The Manggahan Festival in Guimaras is making a sweet comeback this 2023! After a few years of hiatus, the province is pulling out all the stops to make this year’s festival the best one yet.
With this year’s theme “Mangoes and More,” the island-province promises even more fun experiences for both locals and tourists alike!
Key officials of the province, including Governor Rahman Nava, Vice Governor John Edward Gando, Senior Tourism Operations Officer Liberty Ferrer, Provincial Economic Development Officer Francis Gentoral, and Provincial Agriculturist Alvin Nava, had a roundtable discussion with Iloilo Bloggers Society members to share a sneak peek of what’s in store for guests in this year’s festivities.
One of the highlights of the festival is the Mango Eat-All-You-Can event where guests can feast on unlimited numbers of mangoes in 30 minutes for just P150. To accommodate more guests, the event area was expanded to accommodate up to 150 guests at a time.
For those who want to skip the queue, Guimaras will introduce Gold Card as a “VIP fast pass” for Mango Eat All You Can, which includes ferry transport from Iloilo port to the venue, registration fee, guaranteed slot in mango eat-all-you-can participation, bottled water, and a folded fan.
Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has approved special RoRo trips from Iloilo Commercial Port Complex in Loboc to Guimaras to mitigate traffic congestion in Lapuz terminal. The special trips will be opened for private non-cargo vehicles on May 19-23.
Guimaras will also open the Balaan bukid route going to Nueva Valencia without passing the San Miguel, Jordan area.
In addition, the trips of Iloilo Guimaras vessels will be extended up to 2AM on selected dates (May 5-8, 12-15, 19-23). Ro-Ro vessels may operate until 12 midnight while motorboat (fiberglass vessels) may extend their trips until 2 a.m.
Bacolod and Negros guests may also take the fiber boat trips from Pulupandan to Sebaste wharf.
Various artists and performers will join the fun and turn the Manggahan Festival into a party place. Taw, Joey G, Showtime Girls and Salbakuta will perform on the 21st, and on the final night, Mayonnaise and Rivermaya will be at the Capitol Event Area to celebrate the end of the festival with the Guimarasnons.
Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the festival with various activities such as water sports and jet ski showcase, jiu-jitsu, basketball where the Philippine Basketball League will play, and a volleyball tournament.
The Manggahan Agri-Fishery Eco-Tourism Expo will showcase products of 79 local producers and entrepreneurs. The farmers’ weekend market will also be continued even after the festival.
It is important to note that a gun ban will be implemented, and a NO SIGNAL JAM has been requested. Lastly, May 22 (Monday) has been declared a local holiday in celebration of Guimaras provincehood.
Truly, the 30th year of Manggahan Festival promises to be a sweet comeback for Guimaras with all these exciting events lined up. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, there’s something for everyone at the festival. Don’t miss out on the fun and join the celebration of the sweetest festival in the Philippines!
