Bambanti Festival 2018

ISABELA KONG MAHAL

(Isabela, My Beloved Land)

WRITTEN AND EDITED BY:  Mia Garcia

Photo By; Mia Garcia

BAMBANTI FESTIVAL 2018/Jan.25, 2018:

Infront of Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Isabela Capitol, People flocked together celebrates the festival. Behind is the Ilagan Sports Complex and the Bambanti Village.

Bambabambababambanti! ! the sound that created an entertaining ambiance, started the festival. Celebration of The Bambanti Festival 2018 excitedly began. Isabeliños celebrated their Bambanti Festival at Ilagan City, January 25, until January 27,2018. Bambanti is an iconic symbol of Ilocano’s farming, it also an emblematic ties of the farmers, they have used it to drive away  birds on their crops farms.

Isabela is the second largest province in the Philippines and also called as Queen Province of the North. It is the Corn Capital of the Philippines and other agricultural goods; like rice, monggo, tobacco, coffee, banana, and mango.

Photo By: Mia Garcia

Framed certificate award of municipality of Luna, Isabela for Good Local Governance 2017

Photo By: Mia Garcia

BAMBANTI FESTIVAL 2018/Jan.25-27, 2018:

Bambanti, giant corn installation.

Mary Ann Dy,wife of Gov.Dy III quoted "Street-dance parade is the main feature of Bambanti Festival which promotes agri-ecotourism of the municipalities of Isabela." 

Photo By: Mia Garcia
The Colorful contingent of 20 municipalities and 2 cities of Isabela are downstairs of the Isabela Sports Complex,performing the Bambanti dance festival at Iligan City Isabela.

Bambanti Festival/January 26,2018

Every Bambanti festival they always  used the scarecrow as the center of  attractions of their province. Infact, Isabela won to the Aliw Awards for the 3rd time because of their festivals, last 2015 to 2017 they recieve the title for Best Festival Practices and Performances.

However, the festival highlighted by the Bambanti( scarecrow) creations and villages, it is a giant mascot made with crops and by different municipalities of Isabela.It symbolized as spirituality of isabeleño and resembles beloved Jesus Christ.(Chief of Staff,Cocoy Ventura)

Photo By: Mia Garcia
BAMBANTI FESTIVAL 2018/Jan.25-27, 2018:

THE FINALIST OF BEST GIANT BAMBANTI INSTALLIATION."CORDON", REPRESENT AS LADY BAMBANTI FARMER (made of corn kernel, coconut shells, husk and buyboy and paper. DURING THE BAMBANTI FESTIVAL 2018 AT ILAGAN CITY IN ISABELA.

Annually, province of Isabela celebrates their Bambanti festival, It is the "Mother of all festivals in Isabela" According to Isabeleños the festival is a thanks giving occasion for the sustaining dominance in agricultural production agro-industrial economy of the province that is why it was highlighted by a grand showcase of Bambanti Creations, cultural dances, pusic’s, parades, fireworks display, talent tilts and trade exhibits.

The Bambanti Festival is a third festival celebrations of Isabela ,started last January 22 to 27,2018. It is a tribute for all the blessings from God, farmers resiliency and hard works in Isabela.

In the first place,Isabela was founded in 1856 through a royal decree and it was named after Queen Isabela III of Spain. Also, it is a land with rolling hills, sprawling fertile valley, longest mountain range, like Sierra Madre, Forested Mountains and Philippine longest and largest rivers (505-kilometer Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan, which travel across the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya.

Furthermore, It has a total population of 1,593,566(PSA 2015) and a total land area of 1,066,456 hectares that is why, it is the second largest province in the Philippines with a 3.1% of the Philippine Territory, next to Davao City.

It has three (3) cities (Ilagan, Cauyan and Santiago City), and almost thirty four (34) municipalities and one thousand fifthy five barangays.

The 2018 festival had a theme of "Isabela kong Mahal"(Isabela,My Beloved Land). Focused on Isabeleños loved for their land by means of  expressing their performances,arts,food,exhibits and competitions.

Bambanti Festival 2018 Events as follows:

• Agri-Ecorourism Exhibit and Sale
• Makan Ken Mainum:Masre Kusinero Cookfest
• Pre-Judging:Agri-Ecotourism Booth and Giant Bambanti Showcase Competition
• Street-Dance Parade Competition with Judging of Festival Kings and Queens
• Grand Opening:Isabela Kong Mahal"
• Grand Fireworks Display
• Festival Dance Showdown Competition with Judging of Festival Kings and Queens
• Final Judging:Agri-Ecotourism Booth and Giant Bambanti Installation
• Grand Finals:Isabela Choral Competition
• Closing and Awarding Ceremonies
• Isabela Grand Concert Party
• Grand Fireworks Display

Photo By: Mia Garcia

Colorful bags,Summer hots,Fans made by Isabeleño for Bambanti Exhibit 

Photo By: Mia Garcia

 Bambanti Installation  in the Bambanti Village in Ilagan Isabela

Photo By: Mia Garcia
 Dried flowers made in Corn Leaves 

Photo By: Mia Garcia

 Different sizes of colorful summer hots trade in Bambanti Village

Photo By: Mia Garcia

 Delicacies in the village.( Wines,fermented eggs,nuts and pork chicharons)

 Bambanti Village

Each municipalities of Isabela competively participated to all activities inasmuch as for their warm love to their beloved land.

People of Isabela ungrudgingly participated to all activities that is why yearly their festival was always high spirited and additionally, Isabela's provincial government together with Governor Faustino Dy III, have always impressed their guests and its people by their successful and blissful Bambanti Festival.

Author of ISABELA KONG MAHAL(Isabela, My Beloved Land)