Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Little Commercialism

Viva! Kay Senior Santo Niño! Viva!! This is the shout of the month of January.

The month of January is Senior Santo Niño month in Aklan. January is the month when almost all municipalities in Aklan celebrate the feast of Santo Niño Ati-Atihan and this is done for some five centuries now.

The celebration starts in the municipality of Libacao on New Year’s day. On the second Sunday of January, Makato, Batan, Altavas, and Malay towns celebrate their respective Santo Niño Ati-Atihan Festivals. Barangay Daja, Banga also celebrates the Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan on the third week of January.

In the late 1980s, Atty. Sergio R. Rigodon led in the "Buling-Bolingan" Festival. The celebration stopped after his term ended as Mayor of Banga in 1995.

In Kalibo, drums start making noise in December and end at midnight of a third Sunday of January after the procession.

But not yet, for the month long Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan festival actually ends on the fourth Sunday of January after the Municipality of Ibajay has celebrated its "Ibajay Ati-Ati".

Low Profile Celebration

The 2010 Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Festival is taking quite a low profile. Compared to previous years’ celebration, commercialism is diminished. Is this the result of analysis of previous years’ celebration?

Kalibo Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo is passive in the promotion of the celebration. There is unverified information about the offer to Mayor Rebaldo to promote the activities but he is not receptive to it.

Most of the streamers highly visible along and above the roads are owned by politicians to promote themselves to the voters for the May 2010 national and local elections.

Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan is the "Mother of all festivals". There is no need to promote it. It is the people’s devotion, love, trust, and belief on the Sr. Sto. Niño. The people know third Sunday of January is Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan. This celebration is not fund raising. It is love and faith in God through the Sr. Sto. Niño.

Higante Parade

The Province of Aklan sponsored the Higante Contest and Aklan Festivals Parade on Wednesday, January 13. Some P130,000 were awarded as contest prizes for participants from 17 towns of Aklan. Of the P130,000 award money, only P35,000 went to eastern towns while P95,000 went to western towns.

LGU Kalibo is third place in Higante and got P30,000, while LGU New Washington is Best in Uniform with P5,000 prize. LGU Tangalan got P48,000; P40,000 for its Higante, P5,000 prize as the Biggest group and P3,000 for being 2nd runner up in festival/cultural presentation.

LGU Nabas walked away with P40,000 – P35,000 prize as second in Higante and P5,000, prize as 1st runner up in festival/cultural presentation. LGU Malinao is Best in festival/cultural presentation and awarded P7,000.

Banga, The Beautiful

Banga, the Beautiful is not represented in the Higante Contest and Aklan Festivals Parade. With its claim as Banga, The Beautiful, it also claims as the "social capital" of Aklan.

But what is happening in Banga? Are they quarrelling as to who is the legitimate mayor? Is its non participation last Wednesday a forfeiture of its claim as Banga, the Beautiful and the social capital of Aklan.

Let the politicians quarrel, but allow the socio/civic leaders to lead in religious, social and cultural events.

Let the Banganhon leaders lead in social and cultural affairs. Moreover, how about the Aklan State University? Can it lead in affairs like the Higante Contest and Aklan Festivals Parade? If municipal officials are quarreling, let civic leaders lead. /MP