Saturday, August 4, 2012

Manggahan Festival




Manggahan Festival



It is advisable to visit Guimaras during the Manggahan Festival - festival of mangoes. Mangoes and other produce of Guimaras such as dried mangoes, mango ketchup and more are all in sale at a cheaper price at the main trading center. There are also hand-made and indigenous products that are exhibited in the plaza.
As thousands of tourists including local tourists clustered to Manggahan Festival at Guimaras Islands is a great sign that the island had recovered from the worst oil spill disaster in the country. Last year production of mangoes rises to around 8.7 metric tons after a two year decline (2008 to 2010) due to extreme climate change. This year’s production is estimated to increase around 10.8 metric tons as reported.






It has been claimed that the sweetest mangoes in the world can be found in Guimaras. True enough this province has been exporting mangoes and by-products to different parts of the world. Some experts said that mangoes in Guimaras are sweet as a result of its naturally cultivated type of land very suitable for mango farming. As a precautionary measure the local government of Guimaras prohibits the entries of mangoes from outside the province to itsterritories to avoid cross breeding into their own seedlings.



The mango eat-all-you-can feast is the main highlight of the annual festival to mark the province founding anniversary. An estimate of 9 tons of mangoes was dishes out this year Guimaras festival. Visitors are charge with a fee of 70 pesos or 1.65 dollar equivalent for ripe mangoes and 40 pesos or less than a dollar for green mangoes with shrimp paste. Guest can eat as many mangoes they could in 30 minutes. The management of the festival imposed a time limit to accommodate more visitors to join the feast.    





The festival is also highlighted by street dancing procession and cultural presentation, a technology fair, painting and drawing competition.