Colorful dancers in previous Mango festival.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – With assertion that its mangoes are the world’s sweetest, Zambales will hold its 13th Mango Festival alongside the 15th National Mango Congress it will host in the capital town of Iba from March 19 to 24.
Tel Mora, head of the Zambales Tourism and Investment Promotion Office, said the coming festival would be “more eventful in the history of the festival” as it will involve the entire province.
“All 13 towns in Zambales will dress up the fronts of their homes with mango as theme. We call it ‘Parayawan’ and we expect thousands of tourists to visit all the towns because of this,” Mora said.
She said “Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., with Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain, officials and the people of Zambales are hoping that the Zambales Mango Festival will eventually level up as a national event along with the Panagbenga of Baguio City and Ati-atihan of Aklan.”
She said the six-day festival will also feature “sports events, authentic cultural presentations and unique talent showcase.”
“The first day of celebration will feature ‘PINAKA LGU Booth Showcase’ which will highlight the best in different municipality. Trade fairs and exhibits will also be open, offering this province distinct product—from dried mangoes, mango wines, mango tart, mango jam, mango candies as well as souvenir items,” she stressed.
Mora said the 15th National Mango Congress itself will be held March 20 to be attended by stakeholders in the country’s mango industry. “Participants will witness enthralling street and civic parade, float competitions, street dancing competitions, and cultural presentations.”
The festival will also highlight the search for Mango Master Chef and mango wine mixing and bartending competition winners. It will also feature the annual ‘ZAMBA Tuklas Talento 2013’, the search for best water bonsai, and the holding of the grand parade and invitational dancing competition in Iba.
Mora said the last day of the festival will highlight “sports-tourism such as sand sculpturing competition and lifesaving mango olympics in the serene beaches of the province.”
“We will also be dancing to the rhythm of the Inter-town drum and lyre competition in the morning followed by astonishing performances of ‘ZAMBA Summer Saya Variety Show’ in the evening,” she added.
