LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The limited activities for this year’s celebration of the town’s Strawberry festival will fire off on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Local officials and residents will hold a roadside general cleanup in all of the town’s 16 barangays to help in sustaining the municipal government’s clean and green campaign with the ongoing easing up of the restrictions.
Further, a tree caring event will be held at municipal communal forests to ensure that planted trees will survive to help in bringing back the greenery of the forest reservations.
On March 18, 2022, the day will start with the traditional owik or the indigenous ritual for the reign of peace, unity and camaraderie to accompany the recovery from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, followed by a mass.
Local bakers will be showcasing their skills and talents in the strawberry cake competition on March 18, 2022 at the municipal park where some of the baked products will be sold to visitors.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda also invited residents to actively participate in the regular Balili River cleanup on March 25, 2022.
The traditional strawberry lane that will feature strawberry-inspired products from the different participating groups and barangays will be held at the municipal park from March 15-30, 2022 to promote the town’s must-see festival not only for this year but also in the coming years when restrictions shall have been removed.
Local musicians will have the chance to actively participate in this year’s Strawberry Festival through the Strawberry Jam on March 18-20, 2022 at the municipal park.
Horseback riding enthusiasts will again have the chance to participate in the traditional Kavadjo Shi La Trinidad on March 26, 2022, one of the pioneering events.
Salda called on residents and tourists to continue adhering to the basic health and safety protocols when attending the various events of the festival this year to prevent any untoward incident that might cause another surge in COVID-19 cases.
The municipal chief executive claimed that the ongoing revival of the local economy has to start somewhere to bring back the vibrance of the economy and the Strawberry Festival will jumpstart this.
Salda explained the Strawberry Festival government understands the predicament of businesses owners but they should also understand the predicament of the government in having to contain the spread of the virus to prevent the local health care system from being overwhelmed and frontliners from being unduly stressed.