BANAUE, Ifugao – The municipality of Banaue in Ifugao conducted its first founding celebration as the widely anticipated Imbayah festival will once again be celebrated every three years. Awarding plaques of recognition to the builders of Banaue (referring to the former mayors) was the founding celebration’s highlight, along with the debut of the Banaue hymn.
To honor the town’s history through the town’s first founding celebration, the Imbayah festival was returned in its original schedule.The Imbayah festival was initially celebrated every three years when it was launched in 1979. And in order to boost the municipality’s tourism and encourage local farmers, it became an annual celebration during the term of former Mayor and now Governor Jerry Dalipog.
Banaue Mayor Joel Bungallon stated that many people did not expect for this momentous occasion. He said that together with his staff, they have been doing extensive research since last year to find out the exact date when the municipality was first founded.
The Mayor then stated that one of the significance of this celebration is for the present generation to be aware of the deeper root of Banaue’s history considering that this generation do not even know the later part of the town’s existence.
“We come up with this idea to trace the history, so that the people of Banaue would know their beginnings. The people of this municipality would know its history, because history would define how people evolve, how leaders evolve”, he added.
During the celebration, people would often refer to it as a founding anniversary which is often corrected as a founding celebration. As the Mayor explained,
“It’s not founding anniversary because we have not yet researched the actual month and the actual date but it is only the year that was found out. Thus, we put it as a founding celebration not a founding anniversary.”
Their research revealed that Banaue is one of the oldest municipality in Ifugao when it became a municipal district under the American regime in 1901. Nevertheless, the celebration still pushed through with the theme, “Honoring Roots, Celebrating Heritage, Embracing Change for Sustainable Progress”.
The theme reflects Bungallon’s leading objective in initiating this event. Starting with honoring roots which is the celebrations main highlight where plaques of recognition was awarded to the past mayors since 1935 where the political history of Banaue started up to the present.
In behalf of the departed mayors, their representatives were present to receive their plaque of recognition. More or less 20 Mayors that served Banaue were recognized for their leadership and contributions that paved the way for Banaue to what it is today.
As to celebrating heritage, Bungallon said that it is of great importance to let the people of Banaue understand why their town is acknowledged as a UNESCO world heritage. Showing them, especially to the younger generation that the town is striving to main maintain its cultural identity and tradition, as well as its political unity.
In relation to celebrating Banaue’s heritage was the debut of the Banaue hymn during the formal program. The lyrics of the hymn encompasses and reflects Banaue’s cultural and natural heritage.
The importance of Cultural Sustainability was also underlined in preserving cultural heritage in the face of modern and developing times. According to him, there are changes that already affected Banaue’s culture and tradition with the prevalence of gadgets that attracts the attention of the youth. But sustaining their culture will be not be affected nor forgotten until the generations to come.
Bungallon assured that the search of the specific date will persist. But if in any case due to limitations of documents that might the date, he said that they will be deciding together with the municipal officials to pass an ordinance setting a date for a founding anniversary. Considering that in the meantime the first founding celebration was enacted through an Executive Order.
Lastly, Bungallon said that Banaue’s foundation celebration 2024 is for the people of Banaue and Banaue’s future generation as they celebrate their history and culture. And while this celebration focuses in honoring their past leaders and the town’s establishment, he said that more of the ethnic and cultural activities will be highlighted during the Imbayah festival in 2026. By Peachy Clarisse L. Tillay