SorsogonWeb | Province of Sorsogon | Philippines | Kasanggayahan 2003 Major Activities

1. PANTOMINA SA TINAMPO [Back to Top]

This literally means, dancing the Pantomina, the traditional Bikolano love dance, in the streets or tinampo, of Sorsogon City.

Before the coming of the Spaniards, this dance was popularly known among Bikolanos as “sinalampati”, or dove-like, or dance of the doves, because the dance imitates the courtship and lovemaking of doves. Salampati is Bikol for dove. It was the Spaniards who rechristened it “pantomina”, or pantomime, precisely because the movements – the arms, hands, fingers, feet and body – of the dancers were love-talk, imitating the love-talk of the doves.

Normally, this is danced during village fiestas and other social occasions, such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays, betrothals, etc., in barangay halls, the hosts sala, or more often than not, in the open air, either in fenced-off open spaces in the barangay, basketball courts, or a portion of the yard of the host.

It is only in Sorsogon, among all the Bicol provinces, where this is danced in the streets every October during the Kasanggayahan Festival. Organized groups of street dancers in colorful native attire dance down the streets of Sorsogon City vying for the title of “Best Pantomina Street Dancing Group”. But aside from these organized groups, the public at large, including visitors and tourists, dance the Pantomina in the streets of Sorsogon in wild abandon.

The Pantomina sa Tinampo, which lasts the whole afternoon into the evening, is the main featured activity and attraction of the Kasanggayahan Festival every October of each year.

2. HISTORICO-CULTURAL PARADE [Back to Top]

This is basically a street dance of contingents of street dancers from all the municipalities of Sorsogon, including Sorsogon City, depicting either their history, culture, how the town got its name, what it is famous for, major products, or local tourist attractions, with the dancers all garbed either in colorful native attire or costumed.

The town of Bulusan, for example, known for its Bulusan Volcano and Bulusan Mountain Lake, features its legend of the twin lakes Bulusan and Agingay; Donsol, famous for its Butanding, features its Butanding Arribada Festival; Irosin town, considered as the “rice granary of the province” celebrates rice in its Paray Festival; while Gubat town chooses to tell the story of how it got its name through its Ginubat Festival.

All 14 towns of the province and Sorsogon City participate in this highly visual and informative street dancing which usually signals the opening of the Kasanggayahan Festival.

3. PILGRIMAGE TO THE GIBALON HISTORICAL SHRINE [Back to Top]

Based on historical records, Gibalon in Magallanes town was the place where the first mass in Luzon Island was celebrated by the Augustinian friar, Fray Alonso Jimenez, who came, in 1569, with the exploratory group headed by Capt. Luis Enriquez de Guzman who were dispatched to these parts by the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, who was then based in Panay Island.

Every October of each year, during the Kasanggayahan Festival, “pilgrims” from all over the province, including some from other Bicol provinces, with some joining a motorcade from Sorsogon City down to Magallanes town, converge at Gibalon, now a sitio of Barangay Siuton, where a temporary altar has been constructed including some cottages around the hillside perimeter just in front of the small chapel erected by the Catholic Church to mark the place as indeed the site of the first mass in Luzon. A concelebrated mass is held at the site with the Diocesan Bishop as the main celebrant.

Very soon, a permanent structure will be constructed by the provincial government in the place, including a park and some facilities and amenities required by “pilgrims” and visitors, especially during the annual pilgrimage.

The whole day after the mass is fiesta day for Magallanes town, complete with a trade fair, exhibits and cultural presentations at the Magallanes poblacion.

4. AGRO-INDUSTRIAL AND TRADE FAIR [Back to Top]

This is a showcase of Sorsogon province, featuring its best products and attractions. All the municipalities set up their own individual trade booths at the Provincial Capitol Park in the center of Sorsogon City displaying their best products and tourist attractions, particularly agricultural produce and handicrafts. Local cooperatives and individual cottage industry producers also set up their own booths for display and selling of their products.

The Fair, which is open daily for two weeks, is usually visited by traders and exporters from other places to see what Sorsogon has to offer in terms of new products that can be promoted and sold in other places in the country or in other places abroad.

This is complimented by an investment-business forum where local businesses and businessmen present local business potentials and prospects, including investment opportunities available, to invited prospective investors, businessmen, traders, and exporters.

