The Historical Origin and Cultural Implications of Bañamos Festival of Los Baños, Laguna

The month is September and as a child, my grandmother would bring me to the town plaza to watch the Balye sa Kalye, the most awaited event in Bañamos festival of our municipality. This goes every year with my grandma until I grew older to watch other events of the festival by myself or with my friends. The festival was just colors and music, an entertainment, and an annual celebration until I gained the consciousness to wonder its origin and curiosity to ask its implications to the local culture, which set the rationale of this paper.

Origin

            The festival’s name Bañamos, which is a Spanish term meaning “we bathe”, is ascribed to the name of the municipality, Los Baños meaning “the baths”. This is due to the fact that the founding of Los Baños goes back to the Spanish colonization. In the late 16^th century, a canonical mission in the lakeshore towns of Laguna led the Franciscans to come by the hot springs of barrio Mainit, only a visita then (a chapel under a parish). The name of the barrio means ‘hot’ which seems to imply the feature of the springs that can be found there. Eventually, they discovered that the waters have healing power which the natives have known all along. The Franciscans had built a public bath made from cogon grass and bamboo which attracted more people. Cottages made out of nipa and rattan were also constructed. Such establishment paved the way for clearing and settlement of the woody place until a friar had the idea to establish a hospital in the area. The government then granted the religious order to build a hospital which would be called Hospital de Nuestra de Aguas de Santas de Mainit. As the thermal springs had attracted not only the sick and the health-conscious but also migrants and settlers, the popular retreat destination of Spanish colonial rulers of Manila had seen the growing population. The Spanish government finally decided to give the Franciscans the authority to govern the area as a separate town and parish on September 17, 1615 (History: The Founding of Los Baños).

In 2002, the Los Baños Tourism Council, headed by Dr. Francisco F. Peñalba had conceptualized a platform to further promote the tourism industry of the town, thus creating an event – a festival which would be called Bañamos. “Through strong, excellent, and aggressive tourism advocacy, the rich history and culture of Los Baños will help boost the town’s economy, as well as the province or even the nation, which is also a program under the Medium Term Development Plan for Tourism for local economies of the Philippine Government” (Maiquez, Bañamos: The Bathing of Spectacle of Travel, Modernity, and Place as Folklore and Performance). The etymology of the event’s name reflects the abundance of hot springs in the town which can be attributed to Los Baños’ geography as it resides at the foot of Mt. Makiling, a dormant volcano. 

On August 7, 2000, Los Baños was declared a “Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines” by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 349 [s. 2000]… in recognition of the town’s important contribution in country [as it] has remained the country’s hub of science and nature with the presence of national and international research institutions collaborating towards the advancement of science research. (History: The Special Science and Nature City)

            Moreover, it was recognized as “the city where science embraces nature”. The establishment of the University of the Philippine College of Agriculture in 1909 in Los Baños has also boosted the town’s popularity over the century thus advancing its science community, let alone the consequent tourism for having numerous resorts and spas utilizing the hot springs. The Los Baños Science Community (LBSC) is composed of various international and national academic and research institutions like the UP Los Baños (UPLB), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) (Fernandez).

©Bañamos Festival Facebook Page

The Festival and its Impact

Now on its 18^th year, Bañamos is an annual festival celebrated in the month of September, coinciding on the founding anniversary of the municipality. It is usually a weeklong celebration filled with several activities and ceremonies that highlight the “history, cultural heritage, talents, products, and beauties of Los Baños.” Over the years, there have been both additional activities and change in the program. What remains is the celebration of the founding anniversary of the Los Baños on September 17 which is often declared as a special non-working holiday by the Malacañang in the recent years and was finally legislated under R.A 11116 or An Act Declaring September 17 of Every Year a Special Nonworking Holiday in the Municipality of Los Baños, Province of Laguna, in Commemoration of its Founding Anniversary and the Annual Bañamos Festival in 2018 (Official Gazette). This further legitimizes the celebration and especially the annual festival.

