Kaogma: The hottest festival in the world
It’s almost 3 a.m. in the Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) but the pummeling sounds of intoxicated celebrations, the DJ’s after-party playlist, and another karaoke machine are vibrating simultaneously through the thin walls of our cozy wooden cabin. Unable to get sleep, I’m wondering mostly what the hell I am doing in bed at the peak of Camsur’s hottest festival, and a little bit about what time the parties will end.
Dubbed the “World’s Hottest Festival,” Kaogma commemorates Camarines Sur’s 431st foundation day this year, and is a nine-day fiesta jam-packed with entertainment, intense competition, and extreme sports action. The festival is definitely non-traditional and probably the first of its kind in the country.
On the plane ride to Camsur, boarded with me are a handful of riders trudging wakeboarding gear and strutting beach wear. As soon as we hit our destination at the Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC), the riders embrace the place as if it is paradise leaving behind their luggage in the shuttle as they dash towards the wakeboarding course with open arms. For first-timers, the complex is vastly impressive as it offers a variety of accommodations fit for all budgets-trailers, tiki huts, wooden cabins and luxury villas; and it’s a venue for every kind of extreme sport imaginable. For those who return to Camsur often, like the riders on the plane itching to get down, it is a haven for gritty playground action.
During May, CWC becomes home of the fiery Kaogma Festival. This year the festival ran from May 22 to 30 and was jumpstarted by a parade led by the newly re-elected Governor Lray Villafuerte and Kristine Hermosa, trailed by a star-studded entourage. Governor Lray says the theme “Everybody Happy” is about offering and creating events that are bound to bring everyone joy, with particular focus on sports adventure and tourism. “If you come to Kaogma, basically it’s mostly sports activities like 4X4, motocross, wakeboarding, mountain bike (and) boxing.” Governor Lray integrates extreme sports with Kaogma as a way to differentiate the event from other more traditional festivals in the country. “If you’re into extreme sports,” he says proudly, “Camsur is the place to be.”
But aside from the sports, Kaogma also offers a variety of events, all of which are free. Some occur early in the morning, some end early in the morning. A more traditional event is the Miss Kaogma beauty pageant which presents Camarines Sur’s finest and most elegant women. Charming host Marc Nelson made the girls nervous on this glamorous night while an acoustic serenade by Matteo Guidicelli garnered girl shrieks. After the event, the top five of Miss Kaogma headed off to Lago del Rey in CWC along with other celebrities who participated in this year’s Celebrity Aquafest Challenge to load up, celebrate and party under the stars while dancing barefoot in the sand.
The main sports event of Kaogma is the 5th Philippine Wakeboard Nationals that ran for two days, May 28 and 29, amidst the intense summer heat. Spectators did not mind getting their shoulders scorched as long as they were witness to some of the best talents in the country showing off skills, style and technique in the world-class cable wakeboarding course. Chief Judge for the event was world champion wakeboarder Donald Shelbrick who vows that there is growing talent among Filipino wakeboarders, even if the sport is still fairly new to the country. Daniel also notes that the CWC 6 tower cable park is one of his favorites in the whole world, accommodating beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional riders. “Every year that I come back they add something new,” he adds. Co-judges for the event were international riders Mike McComb and Wade Halbert.
On last night of the Kaogma Festival, the 12-hour Musicfest was expected to go on until the wee hours of the morning. The Bloom Brothers charmed the audience while Delara ripped the air with ska vocals. However, Itchyworms’ well-supported set was rudely interrupted when chaos broke loose and what seemed to be an ingenious and planned rain shower of rocks and stones was violently targeted towards the audience. Like ants running away from water, the sight of the crowd fleeing the scene caused enough panic for the band to stop playing, and the show had to be cut short. The last act for the night, Rivermaya, never saw stage. The flurry of commotion was frightening, though admittedly adrenaline-pumping, since in the end no one seemed to be seriously hurt. On the shuttle back to our cabin with the bands, they seemed mostly unshaken. Perhaps every music concert has its share of craziness, and this is just one of the many these bands have been witness to.
Governor Lray is credited for CWC and having raised Camsur from being the 39th poorest province to being the 10th richest in terms of income, and is now recognized as a world-class tourist destination. The business-minded politician sees his legacy laid out like a business plan, crediting the use of sports tourism to target a niche market as a solution to poverty. The result is profit, and all the profit goes back to the province. A Gawad Kalinga (GK) village in every municipality and scholarships for all their elementary students are just a few of the many benefits sports tourism has provided for them.
The Kaogma Festival is one of the biggest events in Camsur, and is soon expected to become even bigger as they continue to expand facilities and create new scenes. Leaving Camsur, I have a list of stories I can’t wait to tell. From surviving rock concert nightmares, to the intense wakeboarding competition (you can try wakeboarding as well in their beginner’s pool), to coming home one night buzzed from a party located in the middle of the lake... come next summer, you should make sure you are celebrating the hottest festival in the world.
The Kaogma Festival adds heat to the country’s feverish summer temperature as it promises hotter events, hotter sports action and they ensure that you will leave with a solid happy ending.
