DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines – Thousands of visiting athletes and meet officials of the May 8-14 Palarong Pambansa were extremely thrilled by Hudyaka, the mother of all local festivals, presented yesterday afternoon by the provincial government of Zamboanga del Norte at barangay Dampa in this Shrine City, host of the 2011 National Schools Games.
Lawyer Ivan Patrick Ang, provincial tourism officer, said Hudyaka, is a Cebuano term for merrymaking, designed to showcase the beauty, bounty and culture of the Christian-Muslim-Subanen province.
The occasion, Ang said, coincided with the 59th founding Anniversary of Zamboanga del Norte (ZaNorte) even as it will also mark the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal who spent four years in exile in the then old village of Dapitan.
Yesterday’s Hudyaka opened with a grand parade participated in by top provincial, local officials and residents of 25 municipalities who were attired in their respective indigenous costumes while performing, among other things, tribal street dancing, costume float parade and selection of Ms. Zamboanga del Norte.
Ang expected that the visiting Palaro athletes and meet officials will long remember Hudyaka, considered the first of its kind in western Mindanao (also called Zamboanga Peninsula), which they noted could equal if not surpass Cebu’s “Sinulog” or Iloilo’s “Dinagyang.”
Athlete Rosendo Martinez of Southern Tagalog described Hudyaka as “so far the most colorful festival that I have ever witnessed. Congratulations to the people of the province for a wonderful activity.”