Bañamos events are commonly held at what the folks call “Bayan” or the Poblacion near the shore of Laguna de Bay; the place is actually called General Paciano Rizal Park where the grounds is adjacent to his antique house. It is where the street dancing, also known as Balye sa Kalye, is anticipated by the general public. Starting from a national high school down to the streets going to the town plaza, every barangay has prepared for their colorful performance and lively exhibitions. A final showdown of each barangay is also judged after the street dancing. I remember my mother joining our barangay’s group for the street dance; I was just a little child with little sense of what was happening. However, I am sure that the street dance has since then evolved as it got more sophisticated, bigger props are used, and dancers now vary from high school students to professional dancers. Balye sa Kalye got even more competitive as each barangay would hire professional choreographers (immersed in other prominent festivals like Sinulog and Dinagyang) who would conduct auditions once the competition guideline from the municipal government is released.

Aside from Balye sa Kalye, other notable activities of Bañamos are as follow:

Bailamos Dance Battle – “The annual competition is being held to showcase the youth’s talents and to get them involved in worthwhile activities, such as promoting a cause” and this cause primarily encourages out-of-school youth to engage with recreational activities such as dancing. The event coordinator and chairman of Bailamos implied as to address the use and abuse of illegal drugs in the country (Jauregui).

Padyak LB – “[Now on its 10^th year,] bikers from Los Baños and other nearby towns gather to enjoy, exercise, and socialize while exploring the beauty of Los Baños.” It is also a “fun for a good cause” as the proceeds of the event went to the Municipal Health Office to support its anti-rabies program and continually promote a safe and healthy environment for people and animals (Canlas and Argosino).

Barangay Booth & Trade Fair – All barangays set up their respective booths in the Gen. Paciano Rizal Park showcasing their trademarks and local handicrafts and products – from flowers and vegetables to fried itik and salted eggs. Best booth is also awarded at the end of the festival while every participating barangay receives consolation prizes.

Buko Pie Eating Contest – Los Baños is known for Buko Pie and it has been a tradition for folks to enjoy and celebrate the local delicacy. The eating contest is a part of Palarong Bañamos where children and adults alike play and compete in traditional folk games.

Talent shows and competitions like Los Banos Idol, LBirit, Musikohan (Drum and Lyre Band Competition) and Himigisikan: Battle of the Bands are eventually included in the festive activities that celebrate music and people. Search for Miss Los Baños is as old as Bañamos and just in 2016, the first-ever Mister Los Banos was crowned. Such inclusions reflect the continuous development of the said festival with regards to entertainment and spectacle. Civic parades and motorcades that involve the municipal government and barangays, the science community, public and private commercial and academic institutions, and the general public usually serve as the opening of the week-long festival. Thanksgiving masses and Awarding of Outstanding Citizens have also been conducted annually.

Aside from these, the festival honors the town’s patroness Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas (Virgin of the Holy Waters) through Thanksgiving masses. In 2011, Bañamos had the theme “Papuri’t Pasasalamat Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas: Viva Bañamos sa Bagong Los Baños.” The Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Los Baños conducted the “Takbo Para Kay Maria”, a 2K and 5K fund-raising fun run. Symbolic public bathing called Dia Aguas Santas (Day of the Holy Waters) was also held near the parish church, and a procession called elejer was participated by devotees and local folks alike along the lakeshore beside Gen. Paciano Rizal Park (rbvillar). Moreover, the participation of University of the Philippines Los Banos was highlighted as science and trade exhibits transpired inside the campus within the week of the festival. At the early years of Bañamos, the role of the university was yet to be fully realized for further participation. It is just recently that the efforts of LGU to collaborate with the academic institution were materialized for tourism purposes. For one, the location of the campus has Mt. Makiling at its vicinity. A hiking destination for travelers, the mountain has landmarks like the Mud Spring (where you can literally view the boiling mud and feel the temperature at a safe distant), Magnetic Hill (where the gravity seems to be reversed respectively to the elevation; water goes up the hill instead of flowing downwards), and Boy Scouts Jamboree Camp among the prominent institutions inside and around the campus.

In 2011, during Mayor Anthony Genuino’s term, Bañamos had two giant national TV coverages (Bagong Los Baños) and it has since then almost always been featured in ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda and GMA’s Unang Hirit in the past few years. In addition, in the coming of digital age and linkage with the local cable company, events of Bañamos is locally televised and broadcasted online, which helped both local residents and citizens living abroad watch the eventful festival. More additions filled the weeklong celebration: Barangay Night (performances like Philippine folk dances are presented), Zumbaños or Zumba ng Bayan (Zumba session for Los Banos residents), Grand Revelry (free musical concert), Bloodletting activity in 2013, and Float parade by government and private institutions in 2015. Bailamos Dance contest, Padyak LB, Palarong Bañamos, and Balye sa Kalye among others remain the consistent key events of Bañamos.

