The Pintados festival of Tacloban City recalls pre-Spanish history through painted dancers resembling tattooed warriors. During the festival, dancers covered from head to toe in colorful body paint perform folk dances in the streets that portray traditions from before the Spanish arrival. A parade also travels through Tacloban City. The festival aims to give glimpses into the past lives of the native Leytenos people.

1. PINTADOS DE PASI
The Pintados festival ofTacloban City is a Filipino festival with its own unique flavor. This
Pintados festival recalls Pre-Spanish history ofthe native Leytenos from wars, epics and folk
religions.The mostexpected aspectofthe Pintados festival are the festive dancers,painted from
head to toe with designs that look like armor to resemble the tattooed warriors ofold. During the
course ofthe Pintados festival, dancers whose bodies are painted in an amazing array of colors fill
the streets ofTacloban city. At first sight, they may seem outrageous as grown men pour into the
streets decorated in such dazzling colors as luminous blue or neon green. But as one gets used to
this and seesthe dances depicted, one gets a glimpse ofthe history ofthe people that once lived on
the islands ofLeyte so long ago.
The folk dances presented by the dancers portray the many traditions that flourished before the
Spaniards came. These include worship ofidols, indigenous music and epic stories. The hypnotic
rhythms of native instruments beat through the air accompanying the dances performed on the
streets as the Pintados festival goes. Aside from the folk dances, is the much likely parade, which
crisscrosses the avenues ofTacloban city. The parade traditionally begins at the Balayuan Towers
and proceeds throughout tacloban leyte city. The surprised spectators followthe procession of
dancing colors from the beginning to end. The Pintados festival concludesin much merrymaking
with a signature traditional Filipino fiesta, where everyone is invited to join the fun and celebrate
the Pintados Festival.

2. PATTARRADAY FESTIVAL
Pattaraday is an ethnic Gaddang word which means unity. Santiago City's "Luntiang Pattaraday
para sa Kalikasan" (Green Unity for Nature) presented a seriesofactivities honed to celebrate
preservation oftheir natural environment during its Founding Anniversary week. Santiago City is
a part ofIsabela, Region II,and takes pride as the Best Tourism Event Hall ofFamer. One ofits
main crowd drawers is the Pattaraday Festival last May 5, a presentation ofethnic tribes from the
locality or neighboring towns showing diverse themesthat celebrate life, love,nature and other
human interests.Contestants from San Manuel, Isabela, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Aritao, Nueva
Viscaya, Angandanan, Isabela, Nagtipunan, Quirino, Alicia, Isabela, IJMS, Santiago City, San
Mateo and Aurora, Isabela, were joined by visiting guest performers from Kapayan, Benguet,
Dinagyang of Ilo-Ilo, Ibon-Ebon ofCandaba, Pampanga, Caloocan City, Gilon-Gilon Street
Dancers and Buyogan Street Dancers with the special participation ofthe Gran Batalla performing
troupe ofSantiago City. In a nutshell, the event was a dance congress joined by contingents from as
far as Tuguegarao and Ilo-Ilo.

3. SANGYAW FESTIVAL
Sangyaw Festival is a religious and socio-cultural event in the Philippines. It was revived in 2008 by
the city government ofTacloban, Philippines. Sangyawmeans “to herald news” in Waray language.
Various festival-participants from different parts of the country participate in this tribal
procession. It was held a day before the city fiesta. The festival was first held in 1974 but was
cancelled in 1987.
The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival ofFestivals replaced the SangyawFestival from 1987 to 2007.
The Sangyaw, which means “to herald good news,” has been a trademark ofthe City ofTacloban
since it was first held in 1947. A brainchild of Leyte native,former First Lady Imelda Marcos,the
Sangyaw Festival died along with the Marcos administration in 1986. The Pintados Festival,
organized by a non-government organization, replaced Sangyawand is still recognized by the
Department ofTourism today.
Since the Romualdezesrevived the SangyawFestival in 2008, it has been compared with and even
called copycat not only to Pintados but to other festivals in other places ofthe country. That is why
this year, Councilor Romualdez thought ofdoing something new.