By Gail Momblan/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Known for its sweetest mangoes, the province of Guimaras again brought its Manggahan Festival to Iloilo City through the “Patilaw sa Manggahan” 2019.
Running since 2016, the “Patilaw sang Manggahan” had been one of the kick off events of the “Maggahan Festival”, said Geovani Bacuyani, Guimaras’ Tourism operations assistant.
In an interview on Saturday, Bacuyani said the Provincial Tourism Office of Guimaras has prepared activities for the folks from Iloilo City and Iloilo province.
“Through Patilaw sa Manggahan, we invite our Ilonggo friends to join us in the Manggahan Festival on May 11 to 22, 2019,” she said.
Ilonggos at the fountain area of Robinson’s Place, Iloilo City Proper, are enjoying twenty-two booths of small and medium-sized enterprises organized by the Guimaras Provincial Economic Development Office and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Guimaras mangoes; processed Guimaras mango products, which include dried mangoes, mango piyaya, mango tart, mango butterscotch; handmade bags and wallets; and other Guimarasnon products are sold in the booths.
The “Patilaw sa Manggahan” opened on Friday with Mutya ng Guimaras fashion show.
On Saturday, Ilonggos participated in the Mango Eating Contest and Mango Chandelier making.
“For this Saturday’s contests, everyone will be considered winner because they will be bringing home Guimaras mangoes,” Bacuyani said.
Activities on Sunday include the street dance elimination round.
With the 2019 Manggahan Festival theme “Matam-is nga Kadalag-an: Manggahan Festival to the World”, Bacuyani said Guimaras continues to bring the taste of their mangoes, not only to Iloilo but to the rest of the world.
Bacuyani said the word “matam-is” or sweet in this year’s theme represents the world-renowned mangoes of Guimaras and “kadalag-an” or victory is the picture of the success of the festival, in terms of regional and national cultural competitions.
The Guimaras Manggahan Festival had been showcased in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in 2016, New York City, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, USA, in 2018 and in Guam this July and in Tokyo, Japan this December.
The “Patilaw sa Manggahan” 2019 “surely hyped” the Ilonggos thus Guimaras anticipates more Ilonggo visitors to join them on May 11 to 29, Bacuyani said.