Categories
Negros Occidental

Pasidungog Festival

Pasidungog Festival is the yearly Charter Day celebration of the cityhood of Talisay, Negros Occidental, Philippines every February 11 by virtue of Republic Act No. 8489.

The day is at times declared a special non-working holiday in the city through proclamations issued by the Office of the President.

The city of Talisay also celebrates the annual Minuluan Festival that coincides with the patronal feast of St. Nicolas of Tolentino every September.

Pasidungog Festival

Pasidungog Festival comes from pasidungog, which is a word in the local language that means honor or tribute. A five-day event, it is organized as thanksgiving.

History of Talisay City, Negros Occidental

Its original inhabitants were the aboriginal people called Negritoes until the arrival of the Malays who named the place Minuluan. It was one of the last places in Negros reached by the missionaries during the Spanish conquest and it was renamed Talisay from a tree found along the banks of Matab-ang River.

Fr. Fernando Cuenca, who was born in Zaragosa, Spain in 1824 and became an Augustinian Recollect in 1844, came to Talisay on January 1, 1850 and he spent the rest of his life in the town until his death in 1902. He became its first parish priest, the church dedicated to San Nicolas de Tolentino having been elevated to parochial status a year earlier.

Fr. Cuenca was noted for his works in public health and immense contribution to the sugar industry in the island. His convent became a hospital where people sought healing through hydrotherapy and herbal medicine, and he was responsible in introducing a hydraulic press for milling called Molino de Agua, which improved sugar production and transformed lands thick with cogon grass to fields of sugarcanes. He also founded several towns in Negros Occidental such as Cadiz, Calatrava, Escalanate, and Manapla.

On September 10, 1850, Talisay became an independent town.

When the revolution broke out, the town joined the cause against the colonizers but spared Fr. Cuenca’s life who was beloved and much respected among the townspeople.

On February 11, 1998, Talisay became a component city through the passage of Republic Act No. 8489, otherwise known as An Act Converting the Municipality of Talisay, Negros Occidental, into a Component City to be Known as the City of Talisay. This is the date that is commemorated every year during Pasidungog Festival.

Pasidungog Festival Activities

The schedule of the Pasidungog Festival includes activities like sports, entertainment, concerts, live bands, party, competitions, parade, cultural shows and presentations, beauty pageant called Lin-ay Sang Talisay (Miss Talisay), and Pasidungog Awards which is given as recognition to individuals who have shown excellence and outstanding achievements in their respective fields.

How to reach Talisay City, Negros Occidental

Book a flight to Bacolod-Silay Airport and take a land trip to Talisay City, which is about ten kilometers away.

References

Pasidungog Festival Summary

NamePasidungog Festival
CelebrationThanksgiving, Charter Day
Contact+63 34 432-6950
CountryPhilippines
DateFebruary 11
Duration5 days
Established1998
Historical eventCharter Day of Talisay City
Instagramwww.instagram.com
LocationTalisay City, Negros Occidental
OrganizerCity Government of Negros Occidental
Websitetalisaycity.gov.ph