Sarangani Bay Festival opens in Kiamba

KIAMBA, Sarangani (May 28, 2009) - The fourth Sarangani Bay Festival opens in Woodbridge Beach Resort with a huge crowd and visitors fromall over the country.

Sarangani Bay Festival, an advocacy of the provincial government for the protection and preservation of the bay, is the biggest beach party in Mindanao.

"Sarangani Bay Festival was conceptualized in 2006 mainly as a tribute to the bay," Mayor Rommel Tomas Falgui said.

In February 2006, then provincial Board Member Falgui passed a resolution for the formulation of Sarangani Bay Festival for the protection and preservation of Sarangani Bay.

Falgui said his town's primary livelihood is fishing.

Neighboringtowns of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum have thousands of marginalized fisher folk sailing off everyday for hook and line fishing.

The three-day affair opens with lumba bugsay, a paddling race participated in by community fisher folk from the three towns for a 10-kilometer race from King's Haven to Woodbridge beach early morning.

"We are happy to join in this event. We feel that we are really part of the bay as the source of our livelihood," Sofonias Andoyo said.

Andoyo and partner Reymar Cabañas won the race against 17 competitors.

Andoyo has four children he sends to school including his daughter,now in college, with fishing as the family's only income.

"Conquering this part of the bay through paddling our small banca is a grateful challenge," Andoyo said.

"We learn every time we have the Sarangani Bay celebration," Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said.

"This time you will be touring around Sarangani with beach fun and activities."

A 170-kilometer adventure race from Maitum town to Glan starts the next day.

Racers will make stops in the six coastal towns and do each town's unique product or adventure such as diving in Maasim's Lemlunay diving spot and prepare the Maguindanao tinagtag in Malapatan.

"This time we have the whole country and foreigners witnessing our celebration," Solon said.

Beach sports, coastal clean up, artificial reef deployment, bay bodies bikini open, concert and party will fill the three day summer fun.

"It is our way of campaigning for the preservation of the bay," Mayor Rom said.

"You can also visit our wonderful waterfalls and Tuka snorkeling haven and marine sanctuary and enjoy the hospitality of the people ofKiamba," Mayor Rom said. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATIONOFFICE)