Nine months after Typhoon Yolanda hit the northern part of Cebu and devastated thousands of homes, residents of the Municipality of Daanbantayan remained strong and showed their resilience. They gave thanks for their partial recovery through their Haladaya Festival which is staged every 30th of August in honor of the town's patron St. Rose of Lima.
“United with the Almighty God’s unceasing guidance and blessing, the Kandayan-ons have shown their natural resiliency and extraordinary ability to rise from the rubbles of Yolanda as we never wavered in our belief that we can survive, and not just survive, but be better than we were before,” said Mayor Augusto D. Corro in his fiesta message.“Unity and transparency for progress and development through authentic leadership” was the theme for this year’s annual fiesta celebration.
According to the provincial government's site, around 3,000 spectators flocked at the Daanbantayan grand stand to witness the ritual showdown between five contingents.
Tribu Kasikas sa Kandaya was declared the Grand Champion, Tribu Calaag-Ta sa Kandaya ranked second while Pundok sa mga Kabatan-onang Kandayanon ranked third. Masidlakon Kandayan-on and Pundok sa Kandayan-ong Bacamaba came in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
About Haladaya Festival
Haladaya means an offering to Datu Daya, the legendary chieftain of the town. It is a celebration of the town’s victory over the oppressive Moro pirates. The festival tells about the heroism of Datu Daya and showcases the glorious past of the place.
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