Reliving Bicol’s epic legend

MANILA, Philippines - From the dustbin of history to the streets of Legazpi City, the unfolding saga of Ibalong, the Bicol region’s epic legend, has been given a new lease on life through a festival named after it in Albay’s scenic capital city.

Regarded as Bicol’s biggest non-religious festival, the Ibalong Festival is based on indigenous folklore, and is perhaps the only cultural event in the country which relives an epic. 

Now on its 24th edition, it is a popular recreation of fragments of a mid-19th century 60-stanza epic poem penned by Franciscan friar Bernardino de Melendreras about the ancient civilization of Ibalong.

He was inspired by the accounts of Kadunung, a wandering minstrel in Albay, regarded as the bard of Ibalong.

Cast in the mold of classic mythologies, Ibalong tells about its three legendary heroes – Baltog, Handyong and Bantong – who, with their supernatural strengths, rid the land of beasts and helped it attain its golden era. 

Arriving at various times in history, these warriors from a faraway land vanquished the dreaded beasts which sowed terror among the populace. Among these dreaded beasts were Tandayag (giant wild boar) and Rabot (half-man, half beast).

Another prominent character is the villain-turned-heroine Oryol, a beautiful half woman-half serpent, who had a change of heart when she fell in love with Handyong and joined his forces to defeat the other monsters of the land.

The legendary heroes later cultivated the land, established a government and a justice system, ushering in an age of discovery and invention which helped civilization flourish.

After recounting their heroic exploits, Kadunung suddenly stopped and promised to continue telling the story some other time, but never had the chance.

Scholars noted that while the epic appears to be an unfinished story, it is a living legend from which the readers can freely continue the saga with their own interpretations of modern-day heroism.

The epic first got mass exposure in 1895 when editor Wenceslao Retana compiled and annotated the fragments of the poem in the book “Archivo del Bibliofilo Filipino.”

While the original Spanish manuscripts were lost, what remains is the portion copied by Fray Jose Castaño in “Breve Noticia” and included in the Bibliofilo of Retana published in Madrid, Spain.

The title Ibalong was supplied by noted Bicolano essayist Jose Ma. Panganiban, a colleague of Jose Rizal in the propaganda movement, as the original 60 quatrains had no title.

In October 1992, the late mayor Imelda Roces staged the maiden edition of the festival to rescue the epic from the dustbins of history and make it a source of pride for the people of Legazpi and Bicolandia. 

And when Legazpeños breathe life into a legend life, you can expect an equally legendary celebration with the pomp and pageantry of epic proportions.

Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal said that the Ibalong Festival brings to the fore Bicol’s rich heritage and resilient character despite the adversities people encounter in life, such as the frequent eruptions of Mayon Volcano and destructive typhoons.

He said that in transforming an almost-forgotten legend into a colorful festival, the city has put a visual touch into an epic which people can relate to. 

The highlight of the weeklong festivity was a street theater competition where scenes of the legend were acted out by participating contingents from all over Bicol.

He noted that the festivity showcases the city’s strides in economic development, infrastructure, governance and tourism. Dubbed the “City of Fun and Adventure,” Legazpi is one of the country’s top tourist attractions, being the home of the perfect-coned Mayon Volcano, a nominee shortlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2013, Ibalong was adapted for the stage as a dance musical at the Cultural Center of the Philippines by playwright Rody Vera and directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio with Carol Bello’s musical direction, as part of Tanghalang Pilipino’s 26th season.