The
Bangkero Festival of Pagsanjan, Laguna is held during the month of March. It is
inspired by and dedicated to all bangkeros (boatmen) in Pagsanjan and in
honor of the town’s patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe. These boatmen
serve as tour guides whose skills and dexterity demonstrated in
maneuvering the boats upstream and against strong currents of water
until reaching the scenic view of the breath taking Pagsanjan falls.Local
government aims to push the advocacy on environmental protection and
promotion of the local tourism through the celebration of the Bangkero
Festival.Pagsanjan, Laguna - Bangkero Festival
The
5-day Festival has different activities like the traditional boat race
or regatta, fluvial and land parade with street dancing, drum and lyre
competition and other sports events. There are also cultural
presentations and the annual search for “Ginoong Bangkero” and the
“Lakan at Binibining Pagsanjan”.
Pagsanjan (pronounced 'Pag-sang-han') is a second class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 39,313 people. It is situated about 92 kilometres (57 mi) southeast of Manila.
Pagsanjan is the tourist capital of Laguna and the home of the Bangkero Festival. The bangkeros
are tour guides, who steer the tourists' boats. They are the boatmen
who shoot the 14 rapids between rocks and boulders all the way to the Pagsanjan Falls (or Magdapio Falls), for which the town is well known but are actually located in the neighboring municipality of Cavinti. The Bangkero Festival is celebrated in the month of March.The incumbent mayor of Pagsanjan, Laguna is Girlie J. Ejercito, known as former actress Maita Sanchez. She is also the wife of Emilio Ramon "Jorge Estregan, Jr." Ejercito, who served as mayor from 2001–2010 and previous governor of Laguna.
Pagsanjan has a land area of 26.4 square kilometres. It is located about 92 kilometres (57 mi) southeast of Manila. It is bounded on the east by the Balubad Mountain; on the west by the capital town of Santa Cruz; on the north by the San Isidro Hill and Laguna de Bay; on the north-east by the town of Lumban; on the southeast by the towns of Cavinti and Luisiana; on the south by Mount Banahaw; and on the south-west by the town of Magdalena.
Pagsanjan, Laguna - Bangkero Festival