REGION 4-A (CALABARZON)

Kalayaan Festival

-Kalayaan festival, as the name suggests, is a celebration of Philippine Independence.

-Kalayaan Festival is a 2 week-long, province-wide event held annually from May 28 to June 12.

The festival was came to life in 2005 with various programs including street dancing, float parade, beauty
pageant and trade fair.

-The Kalayaan Festival aims to showcase a new way of experiencing our history and will hold the promise
of adventure and discovery of our glorious past with great pride and enthusiasm.

Balsa Festival

-Every year on
June 24, Lian
celebrates its town
fiesta as with the
celebration of the
birthdate of Saint
John The Baptist.

-A festival that centerpieces the Balsa as a way of relaxation by the Matabungkay Beach. The celebration
is culminated by a race and decorating contest for the Balsa. The festival is spearheaded by the DOT and
the private sector headed by the Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel.
MIMAROPA Region

Malasimbo Festival

-The festival is named

after a supposedly mystical
mountain in Puerto Galera,
Oriental Mindoro. The first
edition was held in 2011 and
has been held there annually
since then.

-Malasimbo is also promoting the visual arts, through exhibits and installations from established and up-
and-coming artists, including Gus Albor, Billy Bonnevie, Agnes Arellano, Kawayan De Guia, Niccolo Jose,
Risa Recio and many others. Some of the sculptures and installations from previous years are still at the
venue for people to check out.

-The festival also organizes heritage workshops and traditional performances from indigenous tribes,
including the T’Bolis of South Cotabato. Part of the proceeds from the festival also contributes to efforts
to preserve the traditional language and poetry of the Mangyans.

-Upholds sustain eco cultural development and the preservation of the Indigenous culture and heritage
of the Mangyan tribes of Mindoro.

Moriones Festival

-An annual festival held on Holy Week on the island of Marinduque, Philippines. The "Moriones" are
men and women in costumes and masks replicating the garb of biblical Roman soldiers as interpreted by
local folks. The Moriones or Moryonan tradition has inspired the creation of other festivals in the
Philippines where cultural practices or folk history is turned into street festivals.

-One of the most colorful festivals celebrated in the island of Marinduque is the Moriones Festival.
Moriones, on the other hand, refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the town
for seven days searching for Longinus. This week-long celebration starts on Holy Monday and culminates
on Easter Sunday when the story of Longinus is reenacted in pantomime. This is a folk-religious festival
that re-enacts the story of Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one eye.

-Legend has it that Longinus pierced the side of the crucified Christ. The blood that spurted forth
touched his blind eye and fully restored his sight. This miracle convertedLonginus to Christianity and
earned the ire of his fellow centurions. The re-enactment reaches its climax when Longinus is caught and
beheaded.

Tagay! Flavors of the Philippines: the Calabarzon Experience

April 19, 2016

Lambanog of Lakan Distillery

LAMBANOG. These modern lambanog bottles by Lakan exemplify the growing trend of the liquor onto
younger markets, and not just for the ‘oldies.’

THE SOUTHERN
Tagalog Region, (Region
IV-A), which comprises
the provinces of Cavite,
Laguna, Batangas,
Rizal, and Quezon, is
one of the most
significant culinary
centers of the Philippines, not only because of the breadth and width of food choices inherently from
this area, but also because of its significant contribution to Philippine heritage cuisine.

CALABARZON can proudly claim to be the cradle of noble cuisines, from our region comes most of the
food that our heroes, Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, and Apolinario Mabini, among others, partook of and
enjoyed. Calabarzon offers food tourism to complement cultural and heritage tourism,’’ says Department
of Tourism Regional Director for Region IV-A Rebecca Villanueva-Labit.

Of late, slowly but on point,

Calabarzon is emerging as a
food destination , much like
Pampanga or the Ilocos region.
Labit says more and more, the
people of Calabarzon, including
food and hospitality
entrepreneurs, are seeing
culinary as a major come-on for
people to visit

Adobo sa Dilaw

ADOBO SA DILAW. A unique Batangueño dish cooked like your ordinary adobo, but, instead of laurel and
soy sauce, turmeric, other spices, and carrot shreds are used.

Because of its proximity to the national capital, CALABARZON has seen steady industrial growth and
urbanization in recent years. But the local culture is still very much alive. Historical landmarks,
monuments, old churches, and shrines dot the region’s landscape. CALABARZON is also rich in cultural
traditions. Laguna is known for embroidery, wood carving, and papier-mâché (locally known as taka).
Quezon has harvest festivals and flamboyantly decorated houses. Rizal has artisan villages and art
galleries. In 2014, Calabarzon hit the 10 million mark in terms of daytime tourist arrivals, accounting for
about 46 percent of the country’s daytime visitor arrivals.

“We are the region of heroes and food historians are seriously looking into, reviewing, investigating
these heritage food which we are rediscovering more and more and now sharing to other people,’’ Labit
adds.
Buko pie

BUKO PIE. While this dessert is common

throughout the Philippines, its origins can be
traced to Quezon—a region abundant with coconuts.

Carrying on this commitment to take the region to a higher level as far as food tourism is concerned,
DOT Region 4A once again participates in Flavours of the Philippines, a DOT initiative in celebration of
April as National Food Month, which is also a co-located event of the famed Madrid Fusion 2016.

Last year’s participation inspired Calabarzon to showcase more of the region’s food treasures.

“Our chefs, our food entrepreneurs, our hotel and restaurant industry are all the more inspired this year
because they have proven that our region has a lot to show to the world in terms of unique delicacies
and culinary delights,’’ enthuses Labit.

The coffees of Cavite

DRINK FOR THE SOUL. Different variants of coffee can be found in Tagaytay, a city of Cavite.