However, in 2012, “the usually week-long revelry that culminated with a mass “healing bath,” a fluvial parade in Laguna Lake, or a Marian street dance called the Elejer, was reduced to a simple yet “meaningful” daylong activity…to commemorate Los Baños’ 397th founding anniversary.” This was due to the August monsoon that caused the flooding of the lakeside barangays of Los Baños that affected thousands of families and caused hundreds of families to evacuate. A walk for a cause was joined by 10,000 people which are comprised of 180 civic organizations, government agencies, universities, and public and private schools. The day ended with a special mass and lightning of 100 lanterns along the lakeshore which would symbolize the prayers of the municipality (Cinco, In Los Baños, parade turns to walk for cause). However, the municipal government then decided to move the celebration of Bañamos to the Yuletide season. Activities were moved and arranged coinciding the “Paskuhan sa Bagong Los Baños...as the local government focused on providing assistance to the flood-affected barangays” (Baurile). Conversely, in 2014, the municipal government decided to hold a two-day Bañamos Festival “due to moral and financial considerations brought about by typhoon Glenda” in July. A civic parade in the morning and Barangay Night on September 17 opened the festival to commemorate the town’s 399^th anniversary. The second day was celebrated with an evening concert and grand revelry in September 20 (Laforteza).

In 2015, coinciding the Quadricentennial founding anniversary of the municipality, one of the highlights of the 14^th Bañamos is its shower fest that broke two world records: 1) the most number of people simultaneously taking a shower and 2) the largest shower area. Los Baños having 373 bathers broke the World Record of Crawfordsville, Indiana that only had 331; a 394 square-meter shower area set up in General Paciano Rizal Park broke the World Record for being larger than the 372 square-meter of Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Gurnee, Illinois. Despite failing to qualify 400 bathers and constructing 400 square meter shower area (which both would also signify the 400th anniversary), the municipality was still able to earn the Guinness World Record (Cinco, Los Baños seeks world titles for mass shower).

In Reagan Maiquez’s research entitled Bañamos: The Bathing of Spectacle of Travel, Modernity, and Place as Folklore and Performance, he problematizes “an “invented” festival as an accumulation of images and meanings from valued, capitalized, and contested space of mobility and contemporary tourism.” There seems to be a disparity between representing culture and culture itself. The notion, etymology, and rationale of the Bañamos Festival are in conflict because the set of annual activities and performances does not totally signify its essence, at least not always. Additionally, as aforementioned, there was a gap to be filled especially between the prime academic institution, UP Los Banos, and the Local Government Units that would further both of their advocacies. Gradually, efforts were made by both sectors to accomplish this. It can be surmised that the tourism council and municipal government in collaboration with its stakeholders have tried resolving such concerns by integrating and incorporating science and culture with contemporary tourism. Bañamos is not centralized on the town plaza anymore as activities and expos have also been held inside the campus.

Contextually, I personally witnessed how the performances from Balye sa Kalye have evolved through the years. From captivating costumes and colorful props to significations of folklore in the likes of Maria Makiling and magical natural springs, the essence of the history and culture is represented through such performances and images. Furthermore, dance, musical, and beauty contests and exhibitions serve not only as a form of entertainment and celebration of talent but also a venue for political engagements. “In front of the public plaza, there were giant posters with faces of public officials, which informed the community of Bañamos' activities (p.3).” The engagement of the incumbent public officials implicates the awareness of the public at large. Historically, there were only two distinct municipal heads who have ever fronted the festival: Mayor Ceasar Perez (2001-2010, 2013-present) and Mayor Anthony Genuino (2010-2013). The residents, as Perez himself also does, claim that Bañamos is his legacy for it was born at his term. Nevertheless, Genuino had also utilized the said festival at his vantage. With his slogan “Bagong Los Baños” (meaning New Los Baños, alluding the old municipality was ruled by the same person for almost a decade), he furthered the reach of local tourism via placing Bañamos ads in a national newspaper and bringing in two national television coverages. It was also in his terms that Bañamos became remarkable as more celebrities and artists have guested, judged, and performed.

As the festival’s rationale aims to promote tourism, it does not only entail highlighting local travel destinations for the potential tourist but also creating a unique experience through activities and cultural exhibitions that would ultimately cater the stakeholders of the municipality. Economically, Bañamos Festival has been a conducive setting for promotion of local products and delicacies, let alone being featured and broadcasted nationally. The consequent developments in event planning, technical improvement, local collaborations, and infrastructure growth prove the effectiveness of municipal government in delivering public service, promoting local tourism, and preserving cultural heritage.

