Coinciding with their town’s celebration of the 74th Founding Anniversary, the Gapo at Palusong Festival sets the town’s vibe into a colorful and festive mood. With the colorful buntings, the decorated streets and event paraphernalia in place, you would instantly feel the traditional festival spirit lurking in every corner of participating entities.

Having experienced various harvest festivities in the province of Quezon, understanding General Nakar’s own Gapo and Palusong Festival deepened and widened my understanding of the myriad ways in how different communities observe and celebrate their bounties through their own unique manners and rituals.

What does Gapo and Palusong means?

The term “Gapo” is a terminology from the local Nakarins having a deep meaning transcending their farming tradition and solemn practices. It is exemplified by the locals’ primitive farming rituals with stories involving the family’s male patriarch performing unique offering chants and rituals, at times in complete and utter nudity, prior commencement of farming activities.

The term “Palusong” indicates the strong cooperative and united spirit of the local Nakarins – the concept of Bayanihan applied during various phases of farming. The nomenclature roots in the term “lusong” defines actions leading to farm activities such as land tilling, pest control and actual planting, and at present, to move forward.

The Gapo and Palusong Festival celebrates not just the town’s anniversary but the deep-rooted unique culture that defines what being a Nakarin is.

FESTIVAL MAIN EVENTS

THE STREET DANCE COMPETITION

Four street dance contingents vied for the town’s supremacy and bragging rights as they strut their creative productions and catchy choreographies during the main parade. All smiles and magical flicks of their hands with their props truly raved the audience waiting along the main road. The Street Dance Competition culminated at the Municipal Grounds where deeper interpretations of the festival are manifested with their creative dance steps, formations and execution of props.

Short Video of the Streetdance: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=566211729044495

LGU NIGHT

Armed with our casual outfits, we arrived at the LGU night blasted with catchy Live Rock music powerfully blaring the speakers. Seated near the stage, we felt every bass and beat transcend our physicalities and spirits with songs that almost everyone can sing with.

A few inches from our semi-filled tummies were tightly wrapped dinner servings awaiting the most coveted and divine signal to devour – can’t help it but stare at lovely and nice dishes of the night.

A lot of well-wishes and speeches by various LGU heads and non other by their executive head, Mayor Ruzol, to captivate each and every municipal staff that completes their entire fabric of operations – it is their night and it is their moment to celebrate each and everyone’s efforts towards the continued growth and success of their very own General Nakar.

It was like a concert night where everyone enjoyed the magical serenade and faces appeared relaxed albeit nonchalant. What a way to cap our first day of coverage of the Gapo and Pasulong Festival. Good food and liquors dominated each and every table and merry-making ensued.

COCO COOKING CONTEST 2023

With the direct objective to create and concoct delectable yet healthy entrees and delicacies, the Coco Cooking Contest during the week-long festivities in the town of General Nakar has set a notch higher challenge to its 11 brave barangay team representatives. Arriving at their municipal gymnasium, cooking table setups and presentation tables were uniquely designed by each barangay to complement their cooking masterpieces.

At the end of the countdown helmed by their very own municipal chief executive, the pans fired up and magical flicks of each skilled hand labored on their brought ingredients. Momentarily, the savoury aroma of varying aromatics and the sweet scent of coconut milk simmering turned the municipal gymnasium into a gastronomic wonderland. All 10 competing teams worked their way in bringing out the blending of flavors and textures.

Dominating the cookingscape of General Nakar, Barangay Banglos snatched both championship in the 2023 Coco Cooking Contest

All will receive consolation prizes and no one is going home empty-handed. Surely, this is another round of perseverance and grit that defined the hours of the contest. For sure, unforgettable memories would fill their present consciousness and judges has urged them to play their game a notch higher.

