The Negros Occidental provincial government officially kicked off the countdown for the 30th Panaad sa Negros Festival on Friday, March 13, signaling the start of a month-long buildup to the province’s most anticipated “Festival of Festivals.”
“We look forward to celebrating the biggest and most meaningful Panaad sa Negros Festival to date,” Festival Director Charina Magallanes-Tan said.
“Panaad — which means promise — reflects our enduring promise to keep hope alive, even in the face of difficult circumstances,” she said.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said that aside from the variety show ASAP, three major acts — Ben & Ben, Parokya ni Edgar, and the Sexbomb Girls — will be among the performers at the festival.
The launch, held exactly one month before the weeklong festivities scheduled for April 13–19, was led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jose Benito “Joeben” Alonso in front of the Negros Occidental Capitol in Bacolod City.
The launching included the presentation of this year’s festival logo and MTV, and the sashing of the 32 official Lin-ay sang Negros candidates.
Also present at the launch were candidates of Mister Pilipinas Worldwide who are visiting Negros Occidental.
The governor emphasized that this year’s festivities are more than just a recurring event, they represent three decades of Negrense solidarity.
“We gather not simply to welcome another Panaad Festival, but to celebrate a milestone,” Lacson said.
“For 30 years now, Panaad has brought Negrenses together in celebration of our heritage, our hopes, our challenges, our victories, and our shared identity as one province,” he said.
Vice Governor Jose Benito Alonso said, “Panaad is more than a festival; it is a living testament to resilience and creativity.”
“Each pavilion, each dance, and each song tells the story of our towns and cities, united in a dynamic celebration of tradition and progress,” he said.
The Panaad Festival, derived from the Hiligaynon word panaad meaning “vow” or “promise,” is an annual thanksgiving celebration participated in by the 31 local governments of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.
It highlights all the festivals of the towns and cities of Negros Occidental.
This year’s festival partner organizer is the Negros Youth Leadership Institute.*
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