FEBRUARY is National Arts Month.
Celebrations are everywhere. In the case of Angeles City, there is one being put up by arts patron and events’ organizer couple Benny and Andy Bondoc. It will be at the Camalig where owner Marco Nepomuceno has always been supporting local artists. He himself has been helping preserve arts and culture as the Camalig resto, with its hosting of many arts exhibit, serves as proof.
The activities, all scheduled from 2 to 5pm starts on February 6 with On-The-Spot portrait making and watercolor, a workshop on mixed media. There is also an on the sport artworks for women artists.
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Neighbor Mabalacat City is fast catching up on the aspect of arts exhibition.
Artists in the northernmost Pampanga town will be staging “Pamiaduangan: Pamisaupan king Pamanyulung Ning Kalalangan Mabalacat” on February 14 to 28. It will be at the also-preserved Gabaldon Building of Mabalacat Elementary School at the Poblacion.
From what I can remember, this is the first time that a big number of artists, academe and city government are bonding together for an art exhibit. Common denominator here is the Sibul Ning Kalalangan (Mabalacat Youth Art Community) and Dodjie Aguinaldo who has been bridging artists with private and public sector insofar as arts is concerned. More than a friend, Dodjie is a painter, video editor and now also a sculptor.
While he and I founded the Sining Mabalacat several years ago, I have found myself tied down to PR industry but Dodjie was relentless in pursuing not just his craft but also the welfare of local artists.
This time, he is getting much support from Mabalacat City College through its President, the indefatigable good friend Mich Ong. Also pretty much on board is Arwin Paul Lingat, the city’s Tourism Officer who has also given pride not just Mabalacat but also Pampanga when he became the national president of ATOP (Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines). It was a post he got elected to few years ago but it looks like Arwin is also being asked by his peers to serve in holdover capacity. That is how he must have been enamored by the tourism industry practitioners in the country.
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Arts and Culture has never been more felt in Mabalacat in the way it is being supported, accentuated, and highlighted under the new dispensation in the city.
Mayor Cris Garbo has gotten the support of known arts and culture patrons like Robbie Tantingco and Alex Castro. They are both much into helping the city preserve its rich culture and heritage. With throngs and hordes of followers, they have countless and highly praised social media posts about Mabalacat (and Pampanga too), their hometown.
They serve as leads in the on-going renovation of the old municipio as it is now being converted into a museum. New City Administrator Frank Madlangbayan new City Legal Officer Francis Dimaliwat have both thrown their support to arts and culture undertakings in the city.
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In the past city administration, arts and culture was highlighted by two main events in Mabalacat -- the Caragan Festival and the Miss Mabalacat pageant (now called Queen Mabalacat). Both of which have been staged successfully under the organization and supervision of the incomparable June Magbalot.
Both are big events staged annually (except during pandemic years). The Caragan Festival was fast following the mold of Dinagyang in Iloilo and Sinulog in Cebu. Covid was culprit in its growth.
The pageant was the very first of its kind where some of its staging were also like Broadway shows with storylines, dialogues and plots. It was also the most elaborate pageant with huge celebrities and known couturiers, makeup artists and fashionistas. It was a well-staged event too, technically with huge LED screens for graphics.
Caragan Festival has been performed in various events outside of Pampanga. The festival and its main core of dancers and crew have also reaped awards and recognition.
It won the 5th grand prize in the Aliwan Fiesta in Pasay City in 2015. Aliwan is the gathering and competition of the country’s top festivals. Caragan bested 14 other festivals from all over the archipelago.
It has also won top prize in the Pamamupul Festival, a gathering of various festivals that are held in Pampanga. In this festival, Mabalacat City emerged as the overall champion not too long ago.
Caragan dancers, choreographers and crew have also represented Pampanga in the Dulansangan street and free-dance competition. The contest depicts the role of each of the original provinces that revolted against the Spanish rule.
Pampanga, which portrayed the Role of Aetas in the revolution, had emerged as the First prize winner for 2013 and 2014. Dulansangan is part of the Fiesta Republika in Malolos Bulacan.
The Festival is in honor of Chieftain Caragan, the Aeta tribe leader, who first discovered the place eons ago. He led the settlement in a place that was full of Balacat trees, where Mabalacat City got its name. Thus, the name means “full of Balacats,” a species of hardwood that is almost similar to Narra, our national tree.
Caragan Festival depicts and relives the aeta ancestry of the town. It depicts the rich cultural heritage of the town that was founded in 1712 and became a city 300 years later.