(Youths from Llanera town present snatches of history with their Dulansangan. Photo by Armand Galang)
CABANATUAN CITY – “What we are doing now is cultural tourism. Ang ating festival, ang ating food, ang ating face, kung paano tayo namumuhay kung paano tayo nangangarap.”
Thus, said Lorna Mae Vero, provincial tourism officer of Nueva Ecija on the first-ever Nueva Ecija Harvest Festival held at the open car park of SM City Cabanatuan on Saturday.
Vero said the festival that was successfully staged through the help of SM City Cabanatuan, local governgovernment units and other officials was a big push to the government’s campaign to make Nueva Ecija a tourism and travel destination.
The harvest festival featured the festivities of at least eight municipalities and two cities of the province which presented their respective traditions, culture and life via thematic street dances.
Llanera town offered a bonus with its Dulansangan (loosely: street drama) which featured the Novo Ecijano forefathers’ fight against Spanish colonizers in San Isidro town dubbed in history as the “First Cry of Nueva Ecija”.
“Hindi mabubura sa alaala at kasaysayan na ito ‘yung kauna-unahang ginanap. Ang isang public-private partnership at kung may pagsasama-sama wala talaga tayong pupuntahan kund pag-unlad,” Vero said.
She stressed that tourism is not only about beautiful places, eco-tourism, or farm tourism but also about culture and heritage.
Mark Carlo Herrera, mall manager of SM City Cabanatuan, said the Nueva Ecija Harvest Festival that was conducted at the mall’s open car park from 3 p.m. to nighttime was a “consolidation of the province’s awesome festivals.”
The festival was primarily a presentation of the town’s and cities’ streetdances that evolved in their own culture, history and life.
Among the LGUs that participated were the towns of Bongabon, Cuyapo, Guimba, Llanera, Nampicuan, Rizal, San Antonio, Zaragoza, and the cities of Palayan and San Jose.
“We realized na napakarami palang puwedeng i-offer ng Nueva Ecija, one of them are the festivals. Very rich yung culture and history. That’s why we came about to showcase each and everyone of them in one location, particularly SM City Cabanatuan. So, by this we were able to highlight the best that the province can bring to you,” said Herrera, as he also underscored the local products and food which each municipality or city has.
“Yung talents ng mga kabataan dito, gusto rin nating ipakita hindi lamang dito sa Cabanatuan City kundi sa buong bansa po natin,” he added.
Actor and First District board member Rommel Padilla said the first Nueva Ecija Harvest Festival also showed the resilience of Novo Ecijanos who can withstand challenges, especially the farmers affected by Typhoon Ompong.
“Isang paraan din ito para maipakita ang lakas ng mga Novo Ecijano lalong lalo na pagkatapos ng bagyo. Siguro mabibigyan rin natin ng kasiyahan yung mga kapitbahay natin na tinamaan din, na talagang matindi ang tama sa kanila kapag napanood nila ito…magkakaroon ng ngiti sa bawat isa sa kanila at mananalangin sila na pagdating ng panahon at sila’y makabawi,” said Padilla who attended the launch with fellow board member Jojo Matias of the Third District.
