Social Practices, Rituals and Festive Events Archives - Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Bichokoy is a popular fried pastry from Toboso, Negros Occidental, known for its crispy outside and chewy inside, often sold by street vendors. Vendors prepare the dough at night and start cooking early in the morning, making enough to meet daily demand, especially on Sundays when more customers come after church. Market workers, drivers, and locals enjoy eating bichokoy with coffee during their morning routine, making it a familiar and loved snack in the community. The recipe has been passed down through family generations, and social media has helped spread its popularity beyond Toboso. To keep the tradition alive, vendors ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

PAGLUNOD KAG PAGTUOB SANG PUMP BOAT

Negros Occidental, Sagay

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Paglunod and Pagtuob are prepared by fishermen to spiritually prepare their pump boats before fishing. Paglunod involves submerging the boat and then drying it to cleanse it, while Pagtuob uses incense smoke and lemongrass-infused seawater to purify the boat and fishing nets. These practices are rooted in local beliefs that bad spirits or negative energy can cause poor fishing results. After experiencing repeated bad catches, the community began performing these rituals and noticed improved results, which led to their continued practice. The traditions are passed down informally from parents to children and remain a vital part of the fishing lifestyle. ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

DINAGYAW SA TABLAS FESTIVAL

Candoni, Negros Occidental

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Dinagyaw sa Tablas Festival is celebrated every February 11 in Candoni, Negros Occidental, to honor the town’s patron saint and remember the settlers led by Santiago “Tagoy” Diego who founded the community in 1935. The festival was originally called Pabalhas sa Tablas, but was renamed in 2009 to highlight the spirit of bayanihan (dagyaw), which represents unity and teamwork among residents. It features street dances and performances that reenact the settlers’ struggles in clearing land and cutting down tough tabla trees, some believed to be protected by spirits. The tradition is passed on through oral stories, school lessons, and ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

DINAGSA FESTIVAL

Cadiz, Negros Occidental

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Dinagsa Festival is a vibrant annual celebration held every January in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, honoring Señor Sto. Niño as a way of giving thanks and fostering community unity. It began in 1972 after the supposed appearance of the Sto. Niño image on the city’s shores and was later renamed “Dinagsa” in 2002 after whales were seen landing on the coastline, which locals saw as a sign of blessing. A key feature of the festival is “Lamhitanay sa Dalan”, where people smear each other with water-based paint in a joyful display of togetherness, along with tribal dances, fluvial parades, ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

MASSKARA FESTIVAL

Bacolod, Negros Occidental

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The MassKara Festival is a lively annual celebration in Bacolod City held every October, known for its bright masks and energetic street dancing. It started in 1980 during a difficult time caused by a sugar crisis and a tragic ferry sinking, meant to lift the spirits of the people and show their strength. The festival features performers wearing colorful masks made from coconut husks and paper mâché, symbolizing happiness and resilience. Local artists, community leaders, and volunteers all play key roles in organizing and continuing the tradition. The event promotes unity, cultural pride, and tourism while also supporting the local ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

KIYAW-KIYAW

Aklan, Libacao

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Kiyaw-kiyaw is a traditional peace-offering ritual from Libacao, Aklan, where food and prayers are offered to ancestors, usually for healing or to respond to signs like dreams or prolonged illness. It involves preparing specific foods, including native chicken, pinais, tikod-tikod, and tuba, which are arranged in a sacred manner on a woven tray called nigo. Only family members and the spiritual practitioner (manugbuhat) may take part in the ritual or eat the offerings, as everything involved is considered sacred. The practice has been passed down through generations since the 1920s, with practitioners learning by observing their elders. People believe the ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

INUMOE

Aklan, Lezo

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Inumoe is a traditional fermented rice delicacy from Aklan, known for its strict cleanliness in preparation and rare ingredient called tapay. The rice is cooked, cooled, mixed with tapay, and wrapped in payaw leaves before being left to ferment for 24 hours. This dish is linked to rituals and special occasions like All Souls’ Day, Christmas, and New Year, and is especially appreciated by elders for its unique sour-sweet taste and soft texture. The preparation is delicate, requiring silence, absence of perfume, and even personal cleanliness from the cook to avoid ruining the fermentation. Although still practiced today, the declining ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

PAG-UBRA IT LIMBOK

Aklan, Balete, Feliciano

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Pag-ubra it Limbok is a traditional food made from fresh, mature glutinous rice in Sitio Bangbang, Barangay Feliciano, Balete, Aklan. The rice is dried, soaked, roasted, and then pounded by several people until it becomes flat and separated from the husk. This unique process and the use of mature rice give Limbok its special taste and texture, different from earlier versions that used young rice grains. The locals, especially elders, teach their children how to make Limbok by hand to preserve the original method. Limbok is important historically as a staple and special treat, and it also helps the community ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

PUTO TOSTADO

Aklan, Altavas

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Puto Tostado is a traditional crispy rice cake made in Altavas, Aklan, and has been produced by the family in Aklan since 1914. It is made by soaking high-quality rice overnight, pounding it into starch, mixing with brown sugar or muscovado, steaming, and then toasting it over charcoal to give it a crunchy texture. Unlike regular soft puto, Puto Tostado is thin, hard, and golden brown with a sweet but mild flavor. The recipe has been passed down through four generations. Although production slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts by local schools and government agencies are helping preserve and promote ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

HIL-O HIL-O FESTIVAL

Capiz, Maayon

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Hil-o Hil-o Festival is an annual celebration held in Maayon, Capiz, showcasing the community’s culture, unity, and tradition of mutual support. It includes parades, traditional dances, food fairs, agricultural exhibits, and free public services like legal help and medical missions. The festival name, Hil-o Hil-o, means helping one another, a core value among Maayonanons passed down through generations. Residents, students, and returning families join in the festivities, turning the event into a joyful reunion and cultural celebration. While it is still actively held every February, its success depends heavily on local government funding and support. To preserve this tradition, ...

BICHOKOY

Cultural Mapping Of Panay and Guimaras

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