GLAN, Sarangani (April 6, 2011) – As the heat is on for summer fun, Sarangani launches the first Mahin Festival in Glan to kick-off the summer season.

‘Mahin’ is a Blaan word for ‘beach’ signifying the tranquility, calmness and mystery of water.

The three-day festival is set on April 15 to 17. Most of the activities will be held along the beaches of Gumasa.

Glan has been known for Gumasa’s powdery white sand and pebbled shorelines and the pristine waters of Sarangani Bay.

“We decided to name it ‘Mahin’ basically to give a generic name for both our white and black sand beaches which are second earners next to coconut production,” Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Tourism chair Dr. Jose Tranquilino L. Ruiz said.

Ruiz said the native term ‘mahin’, was conceptualized to pay tribute to the first tribal inhabitants of the town who are the Blaans.

But it was Mayor Victor James B. Yap Sr. who introduced the idea to promote Glan’s beaches.

Yap recognized the need of the municipality to market its beaches and develop it is as a strategy.

In March 22, Ruiz introduced and sponsored Special Ordinance No. 19-05 declaring April 2011 and every year thereafter to hold the celebration called “Mahin Festival”.

The resolution stipulates the launching of Mahin is timely enough to “spur tourism development in Glan” as it plays a crucial part in the development and progress in the province.

“Mahin will be an avenue to instill in the minds of the community ‘to uplift the economic and social lives of the people’ and ‘telling the world the richness of the culture of Glanians and the historic stories that transpired around the bay,” according to the resolution.

Glan is also celebrating Lubi-lubi Festival every 8th of October to showcase its coco products and its by-products, as the main source of livelihood of the people.

“Mahin is distinct to other beach festivals as this brings back traditional beach activities the townsfolk have been fond of doing since then like horse racing at the shoreline. Games like this are now being forgotten,” Ruiz said.

One of the highlights of the festivity is the bikini open competition.

“This is unique in a sense that it features coco wacky bikini and trunks of all the ‘sexy hunks and babes’ vying for the title,” festival organizer Irish Lim said. The coco wacky attire is made up of coconut parts.

Another highlight is the body painting competition with a concept of nature and water.

Body painting is a form of body art. Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary which is painted unto the human skin with an air brush and lasts for only several hours.

Ruiz said beach goers and adventurers alike would be fascinated with the activities lined up to start up their summer this April with the launching of Mahin Festival in Glan.

In Sarangani, summer ends with Sarangani Bay Festival every May. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)