Panglao has indeed grown by leaps and bounds. From a s sleepy & humble fishing and farming community, it has become Bohol tourism’s crowning jewel.
From its green international airport to its gleaming and posh resorts, private villas and podge podge of international cuisine, Panglao was on its way until the pandemic brought global trade, travel & tourism to a screeching halt last year.
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| Bohol Beach Club |
Overnight, the bustling tourist- driven paradise practically turned into a ghost town.
Three months after the province closed its borders and implemented a lockdown, the town's visionary leader Mayor Nila Montero became the first municipal mayor to reopen its town to local tourists.
But before its implementation, the town officials led by the lady mayor, sat down with the town's stakeholders and drew a plan that would make sure that safety protocols and guidelines would be in place before reviving its economy.
Today, despite the challenges from meager resources, skepticism from critics and the dark cloud of a pandemic hovering above, many of the town's businesses that closed during the lockdown have slowly reopened albeit cautiously.
Business has been generally slow compared to pre- pandemic times but there is a general sense of optimism.
The clamor to mark the town fiesta prompted the local leadership to mount a simple and scaled down Hudyaka sa Panglao fiesta celebration. It was a go then for all involved after securing the green light from the IATF to stage its annual town fiesta.
Activities designed to give a little cheer to the residents of Panglao included the virtual editions of its "Pasidungog: Tribute Night for Former Panglao Leaders", Hudyaka Festival Queen Search and the Hudyaka sa Panglao Festival Ritual Dance Competition.
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| Panglao Mayor Nila Montero |
In a message beamed through FB and other social media, Mayor Nila Montero emphasized that surmounting the obstacles and surviving the challenges brought by the pandemic is reason enough to celebrate and give thanks to the town's patron saint Sr. San Agustin. She also praised the townsfolk of Panglao for their resilience and for their strong and unwavering faith and religiosity.
The late Loy Palapos aptly coined the festival’s name as “Hudyaka” which in the Cebuano dialect, literally means merrymaking, happiness or gaiety.
Now on its 36th year, the festival was organized as an opportunity not only to celebrate the feast of the town’s patron saint San Agustin but also to reflect Panglaoanons' strong faith through an established cultural identity and to express the gratitude to their patron saint.
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| San Agustin Parish Church |
Through the festival, the town is able to showcase the other side of Panglao; its way of life & rich cultural heritage aside from its stretches of white sandy beaches and dive sites.
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| South Palm Resort |
The success of the just- concluded Hudyaka sa Panglao Festival shows that a paradigm shift, along with strict guidelines and protocols, would ensure that there are viable ways of veering away from the traditional.
Cheers to the people of Panglao!
