Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
Sinulog is the ritual According to
prayer-dance stories, the Santo
honoring Señor Santo Nino healed a
Niño or the Child close adviser of
Sinulog 3rd Sunday of Cebu City Jesus. An image of the Rajah Humabon
Festival January Child Jesus is said to after he got sick.
be the baptismal gift To show his
the Portuguese gratitude for the
conquistador miracle,
Ferdinand Magellan Baladhay
gave Hara Amihan supposedly
(Humanay) of Zebu danced for joy.
(now Cebu) in April
1521.

Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
Dinagyang began The Dinagyang Festival is
after Rev. Fr. divided into three major
Ambrosio Galindez, events held annually every
the first Filipino fourth weekend of
Rector of the January: Ati Tribe
Dinagyang 4th Sunday of Ilo-Ilo City Agustinian Competition (held on a
Festival January Community and Sunday), Kasadyahan
Parish Priest of the Cultural Competition (held
San Jose Parish on a Saturday prior to the
introduced the main event the next day,
devotion to Santo the Ati Tribe competition)
Niño in November and the Miss Iloilo
1967 after observing Dinagyang (which is held
the Ati-Atihan on the week of the main
Festival in the Dinagyang Festival
province of Aklan. highlights).
 Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The Binirayan festival is an
event celebrated in the
province of Antique in the
Philippines. "Binirayan"
literally means "where
Binirayan 3rd week of Antique they sailed to". The
Festival April festival was conceived by
Governor Evelio Javier,
and first celebrated on
January 11–13, 1974. In
1975, the festival was
moved to April 25–27, but
in the succeeding years
was celebrated in
December to coincide
with the Christmas
celebration in the
province.
Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The Festival first
began in 1980 during
a period of crisis. The
province relied on
Masskara 4rd Sunday of Bacolod sugar cane as its
Festival October primary agricultural
crop and the price of
sugar was at an all-
time low due to the
introduction of sugar
substitutes like high
fructose corn syrup in
the United States.
Other Noted Facts
Rafflesia has a place in
it. Rafflesia Day,
celebrated during last
year’s Binirayan
Festival, is a tribute to
the largest species of
flower found only in
Southeast Asia.
December 27, 2015
was dedicated entirely
to the rafflesia, with
contests being held for
rafflesia-inspired
costumes, drum and
bugle pieces, as well as
a designers’ battle.
Other Noted Facts
Masskara Festival is
actually spelled with
an ‘s’ because the
festival refers to the
crowd and face, not
masks. It is a
combination of the
words “mass”
(crowd) and “kara”
(Spanish term for
face).
 Festival Date Celebrated Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts
Origin
The Ati-Atihan The Ati-Atihan was
Festival is a feast originally a pagan
held annually in festival from this
January in honor of tribe practicing
the Santo Niño Animism, and their
Ati-Atihan 3rd Sunday of Aklan (Infant Jesus), Held worshiping their
Festival January on the third Sunday, anito god.
in the town of Kalibo Spanish missionaries
Philippines in the gradually added a
island of Panay Christian meaning.
originally came from Today, the Ati-Atihan
Batan, Aklan, then is celebrated as a
adopted later by religious festival.
some neighboring
towns.

Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
Padul-ong Festival is The festival also
the province’s way to illustrates the legend
pay homage to its of a mysterious
Patroness, the Blessed “Lady in White” who
Padul-ong 7th or 8th day Borongan, Virgin Mary. The allegedly visits the
Festival of September Eastern Samar capital city of Hamorawan Spring
theprovince, pronounc regularly. According
ed as “bo-rong-gan”, to the locals, the
was derived from the Lady in White has
Waray-waray word been blessing the
“borong” which spring waters with
means “fog." miraculous healing
powers.
Festivals in Visayas
Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The Binalbal Festival is an
annual festival held on
the first of January in
Binalbal 1st of Tudela, Tudela, Misamis
Festival January Misamis Occidental, Philippines. It
Occidental is a unique celebration of
welcoming the new year
for the townsfolk of
Tudela. Participants are
disguised through the use
of masks which allow
them full freedom of
inhibition during the new
year celebration.
Other Noted Facts
This unique cultural
tradition was
handed down from
the fathers of
Tudelanians with its
center theme
focused on love,
unity and prosperity
with the hope of
ultimately re-
committing the
individual to the
spiritual and social
codes of the past.

Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
The Hermosa The festival is held
Festival, also known in honor of the
as Zamboanga La miraculous image
Hermosa Festival, of Our Lady of the
popularly known as Pillar (Spanish and
Hermosa 12th day of Zamboanga City Fiesta Pilar, is a Chavacano:
Festival October month-long festival Nuestra Señora del
held each year in Pilar), the
the city of patroness of
Zamboanga. It is one Batangas City
of the oldest which is held in
festivals in the every 12 October.
country. Philippines.
 Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The Kadayawan Festival is
an annual festival in the
city of Davao in the
Philippines. Its name
Kadayawan 3rd week of Davao City
derives from the friendly
Festival August
greeting "Madayaw", from
the Dabawenyo word
"dayaw", meaning good,
valuable, superior or
beautiful. The festival is a
celebration of life, a
thanksgiving for the gifts of
nature, the wealth of
culture, the bounties of
harvest and serenity of
living.
Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The festival gets its
name from “t’nalak,” a
colorful abaca cloth,
T’nalak 8th day of Koronadal, created and woven by
Festival July South the women of the T’boli
Cotabato tribe of South Cotabato.
The design of the cloth
is unique and “dreamed
up” by the person who
creates it. That’s why
the province is known
as “The Land of the
Dreamweavers.”
Other Noted Facts
Hiyas ng Kadayawan is
one of the highlights of
the celebration. Unlike
beauty contests, this is a
search for the young
woman who understands
her culture and
traditions, according to
council Al Ryan
Alejandre, chair of this
year’s festival executive
committee.
Other Noted Facts
The T’nalak Festival
commemorates the
works of Lang Dulay, a
T’boli princess from
Lake Sebu who was
the best weaver of her
time. She was
awarded the “Gawad
sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan” or the
“National Living
Treasure Award” in
1998.
 Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
It is a cultural event
using as its base a
Maranao dance
Sagayan 4th day of Tubod, Lanao performed during the
Festival July del Norte Araw ng Lanao del
Norte Celebration
Participated by all the
municipalities of the
province. Sagayan
depicts a war dance
among the Maranaos.
Datu Bantugan is the
legendary hero of the
Darangen, Maranao
epic.
Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The Higalaay Festival
(formerly known as
Kagay-an Festival, then to
Higalaay 28th day of Cagayan de Higalaay Kagay-an Festival
Festival August Oro in 2014) is a festival held
each year in Cagayan de
Oro, Philippines, every
28th day of August,
celebrating the feast day
of St. Augustine – patron
saint of the city.
Other Noted Facts
This dance involves
the use of movements
such as leaping,
turning, jumping,
kicking, and rolling. In
addition, the
performers in this
dance are supposed to
move in a “trance”,
since by doing so
unwanted evil spirits
apparently can be
driven away.
Other Noted Facts
Higalaay Festival
means "Friendship
Festival", which the
word "Higalaay"
comes from the
Cebuano word
"higala" (friend; chum;
pal) which was
regarded from what
the city of Cagayan de
Oro is being tagged,
the City of Golden
Friendship.
Festivals in
Mindanao
 Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
Panagbenga Festival
(English: Flower Festival)
is a month-long annual
Panagbenga 1st of Baguio City flower occasion occurring
Festival February in Baguio City. The term is
of Kankanaey origin,
meaning "season of
blooming".The festival,
held in February, was
created as a tribute to
the city's flowers and as a
way to rise up from the
devastation of the 1990
Luzon earthquake.
Festival Date Place of Brief Description
Celebrated Origin
The Ani Festival is an
annual event in the
municipality of Dingras.
Unlike most Philippine
Ani Festival 23rd day of Dingras, festivals that celebrate in
March Ilocos Norte the name of their Patron
Saint, Ani festival serves as
Other Noted Facts
Being one of the
major festivals in the
country and also
being one of the
major events of the
City, Panagbenga
draws a handful of
tourists every year,
boosting the City’s
economy and its
Tourism Sector.
Occupancy rates play
at around 96% – 100%
making the City
crowded too during
the month of
February.
Other Noted Facts
Another
anticipated
activity during
the Ani Festival is
the Agro-
industrial fair,
which is very
 a thanksgiving celebration popular to
of Dingras farmers for their businessmen and
bountiful lands and traders.
abundant harvests.

Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
Nueva Ecija, the largest San Jose City prides
province in Central itself as the "Onion
Luzon, is a historic Capital of the
province with colorful Philippines" and is a
Tanduyong 25th day of San Jose City, and remarkable leading producer of
Festival April Nueva Ecija festivals. This province, onion, garlic, rice
with 5 cities and 27 and vegetables.
municipalities, has Every year, on the
diverse cultural fourth Sunday of
traditions that became April, the people of
significant part of Novo San Jose dance
Ecijanos culture and through the main
tradition. Every year the street in a colorful,
Tanduyong festival is enchanting
held on April coinciding celebration of the
with the annual fiesta to blessing of the
celebrate this. harvest.

Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
The Paynauen Duyan The festival is aimed to
Festival is an annual position Iba as a rest-
festival in the and-recreation
Municipality of Iba, destination and the
Paynauen 3rd week of Iba, Zambales in the beach capital of
Duyan Festival April Zambales Philippines. The festival northern Luzon. The
was first held in 2005. town has a seven-
Paynauen a word of kilometer stretch of
 Zambal origin, literally
means Pahingahan. On
the other hand, Duyan a
local name for hammock,
a favorite spot for resting
and relaxing.
fine sand beaches and
boasts of the longest
municipal coastline in
the country. It is also
studded with 42
resorts.

Festival Date Place of Brief Description Other Noted Facts

Celebrated Origin
The festival is
cognizance of the
importance of abaca
fiber or Manila hemp
industry in the local
Abaca 4th week Catanduanes economy and the need
Festival of May to showcase its
versatility as a major
source of livelihood and
craft material which has
brought Catanduanes
fame and fortune. The
festival will showcase
the life and resilient
spirit of the
Catandunganon and its
culture, as well as the
uniqueness and
exoticness of the island
and its people.
The main features of
the festival are:
Padadyaw Ginamlangan
or Padadyaw kan Abaka,
Pinukpok Fashion Show,
Urag Catandungan
sports competitions,
Kantang Catandungan
or Musika kan Isla,
Festival Dance
Competition, Binibini
and Ginoong Bikol,
Hagyan sa Kabitoonan
and Jobs Fair.

Festival Date Celebrated Place of Origin Brief Description Other Noted Facts
The Pinyasan or The Pineapple
Pineapple Festival is Festival started
celebrated yearly in in 1993 and was
the town of Daet, introduced by
Pineapple 15th - 24th day Daet, Camarines Camarines Norte in present Daet
Festival of June Norte the Bicol Region. The Mayor Tito S.
festival is celebrated Sarion. He was
 from June 15 to 24 still a Daet town
which coincides with councilor when
the feast of the he suggested the
town’s patron saint, yearly event.
Saint John the
Baptist.

Festivals in Luzon