KANANGA, Leyte– The major streets of this town burst into color and rhythm on Sunday, June 15, as it marked the third year of its Kaanyag Festival, celebrating local heritage with vibrant performances and an intensified dance competition.

Now a highlight of Kananga’s cultural calendar, the festival featured six contingents competing in school-based and open categories during the much-anticipated ritual dance showdown, held in celebration of the town’s 75th founding anniversary.

In the school-based category were Kananga II District (Mattswerting Kanangahanon), Kananga III District (Banay Alimyon), and Kananga I District (Kanangahanong Mattahum).
The open category featured ‘Tribu ni Don Mariano Lantawan Festival’ of Capoocan, Leyte; STI College Ormoc/Ormoc City’s ‘Pundok sa Nagkahiusang Ormocanon’, and ‘Pundok sa Villabanhanong Manaragat’.

Mayor Manuel Vicente “Matt” Torres expressed his gratitude to the performers and spectators, saying he hopes to see Kananga Kaanyag compete on national stages like Sinulog in Cebu and Aliwan Festival in Metro Manila.

“This festival is a vital cultural heritage of Kananga,” said Torres, emphasizing that it was the result of “intensive and comprehensive cultural mapping” in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Adding flair to the festivities was the Kananga Kaanyag Festival Queen 2025 competition, with the following finalists Arian Mae Cogay (Kananga II District), Shielo Sabornido (Kananga III), Pia Lovelle Omega (Kananga I), Eliana Gunabe Igamen (Tribu ni Don Mariano), Ashley Marie Rojas (STI College Ormoc), and Rea Joy Encienzo Cometa (Pundok sa Villabanhanong Manaragat).

This year’s festival saw a significant boost in prize money, heightening the excitement among participants. The top award for the ritual dance competition rose from P200,000 to P500,000, while the street dance prize increased from P20,000 to P50,000—a fitting tribute to the town’s diamond jubilee celebration.

(RONALD O. REYES)

SAN ANTONIO, Basey, Samar – The growing barangay of San Antonio in the first-class municipality of Basey celebrated on Friday, June 13, its 131st fiesta in honor of its patron saint, Señor San Antonio de Padua.

Historical accounts reveal that the village—originally known as Sitio Binatak—was renamed San Antonio in 1891 after a Franciscan friar, Rev. Fr. Antonio Sanchez, was assigned to the Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Basey. It was Fr. Sanchez who introduced devotion to Saint Anthony of Padua to the local community, which embraced him as their patron saint.
The same year marked the beginning of the annual fiesta celebration every June 13, with Fernando Nodado serving as the first hermano mayor. He later became the first cabeza del barrio in 1900.

This year’s celebration is especially significant as it is the first fiesta under the leadership of the new parish priest, Rev. Fr. Tyrone de la Cruz Odinada, who was installed as the second parish priest on March 14, 2025, by Rev. Msgr. Niceas T. Abujuela, Diocesan Vicar General.
A native of Basey, Fr. Odinada is the eighth priest to serve the barangay since its elevation as a mission venter on July 23, 2011, with Rev. Fr. Agustin Ortillo Gelera as the first priest-in-charge. He was succeeded by Fr. Rex M. Ibañez, Fr. Eduardo T. Bersamin, Fr. Noel A. Abiertas (with Fr. Dominador Ontuca as assistant), Fr. Basilio Salino, Fr. Fidel Colminar, and Fr. Marlo Benjamin C. Mangubat.

In the absence of a designated hermano mayor this year, the celebration is sponsored collectively by parishioners. Twelve hermanitos and hermanitas stepped up to shoulder the responsibilities of the role. They are:

Venerando P. Café Jr., Mae B. Amago, Elena P. Larios, Perlita O. Jaway, Trinidad S. Duero, Nilda O. Regaña, Nikki Rose R. Duero, Jemma C. Labuac, Barbara L. Robin, Abundia Manzanade, Vener P. Café, and Venice P. Café.

In his homily during the opening of the novena-masses on June 4, 2025, Fr. Odinada expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all parishioners for their unwavering support in making the celebration a success.

The fiesta tradition begins annually with the 13-Tuesday Novena Masses, culminating the Tuesday before June 4, which then leads into the nine-day novena masses. The 13-Tuesdays devotion was introduced in 1999 when this writer served as hermano mayor.

That same year also saw the founding of the Cofradía de Antonia and the composition of the Hymn to Señor San Antonio de Padua, with lyrics written by this writer and the melody composed for the faithful. The hymn has since been sung as the recessional song in every mass. (AL ELLEMA)