02/06/2026
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ช๐จ๐ฌ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐ช๐ก๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐จ๐ข๐ค ๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐๐!
The chosen theme for the ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น was approved in 2025 by the Local Culture & the Arts Council of Catbalogan City (LCAC) and the Catbalogan City Tourism Council (CTC) both headed by City Mayor Dexter Uy and will further highlight the cultural heritage of Catbalogan City.
Themed " #๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ก ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐", it honors the unwavering resilience of Catbaloganon who consistently push for progress and collective growth in the face of modern challenges. It frames the 23rd Manaragat Festival as a vital bridge between generations, where the hard work of a striving community ensures that its unique cultural legacy remains vibrant rather than a relic of the past.
By centering on the "Manaragat" identity, the theme emphasizes that the cityโs economic and social vitality is deeply anchored in the preservation of its coastal traditions and ancestral wisdom. Ultimately, this rationale serves as a powerful call to action, reminding every citizen that the prosperity of their future is inherently tied to the active protection and celebration of their historical roots.
Every year, a concept is decided to be the inspiration and motif of the annual cultural presentation and in the festival showdown, namely:
- ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ (2025) from the book of Mr. Aniceto O. Llanita entitled โHingyap Ko nga an ini nga Paghigugma Di Magpapasโ co-published in 2024 by the Samar Island Heritage Center, Inc.;
- ๐๐ผ๐น๐ธ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ (2024) from the โMga Karantahon nga Samarnonโ as compiled by the late Mrs. Amparo Ma. Cinco-Tizon and published in 2023 through the efforts of Dr. Patricia Ann โPatitโ Villarin-Flavier, Hermana Mayor of the 2023 Katbaloganon Metro Manila and Mr. Carmelino Jesus โMametโ Cinco-Tizon, President of Katbaloganon Filipinos International (KFI) Foundation, Inc.;
- ๐๐ผ๐น๐ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ (2023) from the book of Mr. Juan C. Miel entitled โSamar Folk Dancesโ;
- No festival showdown and cultural presentations due to COVID-19 pandemic (2022, 2021, 2020);
- ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด (2019) from the Fishing Gear and Boat Registration of the Catbalogan City Agriculture Office and from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR);
- ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ (2018) from the book โKarasa: Celebrating Catbaloganโs Culinary Traditionsโ of Katbalaoganon Foundation; Fishing Practices (2017) as curated by Samar Historian, Ms. Charo Nabong-Cabardo; and the
- ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (2016) highlighting the historical timeline from pre-colonization, Spanish, American, Japanese, Martial Law, and Citihood as curated by Ms. Charo Nabong-Cabardo.
For 2026, it shall focus on ๐๐ผ๐น๐ธ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ๐ specifically related to the seas and bodies of water. Seven (7) folktales were officially chosen out of the cultural mapping conducted funded by the city government in 2024 and facilitated by LCAC Co-Chair, Prof. Jhonil Bajado dubbed as โManaragat Creatures: Catbalogan Sea Creatures and Mythologiesโ.
This year will be our 23rd anniversary, a continuing legacy of our identity that must be carried on, carrying with it the lessons, challenges and hopes towards a continued celebration and convergence.
Ultimately, the spirit of the celebration, originally is to offer thanksgiving to the Almighty through the intercession of our Patron Saint, Seรฑor San Bartolome will still remain unaltered and unfading while ensuring that the advocacies of environmental protection and cultural preservation are strengthened and the legacy is safeguarded.
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐รฑ๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฝ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ค๐ก๐ค๐ข๐!
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ฉ!
๐ฟ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ค๐๐๐ฃ!