5. SEARCH FOR MISS KASANGGAYAHAN [Back to Top]

This is a beauty and brains contest. Each of the municipalities and city sponsor their own beauty and brains candidate for the coveted title of Miss Kasanggayahan. Some of the components of the selection include a talent showcase, and swimsuit and gown competition of all candidates.

The candidates are introduced to the public via a motorcade around the poblacion, they join parades and street dancing, including the Pantomina sa Tinampo, the winners are displayed to the public on floats in a parade, and final judging and selection is Pageant Night.

Whoever is the lucky titlist represents the province in all official and social functions, not only within Sorsogon, but in other places outside the province. The Miss Kasanggayahan brings with her the vision and mission of the Province of Sorsogon, and embody, at all times, the true meaning and spirit of Kasanggayahan.

6. CULTURAL SHOWS [Back to Top]

These shows or presentations are basically musical in form – through folk dances, rondalla renditions, choral and solo singing. All these forms depict the culture of the localities. The performers are mostly school-based.

All 14 towns and the city have been grouped together into four clusters, assigned one night each, and performing at the Provincial Capitol Park stage.

All shows are open to the public.

7. SORSOGON HERITAGE LECTURES [Back to Top]

These heritage lectures is organized annually, every October, during the Kasanggayahan Festival, by the Sorsogon Heritage Society, the Sorsogon Arts Council and the Institute for Bicol Studies.

The lecturers are all Sorsoganons and members of the Sorsogon Heritage Society who are cultural workers, literary writers, historians, researchers, or academicians – all experts in their own fields, and in the different aspects of Sorsogon heritage and culture.

The first heritage lecture in 2001 delved on Sorsogon history, with respected historians, Dr. Luis Dery and Dr. Stephen Henry Totanes as lecturers; the second, in 2002, had linguistics professor Dr. Ricardo Ma. Nolasco talking on Sorsogon languages and dialects, and anthropologist Dr. Francisco Datar on his field anthropology project in Magallanes; while this year, it will be on Bikol literature, with Dr. Teresita Erestain and writer Elmer Ordonez as lecturers.

Participants in these lectures are high school and college students, including teachers from both public and private schools, and the general public. This year’s lectures also coincides with the launching of the second volume of the Sorsogon cultural journal, “Sarabihon”.

8. KASANGGAYAHAN SA ROMPEOLAS [Back to Top]

“Rompeolas” is Spanish for “where the waves cavort”. It is the old Sorsogon pier now used only by small seacraft, but it is a favorite local promenade area because it juts into Sorsogon Bay.

The Kasanggayahan sa Rompeolas, which starts in the late afternoon is merrymaking, getting-together and relaxing at the old pier where food stalls have been set up, complete with tables and chairs for diners. Drinks are also available. Local rock bands have also been invited to provide entertainment, and dance music for those who want to dance.

9. DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS COMPETITION [Back to Top]

This is a competition of skill and mastery at the drums and bugles and marching at the same time. The competition is at two levels – elementary and high school levels. Participating drum and bugle corps all come from the different schools in the province. They will march down the main streets of Sorsogon City.

Cash awards and trophies will be given to the winners.

10. COOKING DEMONSTRATION [Back to Top]

This showcases Sorsogon cuisine and delicacies, featuring new recipes for Pili-based courses.

Expert Sorsogon cooks/chefs will demonstrate how to prepare and cook those old, familiar, traditional Sorsogon comfort food like, palus-ag na gabi, pinakul-aw na kasag, pinalana-lanang gulay na sili, and such old merienda favorites like, linusak, hinagom, puto lanson, etc.

The public, especially the Balik Sorsoganons, will be invited to taste the Sorsogon food of their fond memories.

11. BALIK SORSOGON [Back to Top]

The Balik Sorsoganons in different parts of the world, particularly the United States, will skip this year, and come back to their home province, Sorsogon, for another visit next year, 2005, promising to be better organized, and in greater numbers. This was the consensus of the body during its assessment and organizational meeting October 31, 2003 at the Lewis College in Sorsogon City, or immediately after the series of hectic activities during Balik Sorsogon 2003, which was one of the featured activities during the Kasanggayahan Festival 2003.