The upland town of Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya has all the reasons for celebrating the ‘Owag Shi’, the town’s annual festival.
‘Owag Shi’ is an ‘Ibaloi’-‘Iwak ’ tribe term, which means a unified victory shout of the people. It is the annual town festival of Kayapa to foster and strengthen the tribal villagers’ solidarity.
The festival is a way for the locals to honor the Almighty for His endless blessings and continuous guidance over the years. It is also an avenue to showcase the town’s tourism potential and well-preserved culture and tradition.
The four-day celebration recently carries the theme: ‘Diverse Culture of Kayapa: The Foundation of Agro-Tourism Development’. The town’s clustered barangays showcased this theme through their well-crafted and decorated floats.
The festival was visited by Sen. Bong Go together with movie actor Philip Salvador.
The indigenous peoples of Kayapa, namely ‘Kalanguya’, ‘Ibaloi’, and ‘Iwak’, consider the lawmaker as a partner for the town’s continuing development.
He was welcomed by Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, acting Vice Gov. Edgardo Balgos, amd board members Catillo Tidang,Jr., Jose Tomas, Sr. and Nickson Millo.
He was formally adopted as a Son of Kayapa and named him ‘Lacbungan’ (honored man) through a performed ritual by the tribal elders.
The senator’s recognition as an adopted son of Kayapa is a tribute to his big-ticket projects implemented in the municipality.
Senator Go poured in P32 million for the construction of the Local Government Unit’s three-story building dubbed ‘Abong y Kayapa’ where he led the unveiling of its marker during his visit to Barangay Kayapa Proper.
He was also instrumental in the establishment and completion of the P11.5 million Super Health Center in Barangay Castillo Tidang and the provision of jobs for 500 poor villagers in Kayapa, through the Tulong Pangkabuhayan para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers Program.
He also distributed gifts to the poor villagers of Kayapa. The Senator vowed to provide sustained help for the municipality of Kayapa in partnership with its local officials.
Mayor Elizabeth Balasya expressed her profound gratitude to the senator and assured him of their assistance in bringing the senator’s help to their villagers, especially the marginalized.
“We are indeed lucky to have Senator Bong Go as our Adopted Son. We thank you and wish you well in your humanitarian endeavors for our country,” she said.
The senator’s adoption as a Son of Kayapa is a major expression of respect, honor, and reverence for his development assistance and productive deeds for the municipality.
This tribal act can also be expressed simply by naming their sons and daughters before the names of those who showed great deeds and character for a tribal family or community in Nueva Vizcaya.
To further instill meaning in the adoption of Sen Go as a son of the town, the Kalanguya, Ibaloi, and Iwak tribes perform the Owag Shi, exemplifying praise, honor, and reverence. (BME/PIA Nueva Vizcaya)
