Search for Mutia ng Shine Baliangao 2011… 1st Panginhas Festival Opens

By PJTremedal,BNDMisOcc- CIB/OCM

10 Baliangao, lovely candidates is now vying to become and crowned Mutia ng Baliangao 2011 as the 1^st Panginhas Festival opens this week.

The 1^st Panginhas Festival is the first ever adopted and promoted by Baliangao Mayor Svetlana “Lana” Jalosjos not only for tourism development but to conserve Baliangao’s natural marine resources and strengthenlivelihood program of which people of Baliangao is pride of.

In an interview with Mr. Remil Alum, the towns Tourism Officer, says that the festival is truly supported by the Ramiro Administration and the Provincial Government but the main reason for what Panginhas is, is that Baliangao claims this is the town that will be called the Sea Shell Capital of Misamis Occidental.

“We have more than one hundred and one species of seashell that is why we are proud to have this kind of identity that whenever people talk about seashells, it means Baliangao.” He expresses with dignity.

And with that, tourismdevelopment will follow and if we talk about tourism it is livelihood for our people” He adds.

This year’s festivities adopted the theme: “Kadagatan Ampingan, Kabulahanan sa Tanan”.

History tells that the name Baliangao means“Balay-Langao”a Visayan word that means a house of flies, accordingly, Baliangao is a small fishing town in the southern part of Misamis Occidental with a long coastline and beaches where seashells are found and a lot o

f fish species. Folktales told that when people catch fish it is more that they can carry to the market, some of the catch fell on ground and along the way, flies usually feed on them, which is why Baliangao was named a house of flies.

But, this negative and unhealthy word for a name, Baliangao grows to what it is today. “Yes, it is true but the administration of Mayor “Lana” Jalosjos thinks otherwise we never adopt the negativeness of the historical name or the legend but we used it to promote Baliangao that is why the 1^st Panginhas Festival came to our mind, because “Panginhas” means gathering of seashells and some high value fishes are found on corals, it is people’s livelihood.” Mr. Alum pointed.

The celebration and festivities has three major concern that people of Baliangao and the Jalosjos Administration pointed out, The 1^st Panginhas Festival is focused on Tourism Development, Women’s Role in the municipality, and environment preservation and conservation. Why women?

“First our mayor is a woman of action, second, the women of Baliangao are the one in-charge in every family to gather the marine resources for their families food needs, and thirdly, to sustain our environment and its natural resources Baliangao must preserve and conserve what we have in this town” to live and survive and to promote as the tourism hub of Misamis Occidental. Mr. Alum proudly said.

Meantime, Ten Lovely Candidates vies for the search for the Mutia ng Baliangao a day before the July 16 Festival Day, the ten lovely ladies are: Ms. Danika Anne E. Bueno of Barangay Tugas, Ms. Marianne Christy D. Garcia of Barangay Magsaysay, Ms. Verilen Gem B. Yap of barangay Misom, Ms. Maylin C. Castillano of Barangay Northern Poblacion, Ms. Mary Grace D. Sinampaga of Barangay Southern Poblacion, Ms. Marie Grace L. Parilla of Barangay Landing, Ms. Artcher L. Redulla of Barangay Miray, Ms. Juvelyn D. Ahat of Barangay Punta Sulong, Ms. Irish V. Gumiter of Barangay Mabini and Avelee Kiezha Q. Tayco of Barangay del Pilar.

Last July 9, in its opening day the town’s parade was participated by all municipal government employees and schools after which Mayor Lana Jalosjos with BM Lovely Lilet Yape, Misamis Occidental Chairperson of the SP Committee on Tourism grace the opening of the Agri-Fishery Trade Fair and during the evening of the opening day the SK Federated Night follows in the evening at the Municipal Gym.

The 1^st Panginhas Festival 2011 will run up to July 16, however Mayor Lana Jalosjos added and extended a day to accommodate Baliangao’s Guest at the Julfa Chiongbian Residence in Punta Miray, they are the proud, Balik-Baliangao’s Families and Friends who came home again and see for themselves the small town with big ideas they left for good.

Now, as it is called “Shine” Baliangao, The sea shell capital of Misamis Occidental and the tourism hub of Northern Mindanao.

(The Writer wish to thanks FACEBOOK Baliangao @yahoo.com for the Pictures used in this news item.)