JORDAN, Guimaras – This year’s editions of the Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid and Manggahan Festival were cancelled due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Will they push through in 2021?
It depends on the COVID-19 situation, according to Vice Gov. John Edward Gando.
Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid is an annual Lenten reenactment of the passion and death of Christ. It attracts thousands of Holy Week pilgrims every Good Friday.
Manggahan Festival, on the other hand, is a yearly month-long (every May) socio-cultural celebration of Guimaras’ culture, traditions and economy anchored on one of its most successful industries – mango cultivation.
Gando said Pagtaltal and Manggahan were not included in the proposed 2021 budget of the province because the provincial government wasn’t sure of their staging next year.
“We are on a wait-and-see mode,” he explained.
If the situation gets better, said Gando, a supplemental budget may be passed for the two activities.
According to Liberty Ferrer, provincial tourism officer, the month-long Manggahan attracts an average of 60,000 to 90,000 tourists each year.
“Manggahan is a big event. Guimaras is economically alive because of it,” said Ferrer.
As of Sunday, Nov. 22, Guimaras’ COVID-19 cases reached 206 – 22 active, 181 recovered and three dead.
Ten of the 22 active cases were from the towns of San Lorenzo, eight from Jordan, two from Buenavista and two from Nueva Valencia./PN
