Catbalogan city’s tribu katbalaugan

Catbalogan City’s Tribu Katbalaugan: Preserving Culture through Dance and Music

TRIBU Katbalaugan is Catbalogan City’s official festival contingent inspired from the city’s old name “Katbalaugan,” which was taken from a shrub that once thrived along the river banks of the fishing village called “balaug” and “Tribu,” which means “group” or “clan”.

The official festival contingent made its formal debut in Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival in 2015, the country’s “Best Festival” as awarded by Choose Philippines of the ABS-CBN as being the most exciting, unforgettable and meaningful Filipino festival. With its “tuko” or gecko inspired theme presentation, it called for the protection of our environment whose main perpetrator are humans. This presentation got a Third Runner-Up nod in 2015 on its first attempt to the join the country’s biggest festival of festivals.

In 2015 as well, Tribu Katbalaugan joined Aliwan Fiesta, the country’s national competition of festivals all over the Philippines organized by the Manila Broadcasting Company and the Cities of Manila and Pasay. Tribu Katbalaugan, bearing the Manaragat Festival of Catbalogan City, made a record of winning the Championship Title on its first attempt – a feat never been achieved by any festival contingent.

For its second attempt in Sinulog Festival in 2016, Tribu Katbalaugan ranked higher placing 1st Runner-Up on its sea-inspired presentation and out to defend its Aliwan Fiesta Champion title, Tribu Katbalaugan made another record of a back-to-back win in the said national competition.

In 2017 Sinulog Festival, Tribu Katbalaugan made another record of winning the Grand Championship title in the Street Dancing Competition besting more than twenty (20) contingents from across different regions in the country while placing another 1st Runner-Up finish in the Ritual Dance competition.

Inspired by the bats at Central Cave in Barangay San Andres, Tribu Katbalaugan did a superb performance that showcased the importance of bats in our ecosystem and that although they may be creatures of darkness, they are still God’s beautiful creations.

Since 2015, Tribu Katbalaugan has been a potent tourism tool in promoting Catbalogan City to the whole of Philippines and to world. It has also been a vital aspect in protecting and preserving the cultural heritage and traditions of the city to not only to the performing dancers, props personnel and instrumentalist but serving as a role model to fellow youths of today.

The story of Catbalogan City’s Tribu Katbalaugan reaping national recognitions in festivals competitions takes its root from the old past of Catbalogan guided by the current administration of Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan bearing a Catbalogan brand of revelry and resilience. Revelry to patron San Bartolome and Señor Santo Niño for the blessings received by the city through the years, and resilience from calamities and struggles that despite these, Catbaloganon should always move forward and further, ever hopeful of a better future.