THE beauty of a place could not merely be measured by great-looking places that could satisfy your eyes, mouthwatering foods that could fill your stomach, but also the presence of warm-hearted and hospitable people that would keep you on coming back to the place to experience anew the feeling you once discovered and enjoyed.

Though I was born and raised in General Santos City, I've never had a chance before to visit the other municipalities of Sarangani, except for Maasim, my father's hometown. Not until my work in General Santos opened new opportunities for me to find out that there are a lot of things that I've missed over the years.

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It was my first time to visit the municipality of Malapatan, about 27 kilometers away from the city's hustle. The place is quite, the roads are not so busy, and the air is fresh. The flourishing community is prevalent with falls, rich mangrove, beaches, and mountainous terrain that provide ample time for relaxation and recreation.

The word Malapatan, they say, derived from two B'laan words "mala," which means pepper and "fatan" means place. It was said that during the 15th century, the place was abundant with pepper.

The community also boasts the co-existence of tri-people in the area, composed of 60-65 percent Christians, 30 percent Indigenous People (B'laan), and 5-10 percent Muslims (Maguindanaons), who live harmoniously and peacefully.

The other week, the municipality successfully celebrated its 4th Pakaradyan Festival, in time with its 40th Foundation Anniversary from June 15-21, 2009.

The festival drew a lot of visitors from the neighboring municipalities and cities in Southern Mindanao. It started with a soft opening followed by a Fluvial Float Competition, an event which happened for the first time in Sarangani Province.

Municipal Mayor Aida C. Singcoy shared that this year's celebration was a bit different from last year's Pakaradyan Festival, having included two exciting and colorful activities -- the Fluvial Float Competition and the Street Dancing Competition.

One of the most awaited activities, the Mutya ng Malapatan 2009, was also sustained, showcasing not only the fresh beauties of Malapatan, but also the talent and wit of Malapatan ladies.

The municipal information officer, Matabay Diamad, said the municipality started celebrating the Pakaradyan Festival four years ago when several municipalities in Sarangani started to observe festivals for their respective places.

Pakaradyan "is a Maguindanaon term for a festivity often held with a Kanduli (thanksgiving) accompanied by a celebratory Pagana (feast) which may come as a Kagkawing (wedding celebration), Qadtamat (Qu'ran Reading), Tanda (baptismal rite), Salangguni (pamanhikan), Kadsalam (circumcision), Kapanggaygayan (gathering in respect of the death of a loved one), Eid'l Fitr (end of Ramadhan), Eid'l Adha (Hadji Pilgrimage Festival), and the likes."

To experience the Pakaradyan festival, Malapatan can be accessible via General Santos City International Airport, then land trip to the municipality.

Through local transportation, it would also take 45 minutes ride from General Santos to the municipality. The place is also accessible via General Santos seaport when you're talking how to get there by sea.

Singcoy revealed that for the whole week celebration of the festival and the founding anniversary, a total of 1.8 million was allotted, including for the anniversary bonus of the municipal employees.

"I actually allotted P1 million budget for these celebrations, but the prices of materials used for decorations have already increased, so there was an additional budget. I think P1.8 million was the total budget including the anniversary bonus of the municipal employees," Singcoy said.

Singcoy said that even before the weeklong celebration, the Municipal Government has already coordinated with police authorities to maintain the peace and order situation in the municipality.