THE City Government of Victorias is currently celebrating its 6th Kalamayan and Christmas festival.
The festival commenced on December 16 in time for the switch on of the city's giant Christmas tree in its Christmas village that is symbolic to the "Countries of the World."
Mayor Francis Frederick "Wantan" Palanca led the grand opening program held at the public plaza.
Their public plaza was transformed into a well-lighted Christmas village where people satisfied their propensity for selfie and groufie with their family and friends.
Mayor Palanca, representing his fellow public officials, led the opening and conveyed a message of hope, love, and joy.
Kalamayan festival is a celebration of the bountiful years of sugar industry that helped sustain the progress of the sweet City of Victorias.
The festival is held every December, which is the season of hope, love and merry-making.
The highlights of the festival are the Christmas lights switch-on ceremony, Karo Float competition, sugarcane worker's day, Parol making competition and drumbeating competition to name a few.
Kalamay, a Hiligaynon term for sugar, is a trademark to Victorias City, being the home to Asia's biggest Sugar Mill and Refinery -- Victorias Milling Company. Cultural shows such as Carolfest, Dancefest, Parol making contest and other Christmas activities that depict the lives of sugarcane workers are just among the many events of the festivity.
Meanwhile, Mayor Palanca also led the distribution of Christmas gifts to 6,650 indigents, inmates, senior citizens, and the Damas De La Caridad Victorias Chapter, as the beneficiaries of the "Alay Pamasko" program of the City Government.
Palanca wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy 6th Kalamayan festival.