Winners
Kakanin category

• 3rd place 5k puto bao w/ yema poblacion
• 2nd place 10k malagkit na my buko anoling
• 1st place 15k turon banglos

Ulam category

• 3rd place 5k pagsanghan
• 2nd place 10k lumutan
• 1st place 15k banglos

Special Awards

• Best in Gayak Award – Barangay Anoling

List of Participating Barangays

• BATANGAN – Kakanin Snowballs, Prawns Thermidore
• BANGLOS – Turon Kalabuko, Baranlosdish
• ANOLING – Nilube, Malagkit na may Buko
• SABLANG – Ginataan Mura, Pakong Buaya
• POBLACION – Puto Bai with Yema, Nilatik na Bagoong
• PISA – Minatamis na Kamote at Makapuno with Tubo, Native na Manok na Pinaupo sa Gata
• PAMPLONA – Kabetse Tilapia, Sagobe
• PAGSANGAHAN – Macapuno, Ginataang Bayuki
• MINAHAN NORTE – Tikoy Galpong na may Santan Buko, Creamy Coconut Kernel
• LUMUTAN – Kamote Candy, Hipon Agama

ENDURO-CROSS CHALLENGE

Testing the grip and grit of the challengers at the 2023 Enduro-Cross Challenge during the Gapo and Palusong Festival of General Nakar.

The sweltering heat of the afternoon was never a hindrance as a series of laps raved this season’s motocross. Another crowd-drawing event, the endurance track obstacles proved their increasing difficulty as riders ripped along the track while some nailing it high above or blitzing through the obstacles, certainly testing their skills and prowess. The track features hairpin curves, an almost vertical solid dirt high obstacle that sometimes causes bailing and block passes.

THE SONG AND DANCE COMPETITION

Another crowd drawing during the Gapo and Palusong Festival of General Nakar, the town open gymnasium is jampacked for the Sing and Dance Competition segment of the weeklong festivities. The night, albeit the quick strong downpour, did not hinder the ingress of supporting locals and guests representing their respective barangays. Certainly, each and every performance is a work of community and the leaders’ behind, coupled with the sheer and natural talent of each participant defined the creative night.

Bagging the singing championship is the Barangay Anoling Representative, Hannah Ayesha Conchada, with power rap and belting power that made her stood out among the rest of the participants.

Barangay Maigang, represented by D’ Cresset dance group strutting their well-fitted black and white motif, exhibited such clean and snappy choreography with a clear Korean pop influence. The sole male performer, apparently the group lead, stood out as well, albeit the feminine-dominated choreography, but created a well-planned performance clearly to snatch the top prize.

SINGING COMPETITION RESULTS AND PRIZES

• 3rd place 3,000 Roxanne Khaye R. Torres (Magsikap)
• 2nd place 5,000 Jasmine Amoin (Pisa)
• 1st place 8,000 Hannah Ayesha Conchada (Anoling)

DANCE COMPETITION RESULTS AND PRIZES

• 3rd place 5,000 Magnificient (Pamplona)
• 2nd place 10,000 New Image Generation (Poblacion)
• 1st place 15,000 D’ Cresset (Maigang)

KTM KIMBA RAID ASIA QUALIFIERS

History has been made at General Nakar where the Philippine representative for the Asian Stage Motor Cross will be chosen as the victor for this year’s edition. The natural rugged landscape and sheer backdrop of the ocean were the natural obstacles that tested the skills and determination of each individual competitor. They have to tackle a more than a hundred kilometer stretch of defined race track of challenging terrain features such as various river crossings and muddy tracks.

CHAMPION VARIETY SHOW

Capping the Gapo and Palusong Festival is the culminating star-studded Champion Variety Show featuring performers and celebrities from the top TV Networks. Power singers that graced the stage are Rachelle Laylo, a runner-up in a noontime TV Singing contest, Don Amuel and Luis Gragera who are both finalists in a TV Singing Contest. PPop Gen, a girl band grouped raved the young crowd with their song and dance number. Celebrity Kelvin Miranda serenaded the crowd, and David Licauco sends the audience on top of their voice with his live singing performance.