Kawayanan Festival is a bamboo festival and founding anniversary of the town of Gloria, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines every October 1. The festival is a vehicle in promoting the town’s bamboo industry, local products, agriculture, cultural heritage, history, and people.
Etymology
The name of the fest comes from kawayan, the local word for bamboo.
History of Gloria
People from Marinduque were the first people to inhabit what is now the town of Gloria. They moved and cleared the lands in Tambong, which was a barrio of Pinamalayan, in 1915.
The construction of a national road in 1935 gave birth to another barrio. Folks who lived in the western portion that was bisected by the road was called Maligaya.
In post-war period, an effort was launched to carve a town separate from Pinamalayan. The initiative, set forth by House Bill No. 8421 introduced in Congress, was fruitful when President Diosdado Macapagal issued Executive Order No. 117, otherwise known as “Creating the Municipality of Gloria in the Province of Oriental Mindoro”, on October 1, 1964.
According to the order, the new town consisted of the barrios of Agsalin, Balite, Banus, Batingan (Andres Bonifacio), Bulbogan, Kalamundingan (Lucio Laurel), Kawit, Langang (Sta. Theresa), Maligaya, Malamig, Malusak (Narra), and Papandungin.
Later, Macapagal issued Executive Order No. 140 that identified the borders of the town on February 25, 1965. Its was a namesake to the daughter of Diosdado Macapagal as well as a fitting description of the town.
The barrio of Maligaya was the seat of its government.
However, a Supreme Court ruling nullified the township of Gloria on December 9, 1965. Its status as a municipality was enshrined with the passage of Republic Act 4651, otherwise known as “An Act Creating the Municipality of Gloria in the Province of Oriental Mindoro”, on June 9, 1966.
The law stated its constituent barrios as the following: Agsalin, Agus, Balite, Banus, Banutan, Batingan (Andres Bonifacio), Boong-Lupa, Bulbogan, Calamundingan (Lucio Laurel), Dalagan, Guimbonan, Kawit, Langang (Sta. Theresa), Malamig, Malayong, Maligaya, Maragooc, Malubay, Malusak (Narra), Manguyang, Mirayan, Papandungin, Tambong, Tinalunan, and Tubag.
The first appointed and elected mayor was Nicolas M. Jamilla Sr. He served as mayor beginning in 1964 and won the election in 1967. The meetings of the municipal council were held in the residence of Albino Janda (1964), Genero Olavidez (1965), and Arsenio Arriola (1965 to 1973).
The municipal building was built in 1972. It sits on a property donated by Gloria Realty Development Corporation. The municipal government later acquired more properties for the construction of cemetery, sports center, hospital, and other infrastructures.
Kawayanan Festival Activities
The festivity has many activities including beauty pageant (Miss Gloria Tourism), recognition of outstanding individuals (Natatanging Gloriano Awards), trade fair, street dancing, in-place presentation, cooking contest, parade, talent contests, and caravans.
How to reach Gloria, Oriental Mindoro
From Metro Manila, you can travel to Batangas port and from there take a ferry ride to Oriental Mindoro. The province can also be reached through the ports located Bulalacao, Dangay, Muelle, and Balatero.
References
- Executive Order No. 117, s. 1964. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved October 7, 2023
- History of Gloria. Travel Oriental Mindoro. Retrieved October 7, 2023
- Juanito Joshua Sigay. Kawayanan Festival highlights Gloria’s cultural heritage, agricultural abundance. Philippine Information Agency. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023
- History & Roll of Honors. Municipal Government of Gloria. Retrieved October 7, 2023
- REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4651, June 09, 1966. Supreme Court of the Philippines. Retrieved October 7, 2023
Kawayanan Festival Summary
Name Kawayanan Festival Celebration Culture, Founding Anniversary Contact +63 917 154 5385 Country Philippines Date October 1 Email tourismgloria@gmail.com Facebook www.facebook.com Location Gloria, Oriental Mindoro Organizer Municipal Government of Gloria
| Name | Kawayanan Festival |
|---|---|
| Celebration | Culture, Founding Anniversary |
| Contact | +63 917 154 5385 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Date | October 1 |
| tourismgloria@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Location | Gloria, Oriental Mindoro |
| Organizer | Municipal Government of Gloria |