MAITUM, Sarangani (January 30, 2015) – Nineteen long grills, or one from each barangay, and more than 5,000 pieces of bangsi (flying fish) were grilled for thousands of people Friday (January 30).
The Bangsi Festival of Maitum is the only fete here in Sarangani Province that showcases the wealth of its waters through a public grilling.
And in the 8th Bangsi Festival, these flying fishes were set free, already grilled.
The public grill was held at the center of the municipal park of Maitum.
Claimed as the “longest bangsi grill in the Philippines”, this festivity can serve as a strong magnet for tourism here in Sarangani.
This festival is still young compared to the more established fish-themed celebrations such as the Tuna Festival of General Santos City. But it seems that Bangsi Festival is gaining some piece of the tourism pie.
In fact, in her speech during the culmination activity of Bangsi Festival, tourism regional director Nelly Nita Dillera said that Maitum is the contributor to the total tourist arrival in Sarangani for the year 2014.
Tourists can also try white water tubing and visit the pawikan sanctuary here.
Dillera said Sarangani Province had 643,729 visitors in 2014. The biggest contributor here is Glan, perhaps for its stunning white sand beaches in Gumasa. Gumasa hosts Sarangani Bay Festival, the biggest beach party in Mindanao, each May.
And for the entire Region 12, the total number of tourists in 2014 was 2,389,000.
Sarangani contributes roughly 27% of the tourist arrivals in the region last year. Statistically, that is a significant figure.
The Bangsi Festival can play a major part in the tourism drive not only of Maitum, but of the entire Sarangani and SOCSKSARGEN (Region 12) as well.
As for Maitum locals, they believe that Bangsi Festival will stay.
There are 600 tons of bangsi that land in Maitum annually.
Novie Razul, a resident of Barangay Old Poblacion, said bangsi fishing has supported her family for many years already.
“Fishing is our only livelihood and without bangsi, our income will not suffice to support my family. My husband and his brothers are fishermen while I process their catch to marinated bangsi,” Razul said.
“The peak season of bangsi is from January to March and then October to December. During the lean months, we catch tuna,” she added. (MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)
No comments:
Post a Comment