The Lungib Festival also known as the Matanao Cave Festival is a celebration of the natural wonders found in the caves of Sitio Talambato in Barangay Asbang, Municipality of Matanao in Davao del Sur.
The festival is a way of putting into action the thrust of the local government of Matanao which seeks the protection and preservation of the tourist sites and to also highlight the culture and tradition of the B’laan communities.
Clover Jane Sabornido, tourism con information officer of Matanao said for the short period its tourism thrust has been operational through the Lungib Festival, which is held in partnership with the Blaan community.
“Ever since we started, we really emphasized how important is their participation and at the same time, their awareness in the preservation of the environment by doing awareness seminar or seminar together with the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources on protection and preservation, giving them the understanding on the cave resources and wildlife act and the rules for environment protection,” she said.
Sabornido said the Blaan communities serve as guides in the sites. “Before, they used to tend their fields, now they have an extra income serving as tour guides.”
“They make sure they help in nourishing the environment because they will be the first to lose jobs, once the surroundings are not well taken care of,” she added.
According to Sabornido, the majority of their cave-guides in the B’laan community are women.
Apart from being cave guides they also weave bamboo products, the women are active members of the barangay tourism council, where they are joined by Blaan elders and leaders.
The Matanao Cave Festival
The Lungib Festival was empowered by the municipal ordinance in the year 2022. The ordinance has made it an annual event in the town scheduled every third week of April.
“This month we started the activities with growing activities, aimed at making the trees grow,” Sabornido said.
Other eco-tourism destinations in Matanao that are featured in the festival include Su’bon cave and the Bulul Lumot peak.
Sabornido said Su’bon cave is located at the heart of Sitio Talambato.
She recalled that during the height of Martial Law, Su’bon cave provided a clandestine refuge for local populace.
“It served as a safe haven for people who wanted to save their lives,” Sabornido said.
Mt. Bulul Lumot used to be a guerrilla base of the Communist Terrorist Group in the Alip Range. Sabornido said it hosted plenums and terror exercises in the past.
With peace returning to the communities, the area has attracted visitors and visitors from Davao del Sur and other places who have trekked to its forests.
She said through the effort of the local government unit, Bulul Lumot became a protected area because of its rich flora and fauna.
Another promoted destination during the festival is Mal River in Barangay Dongan-Pekong which hosts water tubing along its rapids. (PIA/JSGD)
