LEGAZPI CITY — Bicolanos are known to be “oragon” (slang for brave, feisty, resilient, and steadfast in beliefs). It’s a description gleaned from the epic of Ibalong and its warrior-heroes.

Legazpi is celebrating the Ibalong Festival not only to highlight the traits enshrined in Bicol folklore but also to provide a fun challenge for those who want to experience being oragon in sports and other competitions.

The festival is held from August to October, usually showcasing concerts, pageants, agri-trade fairs, music and arts competitions, and exhibits. This year, it began on Aug. 21 and will run until Sept. 6 with a hectic array of activities, including a Bini concert and Battle of the Bands, street dancing and a tattoo expo. (See schedule.)

The event pays tribute to the traditional epic Ibalong, which depicts the bravery of warriors and Bicol rulers Baltog, Handyong and Bantong as they face various challenges, including those posed by mythical creatures Oryol (a woman serpent) and Rabot (a wild boar).

Although the only available manuscript of the epic is in Spanish, local historians have interpreted it for Bicolanos to understand and appreciate.

Ibalong Festival 2025 will be the second staging since the Covid-19 pandemic ended. It was established in 1992 by then Mayor Imelda Roces as a grand celebration to draw tourists and enhance appreciation of local history and culture.

Participants and visitors can still expect the usual popular activities, starting from the fireworks display and the parade of cosplayers of various characters and mythical creatures of the Ibalong epic to the street dance competition, concerts, and art
exhibits.

Joshua Orante, a second-year journalism student at Bicol University, considers the street dance contest as the much-awaited activity, with performers coming from such institutions as the Legazpi City Science High School and the Ligao National High School.

Orante said that since childhood, he has also been fascinated not only by the parade itself but also by the props and costumes of those portraying the Ibalong characters.

Lolito Nisola, a 60-year-old taho (soybean) vendor from Daraga, Albay, said the parade is an opportunity for him to boost his sales.

Sports and fitness activities are crowd-drawers in the festival. Last year, during the term of Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal, the National Billiards Tournament, the Darts Cup Regional Tournament, the Mt. Mayon Bike Challenge, and the Golf Tournament were held.

This time, under Mayor Hisham Ismail, more sports-related events are included, such as the trampoline fitness exercise at Ibalong Park.

Here’s the schedule of sports activities:

Aug. 23
Ibalong Festival Boxing Competition, 8 a.m., at Embarcadero de Legazpi
Softball Tournament, 7 a.m., at Bicol University (BU) Oval

Aug. 24
Softball Tournament, 7 a.m. at BU Oval
1^st Mayor Hisham Ismail Airsoft Speedball Competition, 7 a.m., at BU Football Field
1^st Mayor’s Cup Ibalong Festival Open Karatedo Championship, 9 a.m., at Ibalong Centrum for Recreation (ICR)

Aug. 27
Derby, at ICR

Aug. 29
Ibalong Golf Tournament, 6:30 a.m., at Doña Pepita Golf Course
Beach Volleyball Tournament, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Sawangan Park

Aug. 30
Ibalong Golf Tournament, 6:30 a.m., at Doña Pepita Golf Course
Beach Volleyball Tournament, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Sawangan Park
1st Ibalong Fun Bike and Fun Run, 5 a.m., at Ibalong Park
Ibalong Zumba 2025, 6 a.m., at Ibalong Park
Ibalong Grassroots Dancesport Tournament, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Atrium, G/F Pacific Mall
Softball Tournament, 7 a.m., at BU Oval
Ibalong Football Tournament, 7 a.m., at BU Old Football Field
Dragon Boat Invitational Race, 8 a.m., at Legazpi Boulevard
Provincial Table Tennis Tournament, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at LCC 4/F Activity Center

Aug. 31
Beach Volleyball Tournament, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Sawangan Park
Softball Tournament, 7 a.m., at BU Oval
Ibalong Football Tournament, 7 a.m., at BU Old Football Field
Dragon Boat Invitational Race, 8 a.m., at Legazpi Boulevard
Provincial Table Tennis Tournament, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at LCC 4/F Activity Center
Ibalong Mayon 360 Bike Challenge, 5 a.m., at Ibalong Park

Sept. 1–5
International Billiards Tournament, 9 a.m., at LC3

Sept. 3
Liga Night, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., at LC3

Sept. 6–7
1st Ibalong Festival Regional Open Poomsae and Kyurogui Taekwondo Championship, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., at LC3

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