Annual mango festival in Zambales pays homage to rich harvest

Zambales Provincial Capitol

IBA, ZAMBALES--Clad in coloful mango-inspired costumes, street dancers pepped up the annual province-wide festival that celebrates the local thriving mango industry

Zambales Governor Amor D. Deloso

This province is known for its sweet mango varities. In fact,  the  Sweet Elena carabao mango variety grown here was cited in the Guinness Book of World Records world’s sweetest in 1995.

This paved the way for the yearly festivity known as "Dinamulag Festival," to celebrate the bountiful harvest of other mango varieties known also for their large sizes.

Governor Amor Deloso said the festival aims to encourage people to visit Zambales.

"Zambales is more than just a mining province, it is a rising tourist site,” Governor Amor Deloso said.

In the last two weeks, locals and tourists alike witnessed other activities during the festival.

Among these were  Zamba Tuklas Talento, I Love Zumbales Zumba Session, Ginoong Millennial Zambales, Musikalikasan Beach Mardi Gras, Sambaliwanag Float Parade, Environmental Summit, Tanghalang Zambaleño, Padagaw Nin Aytan Zambaleño, Lakbaycycle Tour, Binibining Zambales 2019, and the Earth Hour Celebration.

"The celebration of the Zambales mango is more than just the mango itself. Truly, the event is a celebration of Zambales and the many things one can do in the province," Omar Deloso, chair of the festival, said.

He said the annual revelry has gotten more exciting with the improvements in the staging of the  Bb. Zambales and Ginoong Millenials.

Meanwhile, Zambales Vice Gov. Angel Magsaysay said, “Zambales is one of the popular summer destinations not only because it is blessed with the clean and endless beaches, but also because of its sweet kinalabaw (dinamulag) mangoes”.

She said the Dinamulag Festival celebration is about creating a legacy, adding that, “What we’re doing here today is to inspire our future generations to inspire our people.”

Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla of Zambales' 2nd district, expressed elation over the success of the festival's.

"I have always been proud of the province of Zambales and I always say that our province is the most beautiful province in the country because we are beautifully sandwiched by mountains and sea," Montalla said.