Mindanao’s biggest beach party won’t rock due to energy crisis
GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Mindanao’s biggest annual beach party, the Sarangani Bay Festival, popularly called SarBay Fest, would be observed with simple activities this year due to the national energy crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East, Gov. Rogelio Pacquiao said.
The governor appealed for understanding for the subdued celebration, which will be held on May 22 in Glan, a town famous for its white sand beaches.
“There will be no splendid beach party. We will not invite national celebrities and popular bands. No big stages. No grand production,” Pacquiao said.
He stressed that the cutback on SarBay Fest’s grand celebrations is part of the province’s austerity measures.
“We are not spared from this crisis. Prices of commodities are soaring because of the tension in the global stage. Everybody is affected,” Pacquiao said.
Ocean protection
He said that instead of holding a huge merrymaking, this year’s iteration will focus on protecting the ocean for the welfare of residents and the livelihood of fisherfolk.
Pacquiao said the celebrations would be geared more on strengthening the “I Love Clean SarBay” advocacy, which will include coastal cleanup activities and advocating for the conservation of Sarangani Bay.
The 215,950-hectare bay, which was declared a protected seascape in 1996 by then President Fidel Ramos, straddles the towns of Glan, Malapatan, Alabel, Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum, and the chartered city of General Santos.
In past editions, the SarBay Fest was celebrated with nights of concerts and dancing along the village of Gumasa, touted as the “Boracay of the South” due to its powdery white sand beaches.
Glan, a bucolic town at least an hour away from General Santos City, is considered the top tourism destination in Sarangani, mainly due to its powdery white sand beaches in Gumasa and nearby villages.
The SarBay Fest started in 2006 during the term of Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez.
Last year, SarBay Fest ran for three days from May 23 to May 25. Aside from concerts by national artists and various disk jockeys setting the tone for grooving, merrymakers were treated to a “Splash in the Sky” fireworks display.
Tourism, history
Other activities included jet ski competition, beach volley tournament, bay bodies, and “bancarera” (motorized outrigger boats race), and several more.
Organizers placed the largest crowd in attendance, mostly local tourists, at 400,000 during the 2024 SarBay Fest edition.
Glan also boasts of heritage colonial houses and centuries-old trees that are silent witnesses of the town’s rich history.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) included Glan, particularly the village of Batulaki, as part of the 500th year commemoration of the first circumnavigation of the world by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
Chronicler Antonio Pigafetta wrote that the surviving crew of the Spanish expedition dropped anchor in “Biraham Batulach,” known as the present-day Barangay Batulaki, to seek solace from a raging storm on Oct. 26, 1521.
