First El Pasuba Festival April 28

MANILA, Philippines - Showbiz icons led by Taal’s adopted daughter, Mother Lily Monteverde, Ogie Alcasid and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto are expressing their whole-hearted support to the First El Pasuba Festival of the historical town of Taal, Batangas on April 28 to 30.

Spearheaded by Taal Mayor Michael Montenegro, Vice Mayor Pong Mercado, former line producer and director of Regal Films Batangas first district Rep. Tom Apacible, and the Sangguniang Bayan members, the festival is made possible also through the cooperation and assistance of Vice Gov. Mark Leviste and AVE Party List Rep. Amang Magsaysay.

The El Pasubat will be the town’s first summer festival in celebration of Taal’s 439th year of foundation. A collaborative effort of the local government and people of Taal, it will showcase the town’s well-flavored and unique culture which has been flawlessly passed down from one generation to another.

The festivities begin with a parade of music and street dancing; a trade fair of Taal’s local products; a food fair of the town’s delicacies; a concert at the park; and a Youth Night Street party. Other highlights of the festival will be the Visitas delas Casas — an open house of the majestic ancestral homes around the town; Gran Festival del Baile — a glamorous gala of music and dancing under the stars; and the Palaro ng Lahi — a sporting event that will feature Filipino games.

A grand parade on April 30 marks the feast’s last day to be participated in by the town’s beauty queens with a big thanksgiving party at night.

Aside from the summer festival, some of Taal’s treasured attractions are the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, known to be the largest Catholic church in Southeast Asia, the Shrine of Our Lady of Casaysay, miraculously recovered by a fisherman in the Pansipit River in 1603; and the numerous restored houses that exude elegance and splendor of the Spanish architecture.

The town also boasts of its native delicacies like sinaing na tulingan, panutsa, tapang Taal, tsokolate, adobo sa dilaw, maliputo and tawilis. A trip to its public market will show the visitors the row of exquisite Burda de Taal and its famous balisong products in Barangay Balisong.