highlights how before there was the Philippines, there was the kingdom of Butuan, and events like this highlight the genuine diversity in the different festivals in the Philippines and the variance in culture. The events taking place within the festival are numerous, with its participants really diving into their roles as they perform, dress, craft, and more in memory of this kingdom.

 

This month-long festival starts on May 19, where you can enjoy the local delicacies and the various activities that you can participate in. The activities include a concert, a Balangay Festival Street Party, the Theater Float parade where Balangays of different designs float down the streets, the beauty contest of  Mutya Hong Butuan, and the Synchronized Street Dancing. This is one of those festivals you absolutely cannot miss, as it stands out as some of the unique local festivals in the country.

 

 

Magayon Festival

 

 

The Magayon Festival is another festival that lasts for the whole month of May in Albay. You can see this festival do a lot of activities that you can surely take part in as the second day of the festival sees inhabitants participate in a trail run that starts in the early morning. Other activities include singing, dancing, and talent competitions where people can really demonstrate their skills and talents in the spirit of the festival. Another activity that you should definitely check out is the Eruption of Flavors, a cooking competition which demonstrates the delectable nature of Filipino and the local food. Lastly, you should check out the performances that tell the tragic tale of Daragang Magayon.

 

The Magayon Festival is a celebration that dates back in ancient times. The folklore follows the story of Daragang Magayon and her tragic love story that ends in both her death and her lover’s death. Their deaths are said to have created the Mayon Volcano and the locals believe that clouds that hang overhead are the symbolic spirit of her lover. This story is vital to the festival, even going as far as to have a performance that recreates the tragic love story of Daragang Magayon.

 

 

The country is rich with festivals and it is of great importance to preserve and celebrate these traditions as they are ingrained to Philippine culture and history. Now this is the part where you come in, celebrating these festivals and events will allow you to really appreciate the enthusiasm and passion that Filipinos have for their history, and taking part in these festivities will not only share the joy and make memories, but honor the ones who have come before us. So what are you waiting for? Check out the different festivals in the Philippines and get right on the action!