BONTOC, Mountain Province – Some twenty five events had been lined up by the provincial government for the upcoming celebration of the province’s 58th Founding Anniversary and 18th Lang-ay Festival that will run from March 28 to April 17, 2025.
Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. reported that the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘MP@58: Honoring Traditions and Reaching Greater Heights’ which will highlight the province’s rich culture and history and its quest for progress.
The festival will fire off with a Kapihan, a dialogue series aimed at strengthening collaboration with stakeholders towards addressing and discussing pressing topics, on March 28, 2025, followed by the Search for Mr. and Ms. Mountain Province pre-pageant on March 29, 2025.
On March 30-31, 2025, beneficiaries of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholarship program will be undergoing the necessary review to be followed by the Lang-ay Prelude and Cordilleran Artists Vision, Meet and Greet plus Jam for a Cause.
Organizers dedicated April 1, 2025 for the Veterinary Mission where residents having concerns with the care of their pets and other animals will have the chance to consult with experts.
On April 2, 2025, the Search for Mr. and Ms. Mountain Province will be continued aside from the annual meeting of the Montanosa Federation of Irrigators Association (MOFIA) to discuss various issues and concerns related to irrigation among other related issues and concerns.
Further, there will also be a two-day inter-agency service caravan and Farmers Agritalk on April 2-3, 2025.
Coffee industry stakeholders will showcase their products through the Coffee Quality Competition featuring coffee roasting, cupping and seminar talk, as well as awarding of the winners on April 2-4, 2025.
Residents and visitors will again have the chance to partake of the province’s native delicacies through the Lang-ay on the Street on April 3, 2025 while there will be a two-day medical-surgical caravan for those with health needs on April 3-4, 2025.
April 4, 2025 will be dedicated as a day for the marching bands, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) mobile outreach service and memoriam and the much awaited Governor’s Night and Lang-ay Marcsongs Concert.
Delegations from the province’s 10 municipalities will be feted during the much awaited cultural competition during the 18th Lang-ay festival where their performances will be highlighted in the streetdancing on April 5, 2025. Indigenous games and fireworks display will also be held on the same day.
One of the major highlights of the day will be the groundbreaking of the Provincial Tourism, Culture and the Arts Museum.
On April 6, 2025, there will be a Lang-ay Trail, Walk for a Cause and Exhibitors Night.
There will also be a two-day training on Genetic Improvement while the main program of the 58th Mountain Province Day that will start off with a civic-military parade and a provincial gathering to be held on April 7, 2025.
Another wave of the medical-surgical caravan will be held on April 8-9, 2025 at the Besao District Hospital while a similar event will be held on April 15-17, 2025 at the Paracelis District Hospital.
Lacwasan stated that the celebration of the province’s founding anniversary and the conduct of the Lang-ay Festival will also serve as a provincewide celebration of the re-classification of Mountain Province from a second class to a first class province.
Mountain Province took its name from the old Mountain Province per implementation of Republic Act (RA) 4695 or the so-called division law that divided the old Mountain Province to four independent provinces – Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao.
Lacwasan extends an open invitation to residents and visitors to come together and enjoy the activities lined up by the provincial government for this year’s celebration of the festival. By Dexter A. See
