THE Panaad Festival, which is dubbed “the mother of all festivals” of the 32 towns and cities in the province of Negros Occidental, will be back this coming April.
Now on its 27th year, the launching was led by Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson,Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, together with the Provincial Board Members.
The launching was also attended by Department of Tourism (DoT) Regional Director Helen Catalbas, members of the Panaad Executive Committee, and provincial officials.
The festival is slated from April 20 to 26 at the vast Panaad Park and Stadium in Mansilingan, Bacolod City, with the theme, “Panaad 2020: The Future is Now.”
Panaad is the Hiligaynon word for a vow and its fulfilment, and it is the embodiment of the unity among the local governments in province, and has become a yearly tradition among the Negrenses.
Panaad Festival showcases the best festivals of the participating cities and municipalities, including the presentation of their best products.
Among the highlights of the annual event will be the Search for Lin-ay sang Negros where beautiful Negrenses will vie for the coveted title.
Panaad sa Negros Festival was conceptualized in 1993 by the provincial government and representatives of the private sector to showcase the festivals of each of city and municipality in Negros Occidental.
Panaad was also seen as a way to showcase the history, cultural heritage, and the business potentials of each city and municipality.
Meanwhile, Lacson also said that during the festivities, the provincial government will strengthen the solid waste management program, and will provide guidelines to each local government unit.
“Plastic bags will not be used in the pavilions,” he emphasized.
He said that this year, the festivities will focus on the different aspects of tourism, which include food, sports, culture, arts and heritage, adventure, and festival, including eco-tourism and sustainable tourism.
It can be recalled that in 2017, Negros Occidental was elevated to the Hall of Fame of the Pearl Awards after the Panaad sa Negros Festival was hailed Best Tourism Event-Provincial Festival category for three consecutive years – 2014, 2015, and 2016.
The Panaad sa Negros Festival, which is simply called the Panaad Festival, is a celebration that is held annually during the month of April in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental.
Originally, the first Panaad sa Negros Festival kicked-off in April 30, 1993 – said to be a significant day because on this day in 1901, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental became separate provinces.
It was held at the Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon fronting the Provincial Captiol for the first four years.
As the festival developed to become bigger each year, an appropriate venue was needed, and the construction of the Panaad Park and Stadium in Mansilingan for the Palarong Pambansa in 1998 paved the way for the establishment of the Panaad Park as the permanent site of the festival.
The park now hosts the themed pavilions of each city and municipality in Negros Occidental, including the highly urbanized City of Bacolod. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
