Mantawi Festival is an annual celebration held in Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines every May 7 in cognizance of the feast day of the city’s patron saint, Saint Joseph. This festival is an event to look forward for, especially for the Mandauehanons.
The festival was conceptualized to commemorate Mandaue’s glorious past as it acknowledges Mandaue now as a ”highly urbanized industrial center” with more than 10,000 commercial and industrial establishments that progress each year.
Aside from its historical significance, the festival has become another tourist sensation where arts and culture marry to promote progress and prosperity in the land.
History
In desperate search for food and supplies, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portugese navigator sighted the island of Sugbo on April 7, 1521. A cove (now Tipolo) was discovered where mantawi vines are growing abundantly. The name of the town was then derived from the name of the vine.
The settlement was made in Mandaue and the cove was the location of the initial dry-docking facility. Five decades after, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi made a follow-up expedition of Magellan’s and landed in Cebu. Upon his arrival, he established the first dry-dock in the Tipolo shores.
The dock was used as a facility servicing the Galleon Ships for establishing trade from Mexico and Spain. Since then, Mandaue unfolded into an industrial center in the Queen City of the South, Cebu.
Mandaue actually doesn’t need another “sinulog” because it is just few kilometers away from the main city where the world-famous Sinulog was based. However, the city has all the reasons to celebrate. Besides, the festival gives Mandauehanons its own identification.
The festival was long been practiced but in simple and traditional way. On August 30, 2002, together with the celebration of the 33rd Charter Day of Mandaue, the simple ceremony has transformed into a grand parade of incorporated dance steps as well as the style of Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival. It was the idea of the major at the time, Mayor Thadeo Ouano. It was actively participated by hundreds of schoolkids, aspiring theatre actors and actresses, officials in both government and private establishments.
On the following year, the date was scheduled on the last Sunday of August. However, in 2004, the ceremony was temporarily discontinued because of some organizational problems. The authenticity of past events has become being questioned and was investigated.
Whatever the outcome of the issue, the operation of Mantawi Festival was resumed. But on 2005, it was moved to May 7 in cognizance of the town’s annual fiesta celebration as declared by Mayor Jonas Cortes.
The festival was highlighted by street dancing, dioramas, fireworks display and the procession higantes and the artistically-designed floats.
Combined dance steps in the accompaniment of brass instruments instead of usual drums and bugles give rise to new and different beats that never failed to attract crowds and even invite participants from other neighboring towns.
Most known establishments in the city partake in the making of the artistically-designed diorama floats. Aspiring theatre actors and actresses re-enact the happenings of the past.
Also, the parade of the “higantes” or the tall people is another remarkable exhibition. The superior Spaniards as heroes and great personages are portrayed by the “higantes” as they influenced a lot that molded Mandaue to what it is now.
The festival finishes with the awarding of the best street dance and floats. Afterwards is the most awaited fireworks display. Like sinulog, Mantawi Festival is among the favorite haunt among the tourists.
Mantawi Festival is one-of-a-kind because unlike other festivals, it showcases and gives importance to its cultural heritage and how it plays an important role in making Mandaue a thriving hub of trading through the pursuance of tourism industry in the city.
