La Carlota City kicked off the one-week thanksgiving festivities April 22 at the plaza, on the theme “One Beat, One La Carlota”.
Now on its 42nd year, Pasalamat Festival is the annual celebration associated with the original samba beat composed by former mayor Luis Jalandoni Jr., and first heard in 1980.
The danceable sound of percussions, accompanied by flirtatious and graceful movements, earned the festival as one of the vibrant fiesta destinations in the Philippines.
The beat was not heard from 2020-2022, the city said in a press release.
True to its nature as a harvest festival, the opening program of the Pasalamat Festival began with a ritual of gratitude for blessings bestowed upon La Carloteños, and performed by SP members Richard Sebastian Benedicto, Jame Manuel Mariño, Josefina Jalandoni, Elmar Aries, BM Julius Asistio, John Badillo, Jojo Jalandoni, Ciriaco Sia, Stephen Simbit, January Abad, Annabelle Bermudo – ABC president, and Jelarie Jean Liansing – SK Federation president.
Negros Occidental 4th District Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, Board Members Manuel Frederick Ko, Jose Benito Alonso, and Asistio, and Mayor Rex Jalando-on cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially opened the festivity.
Jalando-on declared the festival open by beating the ceremonial drum, the sound echoing at the end of every harvest season for the past four decades.
The Panaad Festival 2024 drumbeating champion, Tribu RSB Newgen, and the 14 candidates of the search for Pasalamat Festival Queen also graced the event. | LCC PIO photos
