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This year marks one decade of the Bañamos Festival in honor of the town’s patroness Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas (Virgin of the Holy Waters). Bañamos, meaning ‘to bathe,’ carries the theme “Papuri’t Pasasalamat Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas: Viva Bañamos sa Bagong Los Baños” and which also coincides with the town’s 396th founding year as a municipality.
Mayor Anthony Genuino said “Bañamos is a way to thank God for the blessings in Los Baños and for keeping our collective spirits alive in our efforts to promote science, environmental preservation and economic progress.”
For almost four centuries, it is believed that people who dip in water that emanates from the hot springs near the mystical Mt. Makiling of Los Baños are cured from ailments.
(Photo courtesy of the Los Baños Public Information Unit)
The tenth Bañamos Festival officially kicks-off on September 14 with a showcase of assorted local products such as the world-famous buko pie and other delicacies, handicrafts, organic health products, and construction materials made from recycled plastic. Los Baños is a pioneering local government unit in the country that bans the use of plastic bags in public markets and grocery stores.
The Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Los Baños will hold the the Takbo Para Kay Maria, a 2K and 5K fund-raising fun run, which starts dawn on September 10 at the Baker Hall of the University of the Philippines Los Baños and at the Olivarez Plaza. Proceeds of the event will go to various church projects of the parish.
The Dia Aguas Santas (Day of the Holy Waters) is set on September 17 where a symbolic public bathing will be held in a hot spring pool blessed with holy water near the Immaculate Conception Parish Church.
A procession called elejer, highlighted by spiritual street-dancing, will also be held where some 5,000 devotees are expected to join. Once gathered near the lakeshore of Baybayin, the devotees will accompany the statue of the patroness as it is mounted to join a fleet of balsa or wide motorized fishermen’s boat in a fluvial parade that will traverse a portion of the lakeshore of Los Baños.
In the early 17th century the town was referred to as Los Baños or ‘public baths’ by a Franciscan priest named Pedro Bautista because of the locality’s abundant hot springs. Public baths were then built by Spaniards after discovering the healing powers of the hot springs.
The Franciscan friars also constructed the Hospital de Nuestra Señora de las Aguas Santas de Mainit in honor of the patroness who is considered, even in modern times, as the spiritual icon of Roman Catholics in this town. Los Baños became an independent municipality in the year 1615.
Mayor Genuino added that Bañamos also aims to further boost the town’s tourism potential with other attractions such as Mt. Makiling, Dampalit Falls, Old Pantalan, Tadlac (Alligator) Lake, Mud Spring, Magnetic Hill, along with prominent institutions like the Boy Scouts Jamboree Camp, the International Rice Research Institute, and the UP Los Baños.
Other highlights of the Bañamos Festival include the national dance competition called Bailamos along with street dancing showdown, waterball adventure at the lakeshore, battle of pop and traditional bands, bikathon-for-a-cause, hot spring spa and wellness showcase, town sale or cedera, a beauty pageant, and fireworks display by the lake near the expansive Paciano Rizal Park.
Aside from its prominence in academics, science and research, Los Baños is a well-known tourist weekend or summer getaway because of the town’s proximity to Metro Manila and its hot spring resorts and assorted native delicacies.
On August 7, 2000, Los Baños was declared as a “Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines” through Presidential Proclamation No. 349 in recognition as a center for science and technology in the development of agriculture and preservation of the environment.
A press release from the Los Baños Public Information Unit. For inquiries, contact [email protected].
Ito ang mga inaabangan ng libu-libong mamamayan ng Los Baños at mga lokal at dayuhang turista sa pagdiriwang ng Ika-396 Taong Pagkakatatag ng Bayan at Ika-Sampung taon ng Bañamos Festival mula Setyembre 14 hanggang 18.
Ang tema sa taong ito ay “Papuri’t Pasasalamat Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas: Viva Bañamos sa Bagong Los Baños.”
Parada, Paligsahan at Pagdiriwang
Bubuksan ang isang linggong pagdiriwang sa pamamagitan ng live TV coverage ng programang Unang Hirit ng GMA 7 sa ika-14 ng Setyembre, Miyerkules, sa Paciano Rizal Park. Isang programa rin ang idaraos sa ika-16 ng Setyembre, Biyernes, sa nasabing plaza. May parada din ng mga karosa na magmumula sa Trace College hanggang sa Paciano Rizal Park na lalahukan ng iba’t ibang drum and lyre bands.
Sa Sabado naman, ika-17 ng Setyembre, isang misang pasasalamat ang gaganapin sa Immaculate Conception Church bilang alay sa Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas na susundan ng isang elejer papunta sa Paciano Rizal Park.
Buong linggong masasaksihan ang Spa and Wellness Fair at ang Bañamos Town Sale sa Paciano Rizal Park. Ang WTF!! What The Fun!! Water Ball Adventure ay gaganapin naman sa Tadlac Lake at sa nasabing plaza. Ang mga tiket sa Tadlac Lake ay nagkakahalaga ng Php60.00 habang ang sa Paciano Rizal Park ay Php75.00. Ang Lakbay Lawa ay gaganapin naman sa daungan ng Baybayin.
Ang mga sumusunod ang iba’t ibang tagisan ng talento na magaganap:
Bilang pagwawakas, isang programa at fireworks display ang gaganapin sa ika-18 ng Setyembre sa may baybayin ng Paciano Rizal Park.
Viva Bañamos sa Bagong Los Baños
Ayon kay Mayor Anthony ‘Ton’ Genuino, “Ang pagdiriwang ng Bañamos ay pasasalamat sa Poong Maykapal sa mga biyaya ng ating bayan. Pagdiriwang din ito sa pagkakaisa ng mamamayan.” Aniya, pagkakataon ang okasyong ito upang mas lalo pang pasiglahin ang kooperasyon ng iba’t-ibang sektor sa pamayanan tungo sa “ibayong pag-unlad ng Bagong Los Baños.”
Dagdag pa ng punongbayan na layon din ng Bañamos Festival na ipamalas sa buong bansa ang Special Science and Nature City of Los Baños na may angking kagandahan at kaaya-ayang kapaligiran at tourist spots, at kakaibang galing sa larangan ng syensya, akademiya, at sa sining at kultura.
“Layunin nating maging bukambibig ng mga turista sa loob at labas ng bansa ang Bañamos nang sa gayon ay mas lalong sumigla ang turismo sa ating bayan,” pahayag ng alkalde.
Ayon naman sa Festival Committee, ang disenyong logo (nasa larawan) ng 10th Bañamos Festival ay simbolo ng “kolektibong hangarin ng mamamayan ng Los Baños upang makamit ang mas maunlad at mas mapayapang komunidad sa ilalim ng pamahalaang lokal na tumatalima sa mabuting pamamahala ng nagkakaisang taumbayan na ginagabayan naman ng mapagkalingang kamay ng Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas.”
A press release from the Los Baños Public Information Unit. For inquiries, contact Oji Sanchez through [email protected].
Courtesy of the Los Baños Public Information Unit