The Province of Palawan is this year’s venue and the host of National Arts Month celebration entitled “Ani ng Sining”, a month-long celebration of the Philippine Arts Festival for Luzon. It will be locally known as “SIKATUGYAW Festival” an acronym for Sining, Kanta, Tugtog, and Sayaw.
Palawan Culture and Arts Program Manager Ceasar Sammy Magbanua is honored to spearhead this festival with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as the main agency behind the celebration. A grant of P500,000 is given to the provincial government to mobilize the event that will open on February 4 at the City Coliseum.
Sikatugyaw will last through the entire month of February here in Puerto Princesa City. The activities include different art workshops, festival management, acoustic sessions, dancing and singing training, plus city-wide art exhibitions in major malls like SM City Puerto Princesa, Robinsons Palawan, and NCCC.
“Siguro nabalitaan nila na very rich ang culture natin, mayaman sa tradition at nabalitaan nila na very active ang culture and arts program natin, nadala na natin ilang beses ang Philharmonic orchestra, may nights of classic tayo, kaya siguro sa atin ini-award ang celebration this year,” Magbanua said.
The participants will be coming from different municipalities in the province as far as Coron and El Nido in the north, Narra in the south. These are members of choirs, choral groups, artists, musicians, event organizers and many more.
Some of the highlights include a mural display that will be put at the Eulalia Park, and a cultural night showcasing indigenous arts and dances including rituals from different tribes such as Molbogs, Batak, Tagbanua, Palaw’an and Tau’t Batu.
After the Arts Month celebration, the Culture and Arts Program office of Magbanua will prepare for the visit and show of the iconic Bayanihan Dancers, coming to Palawan in June.