Popular and Notable Nueva Ecija Festivals

Nueva Ecija, the largest province in Central Luzon, is a historic province with colorful and remarkable festivals. This province, with 5 cities and 27 municipalities, has diverse cultural traditions that became significant part of Novo Ecijanos culture and tradition.

Araquio Festival – Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija

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Araquio Festival is a unique and one of its kinds in the Philippines. This festival is Nueva Ecija’s very own theatrical-cum-religious presentation similar to “zarzuelas” during the Spanish regime in the country. The Araquio Festival is traditionally held in the month of May in the town of Peñaranda. The festival dramatized the spread of Christianity in the country and the war between Christians and Muslims. Festival performers, 16 performers in each Araquio group, sing, act and dance while a brass band plays. The choice of songs and choreography varies, but the script has remained the same since the tradition started.

Araquio Festival is presented by performers wearing vibrant attires of Christians and Muslims. Blue, black, yellow, white and red color combinations make the presentation very colorful. To distinguish between the Christians and Muslims, Christian women wear “banda” and Muslim women wear feathered headdress. For male performers the Christians wore a combination of blue pants and white top or blue top in black pants, while Muslims wore pure red costumes highlighted by a feathered headdress like that of their women counterparts.

Baybayanting Festival – Lupao, Nueva Ecija

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Baybayanting is a one-of-a-kind cultural tradition of Lupao, Nueva Ecija. It is a unique cultural presentation of the people of Lupao every 25th of July to honor their patron – Señor Santiago. or Saint James. It’s a cultural presentation that features the war between Muslims and Christians.

This peculiar cultural tradition is presented every year by selected and well-trained members of Iglesia Filipina Independiente, a Christian sect founded by a Filipino priest. Baybayanting is a choreograph fighting which is usually performed by 9 pairs of fighting Filipino warriors and Spanish conquistadores. Perforemers use real bladed weapons unlike the ‘Zarzuelas’ that uses wooden swords.

Taong Putik Festival – Bibiclat, Aliaga