/PNA
KAWIT, Cavite – The historical province of Cavite is set to hold three different festivals this merry month of December, not just added reasons for Caviteños to come home but are also aimed to encourage the public to spend their holidays locally, specifically in Cavite.
General Trias City’s ‘Valenciana’ will happen from Dec. 12 to 15, Alfonso town’s ‘Sanghiyang’ is slated on Dec. 13 to 15 while Kawit town’s ‘Maytinis’ will be a Christmas Eve treat.
Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) officer-in-charge Elinia Imelda Rozelle Sangalang, in an interview with Philippine News Agency, is inviting travel-loving individuals and groups, both here and abroad to take part in the province’s various festivals marked with festivities from street dancing, float parade, trade fairs — all sure crowd drawers.
The provincial tourism office is aggressively promoting local activities and events, in line with its tourism tagline, #taraCavitetayo, meant to position Cavite as a destination of choice that will contribute significantly to the growth of tourism-related economic activities in the province.
It is the nearest complete travel destination from Manila, offering a variety of options from business to leisure activities, with its unique and rich historical, cultural heritage in the backdrop,” Sangalang said.
General Trias City has slated its triple treat offering — third cityhood anniversary, 270th founding anniversary and 6th Valenciana Festival, marked with street dancing competition, float parade from Dec. 12 to 15.
The Valenciana festival features a cookfest on the popular dish of sticky, glutinous rice cooked with a mixed chicken, pork, seafood similar to the Hispanic paella while the annual ‘Sanghiyang’ festival of Alfonso town is held to preserve the local custom of ‘Sanghiyang’ — a dance ritual combining folk, religion and magic, performed by the locals of Alfonso as thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.
Kawit’s ‘Maytinis, on the other hand, is a yearly tradition of the town meant to highlight the journey of St. Joseph and Virgin Mary in search of an inn for Jesus Christ’s birth, thus requiring the long stretch of the procession around town, prompting local officials to close traffic routes.
Other than these upcoming events, the public may come and visit the ongoing ‘Paskuhan sa Imus,’ a month-long festival of Christmas holiday initiated and organized by the city government of Imus, where travelers and local folks will feel the Christmas spirit as the city is bedecked with thousands of lights, dazzling array of lanterns of all shapes and a food fair featuring the best of Cavite’s products, including its famous ‘longganisang Imus.’
Cavite, located in the southern shores of Manila Bay, abounds with historic sites and landmarks, museums, being home to a number of Filipino heroes.
It also teems with natural resources with unique landscapes, world class golf courses, outstanding gardens and various agricultural tourism sites.
