Panaad sa Negros 2011

Last Monday, the annual Panaad sa Negros Festival was formally opened. The event is held every year at the Panaad Park ans Stadium.Present during the opening ceremonies is Former Senator and then DTI Secretary Mar Roxas.

Panaad is a Hiligaynon term meaning Vow or Promise. Panaad sa Negros is a celebration of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest. This year’s festivities highlights the importance of of Food Security of the Province. Negros Occidental, being an agricultural province, need to be self suffiecient. more than half of the agricultural lands in the province is mainly used for sugarcane. There are other towns, however that produces other products like palay, bananas, rootcrops, seafoods, etc.

Puto Manapla

During the opening ceremonies, Senator Mar Roxas stressed the importance of food security in the province. After his speech, the candidates of the Lin-ay sang Negros were then formally introduced to the cheering crowd.

The twenty four lovely candidates are representing the various towns and cities of the province. The Lin-ay sang Negros beauty pageant is one of the highlights of the Panaad sa Negros 2011.

After the presentation of the beauty pageant candidates, twenty four festivals from various towns and cities competed for the annual Festival of Festivals Competition. Bacolod City Presented the Masskara Festival as competition opening number, and the BacoLaodiat Festival as its closing performance. Bacolod never competes at the Panaad, they only performed as guest.

The last time I witnessed the Panaad Opening was in 2009, and judging from the festival performances last Monday, I could say that the presentation this year has greatly improved. The dances are getting better, and the costumes are equally beautiful as well.

This year, I was with the dancers of the Manang Pula Festival from Manapla. After seeing all the performances, I was placing my bets to Calatrava’s Linas Pandan Festival to bring home the trophy. My first runner up bet was the Bailes de Luces Festival of La Castellana and my 2nd runner up bet was the Pintaflores Festival of San Carlos City.

But results were different. This year’s Panaad sa Negros Best Festival was the Bailes de Luces. First runner up is the Tigkalalag Festival from Isabela and the second Runner up is the Pintaflores Festival of San Carlos City.

More than just the festival presentation, the Panaad sa Negros is also a great oppurtunity for everyone to experience the best of every town without the need to leave Bacolod City. The Panaad sa Negros is a shopper’s haven for thos who love handicraft products, pasalubong items, and local delicacies.

The event is also a big hit among food lovers as there are a LOT of food stalls serving the freshest seafoods and the juiciest inasal right inside the Panaad Park.

The Panaad sa Negros is still on going until April 9th at the Panaad Park and Stadium, Bacolod City.

Replica of the Iron Dinosaur, La Carlota Booth

Manapla Booth