Festival to fete guitar industry

CEBU, Philippines – The Guitar Festival in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City this year will help promote local livelihood, as well as attract more tourists, organizers have noted.

The festival is scheduled on September 14, 2014 in connection with the barangay's annual fiesta celebration in honor of Saint Francis de Assisi and Sta. Cruz.

According to barangay officials, the participating schools to the Guitar Festival include Datag Elementary School, Buyong Elementary School, Maribago High School and Rizwood Colleges.

Maribago barangay councilor Arvin Abing, vice chairman for this year's festivity, said Barangay Captain Joseph Pangatungan aims to promote guitar-making as a source of living among their residents and, at the same time, entice local and foreign tourists to visit Lapu-Lapu City, particularly their barangay.

The main highlight of the celebration is the street dance performance of students from different schools in the barangay depicting the locality's guitar industry.

The parade of floats sponsored by a private resort is also expected to add more excitement to the festival.

According to Abing, Barangay Maribago is known not only in the Philippines but also in other countries for its good quality guitars.

Barangay officials said the produced guitars are exported to other countries like Japan, South Korea and United States.

Aside from its guitar industry, Barangay Maribago also hosts beach resorts and hotels where most of the employees are residents of the barangay.