NORTH COTABATO, Philippines — All is set for the September 1 celebration of the "Kalivungan Festival" to mark the 101st North Cotabato provincial foundation day.
The event will be capped off with street dancing parades and other cultural programs meant to showcase the distinct ethnic identities of the Muslim, Christian and indigenous lumad communities in North Cotabato.
The province covers 17 towns and Kidapawan City, the provincial capital.
Kalivungan is a generic term among most indigenous groups which may either mean a gathering to celebrate good harvest, or a convergence of tribes to resolve community concerns.
Among this year's Kalivungan highlights is an agri-tourism exhibit in the newly-constructed Provincial Pavilion inside the sprawling North Cotabato capitol compound in Kidapawan City.
The multi-million facility, a project of the provincial government, was inaugurated about two months ago by local officials led by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza.
Mendoza on Monday told The STAR policemen have been deployed around the provincial capitol compound in Barangay Amas in Kidapawan City to ensure a safe conduct of their September 1 cultural activities.
Mendoza and organizers of the festival are expecting thousands to attend the activities at the provincial capitol compound.
Exhibitors from across North Cotabato displayed native products at the "market-market" showcase at the pavilion as part of the effort to show to guests the business potentials of the province.
"It can give investors, including those engaged in micro, small and medium enterprises, or MSMEs, a good look at the economic intricacies of our province. There are lots of products there at the fair," said Josephine Abellana, chief of the public assistance, tourism and sports development division in the governor's office.
Abellana said Gov. Mendoza has actively been helping connect local entrepreneurs to capitalists outside North Cotabato and in Metro Manila.
"This exhibit at the pavilion will help open the eyes of investors to the viability of pouring in capitals for local trades and crafts and agricultural ventures," Abellana said.