COTABATO Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza placed the province’s Tri-People identity and agricultural abundance at the heart of this year’s Kalivungan Festival, as Cotabato opened its week-long celebration of culture and harvest ahead of its 112th founding anniversary.
The festival, which opened on August 26 at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City, carries the theme “A Legacy of Peace, Progress and Unity” and brings together the province’s Christian, Bangsamoro and Indigenous Peoples communities while showcasing the agricultural products and economic strengths of its 17 municipalities and lone city.
The celebration will culminate on September 1, marking the 112th founding anniversary of Cotabato Province.
At the opening ceremony, Mendoza underscored the importance of preserving the unity among the province’s three major communities, whose cultures and contributions have helped shape Cotabato’s identity and development.
“We fully highlight to thank the Lord for 112 years as one united Province of Cotabato, in our Tri-People: the Bangsamoro, the IP, and the Christian. And in humility, please continue to pray for our province—to be saved from all natural and man-made calamity, to be united as one, especially the Tri-People, and to always be blessed with abundance, with a good harvest, for our people to be able to take care also of their needs.”
Alongside the festival opening, Mendoza also led the opening of Yaman ng Cotabato, a trade and agricultural exhibition featuring products, commodities and cultural displays from the province’s 17 municipalities and lone city.
The showcase put Cotabato’s agricultural sector in the spotlight, displaying the produce and products of local communities while providing farmers and visitors access to information on agricultural technologies, machinery and government support programs.
Mendoza said the festival and trade fair provide an opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of the province’s agricultural resources while drawing attention to challenges confronting farmers.
“Because the opening of Kalivungan at ng Yaman ng Cotabato will showcase the commodities, the agricultural strength of our 17 towns and one city. Kaya dapat lang na atin bisitahin ang Department of Agriculture, 'no? At para rin mabigyan tayo ng mga karagdagang impormasyon kung ano ang mga makabagong teknolohiya, makinarya, suporta, at syempre ang pinakamalaking challenge ng Department of Agriculture today na may impact sa ating mga farmers when we found out the manufacturing of fake fertilizer. And that's so disheartening because every farmer is looking forward to a bountiful harvest,” she said.
The governor also invited the public to visit other activities and exhibits mounted across the Provincial Capitol complex, including the Kubro-nan Festival and cultural displays at the Museo ng Cotabato.
During the opening program, priests also blessed two ambulances intended for the University of Southern Mindanao Hospital and the municipality of Alamada.
Derived from a Manobo or Menuvu word referring to a gathering or coming together, Kalivungan has become Cotabato’s annual celebration of its multicultural identity, agricultural heritage and shared history.
This year’s festivities bring together members and leaders of Indigenous communities, including the Erumanen Ne Menuvu, Manobo, Tagabawa, Blaan, Obo Manobo, Teduray and Ilianen, alongside the province’s Bangsamoro and Christian communities.
The provincial government, however, streamlined this year’s festival by excluding beauty pageants and street-dancing competitions as part of its continuing austerity and fiscal responsibility measures.
Mendoza said the move would enable the provincial government to channel resources toward programs and interventions that directly respond to the needs of Cotabateños, including preparations for the anticipated El Niño period and measures aimed at strengthening food security and disaster mitigation.
Despite the scaled-down program, Kalivungan will continue to host activities showcasing Cotabato’s culture, tourism and economy, including the Yaman ng Cotabato Travel and Trade Expo, Kapagana Festival, Museyo Kutawato Fest, sports events, a job fair, awards programs, drum and lyre competitions, and Kumbira sa Kapitolyo. DEF
