Festival to highlight Cebu’s ‘buwad’ industry

CEBU, Philippines - Six barangays in San Nicolas Proper, Cebu City will hold a month-long celebration to mark the eighth year of the “Kaplag Buwad Festival”, which highlights the bountry of dried fish in the area.

The Taboan market, known as the city’s hub of a wide variety of dried fish products will be transformed into a festive stretch of buwad retailers starting April 5 to 10.

The barangay chiefs of Calamba, San Nicolas, Pahina, Pasil, Suba and Sawang in coordination with the Cebu City government and program organizer--GSG of 6, aim to make the eight-year old festival yet another crowd drawing event that will not only promote the dried fish industry and other local delicacy industry in Cebu, but will also give a wider opportunity for the residents to do business primarily on dried fish selling.

Cebu City councilor Gerry Carillo, who was tasked by the Cebu City government to oversee the social and livelihood services in the city, said that it is high time for these barangays to take advantage of the commercial opportunity of this festival, at the same time promote the main industry of the district.

According to Carillo, participants will be provided with a seed money of P5,000, a credit facility to encourage residents to participate in the city-assisted event.

The program proponent shall identify and recommend and submit barangay participants who shall benefit from the livelihood program.

Event organizer Manny Ongkiko assured a professionally-managed festival, wherein safety and sanitation as well as security will be the top priority.

Aside from the different entertainment, and crowd-drawing events that are scheduled during the one-month festival, attractive discounts for dried fish will also be implemented, as well as uniform standard pricing system.

The Kaplag-Buwad Festival pioneers the realization of Cebu City government’s bid to create a year-long festival activities that will attract  local and foreign tourists, urging barangays to highlight their fiesta celebration, as well as their main product.

Sinulog being the mother of all festivals will be followed by other barangay-based festivals. Proposed city festivals include; Tartanilla/kabayo festival in barangays Mambaling and Duljo, Sundang Festival in Basak and San Nicolas, Puso Festival in Inayawan, Mango Festival in Subangdako, Kalunasan and Guadalupe, Kandila Festival in Calamba, among others.

Carillo hopes that the success of Kaplag Buwad Festival in its first month-long celebration will encourage other barangays in the city to realize their plans in holding a full-blown festival event. — Ehda M. Dagooc (FREEMAN)