THE Marawi City siege that led to the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao by President Rodrigo Duterte has taken its toll on the island’s biggest beach festival.
The Sarangani Provincial Government said on Wednesday, May 24, it decided to cancel this year’s staging of Sarangani Bay Festival, also known to the locals as Sarbay Fest, in sympathy to residents of Marawi City and support to any action being undertaken by Duterte administration to address the problem.
“The more prudent and moral choice of action is to sympathize in prayer, instead of pursuing the day and night activities of Sarbay Fest 2017,” an advisory posted on the festival’s official Facebook account said.
The advisory was confirmed by Serafin Ramos Jr., the province’s information officer.
Although all is set for the festival highlights this weekend, May 26 to 28, the same advisory said the provincial government, organizers, and partners decided to “rest the event this year in light of our brothers’ and sisters’ plight in Marawi.”
The Provincial Government called on the public “to unite with us in prayer for peace and order in Mindanao and the people of Marawi, in the spirit of national security and support to President Duterte’s declaration.”
In an online interview, Ramos told SunStar Davao they are expecting the same number, if not surpass, the number of attendees to the beach festival this year. Organizers promised a bigger and better 12th Sarbay Fest with more beach events and other activities.
Ramos said the festival attracted more than 150,000 foreign and local tourists in 2016 from close to 130,000 the previous year, infusing millions of revenues for the provincial government.