Moalboal launches "Kagasangan Festival"

CEBU, Philippines - To further boost its tourism industry, the Municipality of Moalboal yesterday launched its first “Kagasangan Festival” to showcase the local people’s way of expressing and valuing, in a creative way, the town’s identity as a premier tourist destination due to the richness of its marine natural resources.

Dancers in their colorful and coral-inspired costumes danced in the tune and beat of the song “Kagasangan,” which was arranged and composed intentionally for such purpose.

The festival, which highlighted the town’s fiesta celebration, was participated by the different barangays clustered into five groups. The grand price was bagged by the “Grupo Banawog” of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology-Fisheries representing barangays Poblacion East, Tunga and Bugho.

“Kagasangan” which means “corals” is one of the reasons why the town is dubbed as a diving capital of the country. It is also believed to cause the abundance of fish catch in the town since it serves as the nursery ground for small fishes.

Officials of the municipality headed by Mayor Yvonne Cabaron and the province headed by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia have thought of creating the festival to further boost the tourism industry in the town.

It is also their way of preserving the history and culture of the people of Moalboal as it will be a constant reminder for them that their wealth and economy greatly depend on the richness of their marine resources.

Through it, people are expected to develop an intensified love for the marine environment that they will urge themselves to protect it better.

The rich marine ecosystem in the coastal waters of Moalboal has become one of the town’s most popular tourist attractions that is sustaining the livelihood of most of its residents.

The first Kagasangan Festival has united the whole community of Moalboal to make the town more popular and wealthy culturally and naturally. It will be observed every year simultaneous with the fiesta of their Patron Saint San Juan Nepomuceno.

Moalboal lies in Southwest coast of Cebu and is approximately 89 kilometers from the Cebu City.

The coastal town’s fine white sand beaches and the rich underwater marine ecosystem have attracted divers from all over the world. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB (THE FREEMAN)