Categories
Negros Occidental

Kadalag-an Festival

Kadalag-an Festival, also called Victorias City Charter Day, celebrates the cityhood of Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Philippines every March 21.

The twenty-first of March every year is a special nonworking holiday in the city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9643 that was signed by approved by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on June 11, 2009.

History of Victorias City

Victorias City is one of the component cities in Western Visayas, a region that is composed of the provinces Negros Occidental, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo. It is the site of Southeast Asia’s largest sugar mill and refinery.

Its beginnings can be traced to the the old settlement by the estuary of Malihaw River and it was inhabited mostly by fishing community.

Called Tugkagawaan and then Malihaw, it attained its currrent name as inspired by reported apparition of Nuestra Señora de las Victorias.

According to tradition, the Lady appeared to people who needed succor (such when the abducted family of a chieftain successfully escaped from their Moro captors through her intercession) and defended the lands from pirate attacks.

Victorias became a city pursuant to Republic Act No. 8488, otherwise known as “An Act Converting the Municipality of Victorias, Negros Occiddental, into a Component City to be known as the City of Victorias.”

The law was approved by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 11, 1998 and ratified through a plebiscite on March 21 of the same year. This is the date that the Charter Day celebration commemorates every year.

Kadalag-an Festival

In time for the charter day commemoration, Kadalag-an Festival is held. Derived from the local word for triumph or victory, it refers to the resilience of its people and the city amidst tribulations and a celebration of the city’s culture and tradition.

It also pays tribute to Nuestra Señora delas Victorias, the patron saint of the city, and her intercession that reportedly helped mold the destiny, identity, and culture of the city.

Through the Kadalag-an street dance and performance, it narrates the oft-repeated story of escape of chieftain’s spouse at the hands of Moro raiders, the importance of sugar industry in the lives of its citizens, and devotion to the patroness.

Kadalag-an Festival Activities

Due to Covid-19, public celebrations were muted starting in 2020. Kadalag-an Festival was restaged in 2023 with sports events slated as early as March 10. Official kick-off activities began in March 17 and ended in March 21.

Some of the festival events are Kadalag-an Queen where the best female candidate in the beauty pageant can bring home the prestigious title and crown. Charter Day programs include parade, float competition, and appropriate rites to remember the historic transformation of Victorias to a city in 1998.

Other activities include mass wedding, cheer dance competitions, awards and recognition, parties, concerts, variety shows, cultural presentations, talent contests such as Tingog sang Kadalag-an (Voice of Kadalag-an), fireworks display, live bands, art exhibit, motorcade, etc.

How to reach Victorias City, Negros Occidental

The most convenient is through Bacolod-Silay Airport. You may take a bus ride that will take you to Victorias City.

References

Kadalag-an Festival Summary

NameKadalag-an Festival
CelebrationCharter Day
Contact399 3627
CountryPhilippines
DateMarch 21
Duration5 days
Emailvictoriascityinfo@gmail.com
Established1998
Facebookwww.facebook.com
Historical eventConversion of Victorias from municipality to a city
Instagramwww.instagram.com
LocationVictorias City, Negros Occidental
OrganizerCity Government of Victorias
Twittermobile.twitter.com
Websitevictoriascity.gov.ph