AMID the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipality of Pavia, Iloilo has found its way to boost local tourism through this year’s Tigkaralag Festival.
According to former Councilor Dexter Dizon, currently the town’s designated Tourism Officer, this festival started back in 1992 through the efforts of then Pavia municipal councilor and later 2nd District Board Member Cecilia Capadosa.
Years after, Dizon coined the taglines “A festival like no other” and “The only one of its kind” as the festival’s description.
“The term tigkaralag is a local dialect word that loosely translates to season or time (tig) of souls (kalag) and refers to the observance of the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days that fall on the 1st and 2nd days of November respectively,” Dizon said.
He also shared that the festival started as a local version of western celebration of Halloween 29 years ago.
“It originally started on the evening of Oct. 31, but was later moved to the evening of the 30th of the month to give the participants and audience alike the time to give due respect and observance of the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day that immediately follow the original date of celebration,” he said.
Tigkaralag Festival has its humble beginnings, too, Dizon added.
It consisted of groups of children dressed and made up as otherworldly characters and creatures performing in the municipal plaza to “the delight of the hometown audience.” The group who has the most creative and impressive presentation wins “packs of candies and corn snacks.”
“For this year, the (supposed) dance-drama competition is cancelled. No mass gathering allowed like group practices. We do not have a physical celebration as with previous years,” Dizon noted.
In lieu of the dance-drama, each barangay joined forces for the Tigkaralag Decorating Contest as they adorn their respective Barangay Halls, Day Care Centers or Tanod Outposts with spooky designs and figures.
Some entries for “Tigkaralag Decorating Contest”
UNGKA 1 
PUROK 2 
CABUGAO SUR 
PUROK 4
The Tourism designate also said there is a Costume Competition where participating barangays vie for “Best Tigkaralag Costume” and “Best Kalag Costume” awards.
Some entries for “Best Tigkaralag Costume”
MALI-AO 
AGANAN
Some entries for “Best Kalag Costume”
PAGSANGA-AN 
BALABAG
“With Tigkaralag Festival, the human mind is the only limit when it comes to imagination,” Dizon concluded./PN
