BALIWAG, Bulacan—This municipality celebrated Pakwan Festival last Friday, showcasing its fruitful and profitable harvest. Farmers of this town earned P6 million in one harvest season in 100 hectares of land containing watermelons.
Ariel Cabingao, the barangay captain of Barangay Tarcan and head of the organizers of Pakwan Festival, told the BusinessMirror the desire of the farmers to have three harvest seasons resulted in planting watermelons and eventually having a festival for pakwan farmers. At first, they were just planting corn and vegetables and eventually planted watermelons as an alternate to the said farm products. February is for planting and May is harvesting season.
He said the record showed planting watermelon is beneficial because of the bigger profit it provides for the farmers. He said four years ago it was launched when they gave seeds to 150 farmers. He said the farmers wanted to promote it and formed a group, which he leads, handled Pakwan Festival. He said carts filled with watermelon were paraded in the entire barangay.
Cabingao said the festival showcased the sweetest, biggest, heaviest and the most abundant harvester and were given prizes. Watermelon seeds will be given away as prices.
The barangay captain said the dapog system is helpful in planting and producing better harvest.
Mayor Ferdie Estrella said his administration provided pakwan seeds to the farmers. The Pakwan Festival is now incorporated with the Buntal Festival, an exhibit of the products made from woven buntal fibers. This festival also helps the local community preserve the weaving of buntal into various products like hats.
The mayor also invited the public to join them in the celebration. He said local tourists were expected to go to Barangay Tarcan to participate in the festival. He said the festival serves as a venue to promote Barangay Tarcan as a pakwan center.