CamNorte’s Bantayog Fest

Busig-on Festival of Labo

MANILA. Philippines — Camarines Norte, gateway province to the Bicol region, bursts into color as culture and adventure come together in the 8th Bantayog Festival in observance of its 92nd founding anniversary.

Named after the Rizal Bantayog, the first monument built in honor of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal in 1898, the festival will showcase CamNorte’s rich cultural and natural heritage, as well as its comely attractions which are largely unexplored.

“The festival is a tribute to the libertarian ideals of Rizal, and the heroism and nobility of the people of Camarines Norte,” says Governor Edgar Tallado

Celebration culminates on April 16 with the Street Dancing Competition showcasing the various municipal festivals featuring their local industries and products.

The province’s festivals taking part in the grand parade are Daet’s Pinyasan, Labo’s Busig-on, Paracale’s Pabirik, Mercedes’ Kadagatan, San Lorenzo Ruiz’s Boyoboy, Basud’s Rahugan and Vinzon’s Mabakasin.

Tallado said that the festival will also bring to the fore the province’s attractions which offer a complete tourist experience.

CamNorte’s top tourist magnets are the island groups of Calaguas in Vinzons and Siete Pecados in Merdedes, the Bicol National Park in Basud, Mt. Labo and Busig-on River in Labo, Mampurog River in San Lorenzo Ruiz, the Paracale Church and the Pulang Daga Beach in Paracale, the mining communities in Panganiban, the Church of the Black Nazarene in Capalonga, the zigzag roads in Sta. Elena, and the heritage spots in Daet.

To highlight the province as a haven for surfing, a Summer Surf Festival was held on April 13-15 in Bagasbas Beach in Daet, acknowledged as the birthplace of surfing in the country. The three-day multi-sports event featured surfing clinics, beach games and outdoor activities.

Bagasbas is also an up-and-coming kite-surfing site, while the neighboring Baybay Beach in Mercedes is getting known for kayak surfing.

Other events were the search for Bb. Camarines Norte, a tourism trade fair, dance showdown, a bikini open and various sporting tournaments, all of which were held in the capital town of Daet.

Camarines Norte was created under the American Civil Government on April 15, 1920, separating it from Camarines Sur when they used to form Ambos Camarines province.

Bantayog Festival also coincides with the observance of the 114th anniversary of the 1898 Daet Revolt with a wreath-laying on the monument honoring the Katipuneros who died in the uprising against Spain from April 14-18, 1898.

The revolt led by Tomas Zaldua, capitan municipal of Daet, laid siege on the Spanish garrison in the town but was subsequently quelled. In the ensuing reprisal of the authorities, some 500 participants and supporters of the revolt were either tortured, killed or imprisoned. Their marytrdom only strengthened the people’s resolve to liberate the Bicol region from the colonizers

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