Gulayan Festival Judges for the 10th Gabaldon Gulayan Festival 2023 competitions led by provincial tourism officer Atty. Joma San Pedro gathered around the float of Bgy. Ligaya with two Dumagat kids seen sitting on a carabao effigy Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. Photo by Steve A. Gosuico

17 colorful floats wow in Gabaldon’s 10th ‘Gulayan Festival’

January 28, 2023 Steve A. Gosuico 582 views

GABALDON, Nueva Ecija – This town’s main fiesta attraction, the 10th annual “Gulayan Festival” featured at least 17 colorful floats adorned with the town’s native produce during the grand float parade held here on Friday.

Municipal Mayor Atty. Jobby P. Emata led the event’s kick-off ceremonies for a six-kilometer parade that commenced at the Dupinga Recreational Park and ended at the municipal gymnasium for the holding of the actual program proper.

Paraded during the 2023 “Gulayan Festival” to pay homage and give thanks to the town’s patron, Saint Paul the Apostle, were colorful floats manually assembled by the town’s 15 barangays and two private sector participants – the Valley Breeze Resort and Wheeltek-Gabaldon.

Hand tractor-drawn floats put on display the town’s rich agricultural produce, such as rice, corn, onions, ginger, vegetables, fruits, and even live chickens.

Also invited to serve as members of the board of judges for the Gulayan Festival 2023 were Provincial Tourism Officer Atty. Joma San Pedro, San Jose City Tourism Officer Darmo Escuadro, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Provincial Director Maylene Pangilinan, PESO Manager Luisa Pangilinan, Llanera Tourism Officer Alejandro Galindez, Pantabangan Officer Emisonia Gante and Atty. San Pedro’s aides Joshua Matias and Aimie Jung.

In an interview, Atty. San Pedro, admitted his group had a “hard time” selecting the winners, and the criteria for judging included the participating float’s relevance to the event’s theme, “Moving forward through faith, hard work and resilience, Gulayan Festival,” and its creativity as well as overall impact.

Atty. San Pedro explained that this kind of festival, which perfectly suits Nueva Ecija, being known as the country’s rice granary and Central Luzon’s food basket, also serves as “tourism drivers” aside from promoting agriculture and strengthening our tradition and culture at the same time.

Meanwhile, the winner of the float parade competitions was perennial champion Barangay Bagting and bagged the top prize of P100,000 and their fifth title since the competitions started in 2012.

The other top three winners were Bgys. Ligaya, Bugnan, and Calabasa won cash prizes worth P70,000, P50,000, and P40,000 each, while consolation prizes of P10,000 each went to the other participating barangays.

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