Arawatan Festival scaled back amid calamities, power crisis

MANILA — Occidental Mindoro will forego its usual multi-day Arawatan Festival amid economic and disaster-related challenges, Gov. Eduardo Gadiano said.

Instead, there will be a one-day celebration on Nov. 16 to mark its 76th founding anniversary.

The anniversary activities will include a thanksgiving mass, parade, commemorative program and formal ceremony, Gadiano said.

The decision to scale back the festivities was reached following consultations with provincial government department heads, he added.

Gadiano cited the province’s power supply crisis, rising petroleum prices amid the conflict in the Middle East, and damage caused by successive typhoons, which prompted the declaration of a provincewide state of calamity.

“Nauunawaan po natin ang pananabik ng bawat isa sa Arawatan Festival, ngunit sa panahong ito higit nating kailangang unahin ang kapakanan at pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan,” Gadiano said.

Despite the scaled-down celebration, the provincial government will proceed with its service caravan to bring various government programs closer to residents.

The Arawatan Festival is an annual celebration commemorating the establishment of Occidental Mindoro after Mindoro was divided into two provinces in 1950.