Descriptive and qualitative in nature, this paper enumerates notable occurrences that help establish a performative culture under and over a local festivity which commemorates its history and unites a community. Although contestations were drawn and can still be drawn regarding the socio-cultural and socio-political inclusiveness of such celebration, Bañamos Festival continues to deliver its original motivation as a tourism device. The changes that the municipal government had to implement reflect “…the dynamism of Bañamos [as it] adapts to the call of the times” (Cinco). Essentially, “Bañamos is one of the LGUs’ avenue to promote and develop Los Baños as a Special Science and Nature City” (Ojeda).

References

Bagong Los Baños. Highlights of the much-awaited 2011 Bañamos Festival. 8 February 2012. Video. 19 May 2019. <https://www.facebook.com/bagonglosbanos/videos/233773140044716/>.

Baurile, Ladylove May B. Bañamos 2012 Schedule of Activities. 21 November 2012. 19 May 2019. <https://lbtimes.ph/2012/11/21/banamos-2012-schedule-of-activities/>.

Canlas, Jyra and Madeleine Argosino. Padyak LB on its 10th year. 12 October 2018. 19 May 2019. <https://lbtimes.ph/2018/10/12/padyak-lb-on-its-10th-year/>.

Cinco, Maricar. In Los Baños, parade turns to walk for cause. 19 September 2012. 19 May 2019. <https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/273714/in-los-banos-parade-turns-to-walk-for-cause?fbclid=IwAR1GdmyhPzhZeOuvSjth4qav7Ri7qXDY3lMyt89-Z5FWT9a7GgyfxG6YGGI>.

—. Los Baños seeks world titles for mass shower. 24 September 2015. 19 May 2019. <https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/724742/los-banos-seeks-world-titles-for-mass-shower>.

Fernandez, Rudy. Los Baños kicks off Bañamos Festival tomorrow. 16 September 2013. 18 May 2019. <https://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/09/16/1214151/los-baos-kicks-baamos-festival-tomorrow?fbclid=IwAR2IuqQ5s1lKsgQvdVuLjMCJqzSd7-S0nOK_VZfkCQ3Ply3gUoKC941l4DQ>.

History: The Founding of Los Baños. 9 December 2015. <http://losbanos.gov.ph/history/founding-of-los-banos>.

History: The Special Science and Nature City. 23 April 2015. 18 May 2019. <http://losbanos.gov.ph/history/page/3>.

Jauregui, Camille Louise. LB dance battle held, entertains audience. 16 September 2017. 19 May 2019. <https://lbtimes.ph/2017/09/16/lb-dance-battle-held-entertains-audience/>.

Laforteza, Deflin. Los Baños to have austere celebration of Bañamos Festival. 14 August 2014. 19 May 2019. <https://lbtimes.ph/2014/08/14/los-banos-to-have-austere-celebration-of-banamos-festival/>.

Maiquez, Reagan R. "Bañamos: The Bathing of Spectacle of Travel, Modernity, and Place as Folklore and Performance." Philippine Humanities Review 10 (2008).

Official Gazette. An Act Declaring September 17 of Every Year a Special Nonworking Holiday in the Municipality of Los Baños, Province of Laguna, in Commemoration of its Founding Anniversary and the Annual Bañamos Festival. 30 October 2018. 18 May 2019. <https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2018/10oct/20181030-RA-11116-RRD.pdf>.

Ojeda, Melanie N. ERDB joins 14th Bañamos Festival celebration. 14 October 2015. 19 May 2019. <http://erdb.denr.gov.ph/2015/10/14/erdb-joins-14th-banamos-festival-celebration/>.

rbvillar. Bañamos Festival to celebrate ‘healing’ hot springs of Los Baños. 5 September 2011. <https://lbtimes.ph/2011/09/05/banamos-festival-to-celebrate-%E2%80%98healing%E2%80%99-hot-springs-of-los-banos/>.

Trinidad, Zen. Bañamos Festival in Laguna eyes world record. 4 September 2015.

Incentive research paper

KAS 1 (Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas)
May 17, 2019

PS. This paper came incomplete due to time constraints if you notice. I have only concluded shortly to meet my deadline.