Benguet Festival Celebrates 112th Founding Anniversary via Adivay Festival

A festive mood awaits visitors and residents in the Adivay (an Ibaloi term meaning coming together) festival in celebration of the province’s 112th founding anniversary this November.

The festival with the theme, “Accelerating Response to Social Challenges,” will kick off through an ecumenical service on November 8 at the Ben Palispis Hall at the provincial capitol.

The main event will be on November 23, the foundation day itself, which was declared a special non-working holiday in the province by virtue of Proclamation No. 485. There will be a cañao, an indigenous thanksgiving rites and other activities such as civic parade, a day for Overseas Filipino Workers and “I-Benguet ay nan abroad” (migrants abroad) who are welcome to join the activity, battle of the bands, and fireworks.

The lined-up activities for the month-long celebration include: On November 9, an environment forum involving solid waste management and pre-pageant search for Mr. and Miss Benguet.

The next day will be an ethnic competition and fashion show at SM City in Baguio. Pageant proper will be on Nov. 17. A trade fair showcasing entrepreneurial products will be held from Nov. 13-24 at the Benguet Sports Complex in Wangal.

Mass wedding for couples of this town and Mankayan will be held Nov. 13 and 14, while for the town of Tuba, it is set on Nov. 16 at the Conversion of St. Paul Parish Church. An ecumenical mass wedding from various religious sector will also be held Nov. 21 at the Ben Palispis Hall.

For job hunters, a two-day job fair will be held Nov. 14-15 at the Ben Palispis Hall.

There will also be medical/surgical outreach activity on Nov. 15 – 16 at the Kapangagn Medicare Community Hospital. A Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Congress will be held Nov. 16 at the National Irrigation Administration compound in Wangal.

An add on activity will be a film viewing on social concerns to run from Nov. 17 to 22 at the Benguet Sports Center.

The Agro-Industrial Trade Fair will be from November 17 to 24 alongside with the competitions on best booth presentation, landscaping, agri-photo contest, indigenous dish preparation and presentation, indigenous beverage preparation and presentation, nutri-snack competitions, organic fertilizer demonstration and competition, flower arrangements, vegetable and fruit sculpture, basket making, and tapuey tasting and packaging.

The agro-industrial fair also includes skills competitions on automotive servicing, commercial cooking, bartending, and mani-ped and haircutting contest on November 16 at the Benguet Sports Center.

There will be series of activities such as Animalandia Show, Benguet Dance-Drama Cultural Presentation, and souvenir-making contest at the Benguet Sports Center on Nov. 17.

The Animalandia will feature dog show and competitions on the production of best "kinuday" and "kiniing," local terms used for indigenous smoked meat.

On Nov. 19 will be environmental-cultural song competition dubbed, “Awit Para sa Kalikasan” at the sports center.

A photo exhibit showcasing historical, cultural and tourist vistas will be on display at the Provincial Capitol lobby from Nov. 19-24.

On Nov. 20, there will be an information education drive on climate change adaptation. The province will host on the same day the Philippine Vegetable Industry Development Board meeting.

On Nov. 21, activities include street dancing, drum and lyre and marching band competitions, awards and recognition among national, regional, and achievers in their own fields, and diskwento caravan.

There will also be a health fair through medical and dental consultations. “Salamat Paalam 2012 Retirees” day recognizes the achievements of retirees. The province will host the quarterly en banc meeting of the Regional Development Council.

Other activities for the day are a parade of horses and cowboys followed by acrobatic and magic show and Philippine Military Academy’s silent drill at the Benguet Sports Center.

Dongba ni Kavajo which will feature horse competitions will be on Nov. 24-25.

Nov. 25 is dedicated to small-scale mining activities and an evangelical choral festival.

There will also be a presentation of the provincial disaster communication protocol on November 28 in strengthening the province’s disaster management.

Provincial employees will have their time together on November 29.

The festival also features sports activities which started as early as September and will end until December such as volleyball, basketball, football and indoor activities, body building competitions, shootfest, airsoft, among others. (Susan C. Aro/ PIA-CAR)