BINALBAL FESTIVAL SA TUDELA MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL | #MAGBINALBAL_KITA

 

BinalBal Festival 2023
Photo Courtesy of  Roger Paul Fuentes

#MAGBINALBAL_KITA! By Atty. Lhem Japos Naval

BINALBAL festival in Tudela dates back as early as the first decade of the 20th century, years before Tudela became a municipality in 1921. According to the accounts of the late mayor Antero Singidas, in an effort to hide their identities, prominent residents namely Gregorio Aborka, Kikoy Astora, Andot Oscar, Sofronio Inting, Edmundo Ruiz, Gregorio Nebre, Florentino Olarte, Alberto Raagas and Jose Singson (who became municipal judge and later mayor in 1938-1940) wore horrible-looking masks and scared people just for fun at night time before and after the New Year's traditional midnight Mass.

In 1960, Councilor Resurrection Inting authored a resolution which was unanimously approved declaring January 1 of each year as Binalbal day.

Freed from any restriction whatsoever, it allows a free-for-all entry of whatever could add to the fun, "Anything goes" may aptly be applied as an aphorism for this higly animated and fun-filled spectacle. All for the sake of fun.

BINALBAL must and shall continue. It is part of the identity of Tudelanhons. Critics of this festival cannot embrace this identity simply because they are not Tudelanhons by birth, by heart, by choice. Tudelanhons simply need your respect for and understanding of this part of their culture and heritage, not any misplaced and uncontextualized sensibilities.

The history of Binalbal traced itself as a clan or family-initiated activity. Any support from public or private entities could make it grand as it used to be. Let us have it again as a free-flowing fun. And so must always it be. Tudelanhon families, let us celebrate Binalbal. All for cultural fun!

References :

Daomilas, R.N.(1990) History of Misamis Occidental.

Daomilas, R.N. (2003) Rizal at Dapitan and Historical Bits of Misamis Occidental.

Naval, L.J.(2014) The Grand Northwest of Mindanao. Synoptika Publishers.

Binalbal Festival Official Magazine, Published January 1, 2003, Local Government Unit of Tudela, Misamis Occidental