January Fiestas & Festivals in the Philippines
(Part 3)
We all know that the first month of the year is January; it is a very religious and great way to start the year. January is the month of devotion dedicated to Santo Niño, the Holy Child Jesus. Devotees to the Santo Niño all over the Philippines prepared themselves to celebrate with faith in the month of January with colorful events. Here’s a list of January ‘you should keep a look out for planning your vacation in the Philippines. We will try to cover each fiesta in individual articles.
20 January:
- Binuligay Festival - Jamindan, Capiz. A cultural and fiesta celebration
- Altavas Sto. Niño Festival - 21-22 January. Poblacion Altavas, Aklan. This day marked the end of the Fil-American war in Altavas. Since then, January 22 is being celebrated as an Annual Thanksgiving and Armistice Day in Altavas. Later, the date was adopted as its municipal town fiesta. This is the continuation of the joyous celebration of peace when Fil-American war ended in this municipality.
- Halad Sa Sto. Niño Festival - 21 January. Midsayap, North Cotabato. The annual fiesta celebration of Midsayap, Cotabato in honor of its patron, Sto. Niño . Highlights are street dancing and the theater parade contest.
- Dinagyang Festival - 22-26 January. Iloilo City. Just like the Ati-atihan and sinulog festival, the Dinagyang also pays homage to the Child Jesus. However, it also commemorates the settling of the Malay datus in Panay, after they’ve bought the island from the Atis.
- Panubason Festival - 22 -25 January. Valderrama, Antique. An annual festival of young Valderramanian talents. A festival created to discover and develop special talents from aspirants in the field of music, dances and sports. The festival is also a thanksgiving festival for the good and abundant crops during their respective harvest season. And such are displayed and shared during the event. A Mardigra Competition participated by the LGU elementary and secondary level highlights the festive mood.
- Longaniza Festival - ¨22 January ,Vigan City. It features “Longest Longaniza" with the hope of entering to the Guinness Book of Records as the longest longaniza of the world.
- Hugyaw Festival - New Lucena, Iloilo. ¨Street dancing competition.
- Dinagsa Ati-Atihan Festival - 24-30 January. Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. A revelry from sunrise to sunset, with ceaseless and rhythmic beating of drums. A sea of humanity in cadence with black soot “ati” performing rituals, all in honor of El Señor Sto. Niño. A spectacular fluvial parade where the Infant Jesus is carried aboard a fishing boat around the river, out to sea and back. “Dinagsa” connotes the sudden surge of good things washed ashore, such as the generous catch of fish and other sea foods, which Cadiz is famous for. Throw all cares to the wind as you street dance with gaily-costumed ati-tribes. Be game however if you find your own face painted black by playful ATIS.
- Feast of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage - 24 January. La Carlota City. These features cultural shows and traditional fiesta activities like procession, traditional games and cultural presentation.
- Sto Niño Festival - 25 January. Malolos, Bulacan. The biggest expression of devotion to the Holy child Jesus in the entire Luzon island.
- Saug Festival - 25 January. Lemery, Iloilo. A festival which features eight (8) districts portraying different situations or scenes on the real purpose of Saug. Saug is a local term/dialect which means to transfer wood/other farm products from one place to another by means of karosa (sled).
- Lubay-Lubay Festival - 25 January. Cauayan, Negros Occidental. ¨Lubay-Lubay Festival portrays and preserve the early culture of Cauayanons in facing adversities, hardships and difficulties as well as abundance, plenty, prosperity and sufficiency, and to foster the spirit of unity, cooperation, camaraderie and thanksgiving especially for the blessings endowed by the Almighty.
- Binatbatan Festival - 25 January. Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The "Heritage City," as Vigan is known, bursts into merry colors through its Binatbatan Festival, luring hordes of local and foreign tourists to its streets lined up with ancestral houses.
- Panabenga - 27 January - March 12. Baquio City. Also known as the Baguio Flower Festival. The Floral Street Parade will be held on February 25 and the Floral Float Parade on February 26.
- Sana - aw Festival - 27 January. Jordan, Guimaras. Primarily a celebration of the economic endeavor that made Jordan what it is today. Sana-aw also pays tribute to the skillful artisans and the enduring workers in an endearing characterization through dance drama
- Hinirugyaw Festival - Calinog, Iloilo, The festivity and fun of the people of Calinog reach a peak during the feast day of the Child Jesus or Sto. Niño. The poblacion is festooned with multi-colored traditional decorations inviting everyone to glorify the Lord. Hirinugyaw, a visayan term for jubilation and rejoicing, traces its roots with the enthronement of the replica of Sto. Niño de Cebu in 1970.
- Feast of St. Blaise (Municipal and Religious Fiesta) - 31 January - February 3. Sebaste, Antique. An annual pilgrimage festival both celebrated by the religious community and the municipal, local government unit in honor of St. Blaise. Every year, thousands of pilgrims provincewide and even from other regions travel to Sebaste to seek homage and intercession to the Patron Saint of Sebaste.
- Balot sa Puti Festival - Pateros, One of the highlights of the Pateros Town Fiesta celebration
- The Boracay Int'l Fun Board Cup - 31 January - 5 February. Bulabog Beach, Boracay, Malay, Aklan. The country’s biggest windsurfing event drawing participants from all over Asia.
27 - 28 January:
29 January:
30 January:
Chinese New Year begins according to the Chinese calendar which consists of both Gregorian and lunar-solar calendar systems. Because the track of the new moon changes from year to year, Chinese New Year can begin anytime between late January and mid-February.
Year Chinese New Year Begins Animal Sign
2008 February 7 Rat
2009 January 26 Ox
2010 February 14 Tiger
2011 February 3 Rabbit
2012 January 23 Dragon
2013 February 10 Snake
2014 January 31 Horse
2015 February 19 Sheep
2016 February 8 Monkey
2017 January 28 Rooster
2018 February 16 Dog
2019 February 5 Pig
Fiesta Tsinoy/Chinese New Year - 30 January - 2 February. Chinese Garden, Rizal Park, Manila. A grand celebration to welcome the new Chinese Lunar Year that will feature a Chinese Lauriat with complete show of Chinese performers to be capped by fireworks/pyrotechnic display.
(Part 3)
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