Ibon-Ebon Festival still listed on DOT website

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Candaba town's Ibon-Ebon Festival is still listed on the website of the Department of Tourism (DOT) despite the earlier announcement of Mayor Rene Maglanque that the festival will be scrapped this year.

The said festival has been running for six consecutive years and celebrated during the first week of February under the leadership of former Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo. It drew attention to the catch-basin town of Central Luzon and placed the town in the country's tourism radar.

"The Ibon-Ebon Festival has not only made Candaba popular but also helped the local tourism of the flood-prone municipality to become known not only in the Philippines but also internationally," Pelayo said.

Local town group Anak ng Candaba (ANC) admitted they were dismayed when Maglanque decided to remove the festival.

“Bakit naman ang Panagbenga ng Baguio kahit sino pa ang maging mayor ng lungsod ay itinutuloy pa din and festival dahil alam ng kanilang lider na dito sila nakilala kaya sila dinadayo ng mga turista. Dapat ganito din ang isipin ni Maglanque”, an ANC official said.

Last June 2010, Maglanque announced that he will not continue the festival adding he will make a new festival using minimal budget.

The mayor said the P6 million budget of the festival is a waste of public funds. Instead of spending P6 million, he will create a festival with a P1 million budget and the remaining P5 million will be allocated for scholarships.

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