The
Bambanti Festival (“bambanti” is the Ilocano word for “scarecrow”) was
introduced in 1997 during the term of then-governor Benjamin Dy, and the first
festivals were held in May, the province’s founding month. Faustino “Bojie” G.
Dy III, who assumed the governorship in 2011 and is the current vice-governor,
drafted the resolution that moved the festival to January.
Isabela, located in Luzon’s Cagayan Valley, at 12,414 sq kilometers, is the country’s second-largest province. It is known for its agriculture and is considered the corn capital of the Philippines, so the Bambanti Festival is a celebration of the previous year’s harvest. The annual festival aims to foster unity among the province’s residents, promote and preserve its cultural heritage, and promote its local products and industries.
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San Agustin |

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Ms.Jaycel Lumauig, runner-up representing the Indigenous People |