Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco lauded the reopening of this year’s Panaad sa Negros Festival 2023 in Bacolod City.
Speaking before thousands of Negrenses from its 32 municipalities and cities, Frasco said celebrating cultural heritage is a necessity to honor the past and provide the youth with a view into the future.
“You are the promise fulfilled that as long as you continue despite all of the difficulties and challenges that you face.”
“You are the promise fulfilled that as long as you continue despite all of the difficulties and challenges that you face, there is the promise of renewal, the promise of hope, the promise of prevailing through any circumstance that in and of itself also displays the pride of place of the Negrenses. Congratulations kaninyong tanan on staging Panaad all these 30 years and again now after the COVID-19 pandemic,” the tourism chief said in her speech.
The Panaad sa Negros Festival is an annual festival which first started in April 1993 as a thanksgiving to Divine Providence and commemoration of a “vow” in exchange for a good life.
It is dubbed as the “mother” of all its festivals as 32 towns of Negros Occidental are gathering to showcase their cultural heritage, commerce, and industry.
The tourism head also extended her warmest congratulations to the local officials for successfully staging the event after years of restrictions amid the pandemic.
“I congratulate our governor, our vice governor, our province officials, and our mayors because in insisting that you hold the Panaad Festival you have also given life to all the Filipino people that depend on the success of this festival,” she said.
Frasco also made special mention of the tourism workers—from artists to frontline workers—for their contribution to the industry.
“This is not only a celebration of your festival, this is a celebration of the life and times of the people of Negros.”
“Our choreographers, our make-up artists, our costume makers, our bus and tricycle drivers, our vendors, our souvenir and pasalubong makers, our local business, our small and medium enterprises. This is not only a celebration of your festival, this is a celebration of the life and times of the people of Negros. Daghang kaayong Salamat kaninyong tanan,” she added.
The pandemic halted the annual affair usually held at the Panaad Stadium and Swimming Complex in Mansilingan, Bacolod City and this year marks its return to its permanent venue which can house 25,000 spectators for the cultural presentations, LGU competitions, concerts, and the festival highlight—the search for the “Lin-ay sang Negros”—the lady who epitomizes the ideal Negrense woman.
The festivities were packed with activities, competitions, pageants, and concerts featuring popular bands such as Itchyworms, December Avenue, and Rivermaya.
The opening of the festival was also graced by Senators Francis Tolentino, Bong Go, the provincial government of Negros Occidental led by Governor Eugenio Lacson and DOT Undersecretaries Shereen Pamintuan and Ferdinand Jumapao.
