You may have seen my posts about the Dinagyang Festival and Iloilo Chinese New Year Festival which are parts of the festival routine in the annual first quarter. The next would be the Paraw Regatta Festival. Hearing the name you will know that this is a regatta, a race of “paraws” which is, “a double outrigger sail boat found in the Philippines”.

I hope my posts that combine my love for festivals and my love for my city do you! 😉

Here you will find a nice presentation of the paraw by the Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation.

It is hailed as one of the oldest and most colorful boat festivals in Asia since its conception in 1973 but it is distinct from its other relatives because of the diversity of activities it features like all other Ilonggo festivals. While its main showcase is the race of paraws from Villa Beach, Arevalo passing through the Iloilo Strait to the island Province of Guimaras, it is also made up of several but not limited activities as follows: Pinta Layag, sail painting contest; Porma Balas, sand sculpting; Pintawo, body painting contest; Miss Paraw Regatta,a local beauty pageant; Sinamba sa Regatta (formerly Samba De Regatta), music & Mardi Gras contest; Luces by the Sea,a pyrotechnic exhibition; beach volleyball; and photo competition. This year, the foundation introduced a new event which is the Iloilo National Jet Ski Competition which is also a Mayor’s Cup.

If only I have all the equipments to cover all these things, I would have offered you a B-E-A-utiful eyecandies. I have presented here a section devoted to “Sinamba sa Regatta”.

A Sinamba lead dancer

“Sinamba sa Regatta” is also considered to be a highlight of Paraw Regatta and is a major break from the decades of simple regattas of the city. The costumes, music, and theme is very similar to its inspiration, the Mardi Gras of South America. It is held every Thursday of the festival week and on the regatta proper. The prelims is held at the streets of City Proper from the Iloilo Provincial Capitol building up to the famed Iloilo Freedom Grandstand which is where the performers do their thing. The finals is held on the Villa Beach together with the other activities.

The preliminaries is also a torch parade with sectors from the government and NGOs parade through the streets to either showcase their talents or just play along.

Here are the pictures! Enjoy!

The participants also come from schools all over the city. This one event makes me proud of the unity thing displayed by the people, the people of the City of Love of the Philippines. 😉

I was educated in a Chinese high school and took up my secondary education at Iloilo Sun Yat Sen High School. I was pretty attached to the Chinese culture. But more than this, the Iloilo City Chinese New Year Festival is very dear in my heart because of two things: I was a performer in its festivities for four years, and I met my special person through this event.

Enough of myself and back to what I’m supposed to present! Here is a are previews of a performances in the festival by the Lion and Dragon Dancers of my alma mater:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsiX9C2k4Eo;rel=0&w=425&h=350]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj-K5Ig8Nxo;rel=0&w=425&h=350]

Just so you know, if you find their performance the best in Iloilo, it’s the fact that they are the only school that has sent people to China just to train in these Chinese arts and I’m pretty proud of them.

This lunar year is said to be the Year of the Metal Rabbit. I’m not really into Chinese or any kind of zodiac but hey, these symbolisms are embedded in our lives. The Chinese schools of our city and several associations, organizations, and foundations joined together with the Iloilo City Government to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

This is the very first “Chinese New Year Festival” in the Philippines, the very first Chinese new year cultural presentation in the Visayas, and the inspiration of several Chinese new year celebrations in the country including Bacolod City’s Bacolaodiat. It is dubbed as the best celebration of the Chinese new year outside Ongpin (Manila’s Chinatown).

This festival was originally a cultural presentation of Chinese culture and arts of the city’s Chinese community but it was hailed and was given a festival status by the then-City Mayor, Cong. Jerry P. Treñas. This led to the sequence of festivals in Iloilo City as follows: Arevalo Fireworks Festival=>Kasadyahan Festival=>Dinagyang Festival=>Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Fiesta=>Chinese New Year Festival=>Paraw Regatta Festival. This sequence, with the Candelaria Fiesta and Chinese New Year as interchangeable events, are held from January to February.

Participants are as follows: Iloilo Sun Yat Sen High School (怡朗中山中学), Iloilo Central Commercial High School (怡朗华商中学), Ateneo de Iloilo – Santa Maria Catholic School (雅典耀学校), Iloilo Scholastic Academy (怡朗新华学院), and Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus (圣心学校).

Held every immediate Friday of the first Lunar year’s week, the Iloilo Chinese New Year Festival is a concrete manifestation of the close relationship of the Ilonggo and Chinese cultures properly presented by the city’s Filipino-Chinese communities and of the Ilonggo race. Kung Hei Fat Choi and Waswas Iloilo!

I mean, who does not know that every Christmas we have something? Even our Muslim brothers in the City know that and understand the majority of Christians in the City that we need to put up lights.

This festival thing, it adds up money but lessens the essence of Christmas. This is a real phenomenon.

This is just my observation.

How nice is it that we still have Simbang Gabi despite the modernization of our minds. But how can you appreciate the light if your the festival only last until 10: pm daily?

Anyways, great job J.S. Layson for the beautiful Molo Plaza. 😉