SILANG, Cavite
– The local government of
Silang town has brought
the Sumilang Festival
with the theme “Sumilang:
New Farming, Towards a
New Birth Full of Hope”
(Makabagong Pagsasaka,
Tungo sa Bagong Silang
na Puno ng Pag-asa) on
Monday, April 24 until April
30, 2023.
The festival celebrates Silang town local
farmers and features a
search for the “Most Outstanding Farmers” and
“Best Agricultural Harvest.”
The said festival
that gives recognition to
Silang farmers was temporarily suspended for
three years due to the
eruption of the Taal Volcano in February 2020 and
the entry of the COVID-19
pandemic into the country.
The Sumilang
Festival 2023 opened on
Monday, the “Baraka sa
Bagong Silang,” and was
attended by guests, including Assistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs
and Department of Agriculture (DA) Spokesperson Christine Evangelista;
Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) Assistant
Secretary for Regional
Operation Dominic Tolentino Jr.; DA Region 4-A Ella
Dimapilis; Agri Program
Coordinator of Cavite, Lorna E. Aviñante; OIC-Provincial Agriculturist and
Cavite Provincial Tourism
Office head Rozelle Sangalang welcomed by Silang Mayor Kevin Anarna,
Vice Mayor Ted Carranza,
and Municipal Administrator Nathaniel Anarna.
The festival has a
segment for the Search for
Most Outstanding Farmer;
oldest Silangeño Farmer; outstanding “naturally
grown vegetable farmer”;
outstanding high-value
crops farmer; outstanding
corn farmer; outstanding
young farmer.
Outstanding agricultural entrepreneur; outstanding ornamental plant
producer; outstanding
small animal raiser adopting integrated farming system; and outstanding large
animal raiser adopting integrated farming system.
The “Baraka sa
Bagong Silang” at the
Silang New Municipal
Grounds displayed various town products with a
food bazaar and baratillo
open until April 30.
On April 25, a
seminar on food processing and slogan & poster
making contest was held at the lobby of the municipal hall in Barangay Biga1. The festival also
hosted a job fair on April
26 at Patio Mdina, and the
Silang mayor distributed
“Tulong Pangkabuhayan”
for farmers, such as hand
tractors and organic fertilizer, on April 27.
There will be a
coronation night for “Ginoo
and Binibining Sumilang”
on April 28, while a grand
parade will be held along
the Poblacion Road participated by local police,
Philippine National Police
Academy (PNPA) cadets,
Silang town officials and
employees, performing
students, farmers association, and the Sumilang
Float on April 29.
According to
Mayor Anarna, the annual Sumilang Fiesta is observed as “thanksgiving”
for the bountiful fruit harvests in this agricultural
but first-class town.
On the last day of
the festival, April 30, there
will be a “Farmers’ Night”
and awarding ceremony
will be held in honor of the
farmers for their great contribution to the economy of
Silang.
The Best Agricultural Harvest will also be
recognized for fruits such
as pineapple, banana
(lakatan, saba, and dias),
papaya, and jackfruit; in
vegetables such as beans,
squash, eggplant and eggplant and root crops such
as ube and cassava.
The said festival is “a way of offering
thanks” and paying homage to its patron saint
“Nuestra Señora de Candelaria” and celebrates
a bountiful harvest that
originally happened during
the feast day of the patron
saint in February that aims
to preserve the cultural
heritage of Silang, promote tourism and improve
the local economy, and
create a product identity
for the town
