BONTOC, Mountain Province – The provincial government recently launched the prestigious 14th Lang-ay Festival and 51st Mountain Province Foundation Day 2018 without the participation of the private sector.
This was learned as invitations circulated among the government offices, provincial and national, enticing the staff and personnel to actively participate in the Monday flag raising program and launching.
The provincial festival and foundation day will be featured in a week-long activities from April 2-9, 2018, according to the circular dated January 3, 2018.
The partnership between the provincial government and the private sector was severed this time as intrigues crept into play in the otherwise cordial partnership. Accordingly, there were conditions set out by the provincial government that does not sit well with the private sector.
The private sector, led by Paulino D, Tumapang, declared in a resolution they will not participate in the staging of Lang-ay 2018 for now.
It is to be noted that the partnership was conceptualized during the time of the late Governor Leonard Mayaen and which started in 2015. Since then, the partnership prospered for three years.
The provincial government was at the helm since its first staging in 2005 during the time of the late Maximo Dalog as provincial executive and acknowledged the “Father of Lang-ay Festival.
Paulino Tumapang, the erstwhile Chairperson of the Lang-ay Festival Organization in the partnership said “’We just wanted to adhere to the verbal statement of the Provincial Administrator to get back Lang-ay and be managed by the provincial government. It is out of delicadeza”.
In a follow-up statement, Tumapang said “We will respect their decision as government and we will support their programs for the said annual event. But we hope their idea of enhancing the event will maintain the principle of cultural integrity because that was the main purpose of the partnership initiated by the late Gov. Mayaen”
The partnership was intended by the late Gov. Mayaen as a prelude to privatization of the Lang-ay Festival. It is not yet the end of it and, by the look of things, it may prosper in the future.
Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan has in many occasion said that Lang-ay should be continued and supported.
It is to be noted that the provincial government last year made the 50th Foundation Day and 13th Lang-ay Festival as elaborate as could be with as it was the Golden Anniversary of the province.
Many spectators, including foreign tourists, commented that it was spectacular compared to previous Lang-ays,
The ever crowd-drawer festival has been acclaimed as tourism come-on of the province as more and more local and foreign tourists come each year.
By Roger Sacyaten