Sarsa

Romblon Food

Sarsa is a local dish found only in Romblon.

The dish is made out of

small shrimps caught in
streams, mixed with young
coconut and chili. It is then wrapped in coconut leaves, giving it that local touch. You eat the dish paired
with rice.

Best to buy early in the morning before it runs out. It can be found in their local carinderia and wet
markets.

2. Taghilaw

Romblon: Tablas Island

Taghilaw is pork meat and intestines cooked in vinegar sauce. A dish similar in preparation to "dinuguan"
but minus the blood.

CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is designated as Region IV-A and its regional
center is Calamba City in Laguna. The region is composed of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna,
Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon; the region's name is formed from the names of these provinces. The region
is also more formally known as Southern Tagalog Mainland.

The region is in
southwestern Luzon, just
south and east of Metro Manila
and is the second most
densely populated region.
CALABARZON and MIMAROPA were previously combined together as Southern Tagalog, until they were
separated in 2002.

Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003, designated Calamba City as the regional center of
CALABARZON. The largest city of CALABARZON Region and the second highly-urbanized city is Antipolo
City. Lucena City is the first highly-urbanized city in this region.

CALABARZON is the most populated region in the Philippines, with a population of 12,609,803
inhabitants.

History

A number of notable events in the history of the Philippines took place in Region IV-A. People from
Batangas, Cavite and Laguna were a part of those who first revolted against the Spaniards for freedom.
While the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, his brother, Paciano Rizal and Vicente Lim are also
born in Calamba City. Apolinario Mabini was born in Tanauan City, Batangas.

The eight primary rays of the sun found in the Philippine Flag represent the first eight provinces
(Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac) that sought
independence from Spain and were placed under martial law by the Spaniards at the start of the
Philippine Revolution in 1896

Calabarzon is used to be called Southern Tagalog Mainland in the Philippines and under Region IV-A. The
provinces that make up the region are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. It’s the most
populated region of the country after Metro Manila.

CALABARZON Travel Guide - Pahiyas photos by Jason de Villa via Flickr CC

CALABARZON Travel Guide – Pahiyas photos by Jason de Villa via Flickr CC

It’s located at the south of
National Capital Region (NCR).
These 5 provinces of
Calabarzon are where you
can find some of the most
stunning natural places in the
Philippines including
mountains, volcanoes, hot
springs, beaches, lakes and
many more. City
dwellers visit these places on a regular basis because of its proximity to Manila but most especially
during the summer when it’s scorching hot and everyone just wants to go away for a few days.

Here is a list of the attractions you can visit in the five provinces of Calabarzon.

Cavite

Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine

Aguinaldo Shrine

Aguinaldo Shrine

This South Luzon province is where the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine can be found. This is the place where the
Philippines declared its independence from Spanish Colonization took place. Both Natural beauty and
man-made attractions of Cavite attracts tourists.

Corregidor Island

Corregidor Hospital Ruins

Corregidor Hospital Ruins

Corregidor Island can be found

in Cavite. It’s located at the
entrance of Manila Bay and
served as a military
bastion. Its ruins can be seen
up to this day. History says
that this island was where they
put coastal artillery to fight the
warships trying to enter the
Philippines through Manila
Bay.

This tour gives an in-depth

learning experience for those
who wish to know about the
history of the Philippines in
that area.

Mt. Palay-Palay

Mc Pol Androuse Cruz in Mt Pico de Loro

Mc Pol Androuse Cruz in Mt Pico de Loro

This dormant volcano which stands at 688 m (2,257 ft) above mean sea level used to be called Pico de
Loro because it has a monolith with the shape of a parrot’s beak. There are many groups offering guided
tours to the mountain. Both beginners and advanced mountain climbers will enjoy the views of open
waters and mountains nearby.

Laguna

The province of Laguna is most known for being the birthplace of Rizal but other than that, the place is
endowed with several bodies of nature, eco-tourism spots and health and wellness establishments.

Enchanted Kingdom

Enchanted Kingdom Rainy

Days

Enchanted Kingdom Rainy

Days

EK is an old favorite and even if

it’s not as popular as before,
this theme park make
everyone happy with its
numerous rides like Up, Up
and Away which looks like
you’re riding a hot air
balloon; Xtreme Paintball
Philippines and Rio Grande
Rapids. The amusement park
also has shopping facilities,
dining stalls and shows and
entertainment venues.

Paete

Paete Church by Carlo Joseph Moskito via Wikipedia CC

Paete Church by Carlo Joseph Moskito via Wikipedia CC

The town of Paete is mostly visited because of their woodworks but more than that, you can embark on
gastronomic adventures by trying their local puto bumbong. There’s an old church in Paete with the
same name that maintained its glory through the years. The façade is made of complicated stone works
while upon entering you’ll be greeted with red stone flooring and dark wooden ceiling. There are several
small statues of Saints and a bell tower.

Batangas

Classic Bulalo

Classic Bulalo

Batangas is known for many things like its beaches, Kapeng Barako, Tablea, balisong and many more.
Verde Island Passage can also be found in Batangas. This is the center of the world’s marine biodiversity.
The water activities of
Batangas are also being visited
by many tourists around the
country. Aside from its natural
attractions and products,
Batangas wows many with
their special version of Bulalo.

Anilao Diving Sites

Plectorhinchus Polytaenia in Anilao Batangas

Plectorhinchus Polytaenia in Anilao Batangas

The nearness of Anilao to Manila makes this beach a go to for diving enthusiasts. The marine life of
Anilao is diverse and really colorful. There are resorts where accredited dive masters are ready to give
lectures to willing guests.

Also Read: Best Beach and Dive Resorts in Anilao, Batangas

Taal Heritage Town

Visit in Taal Batangas Basilica

Visit in Taal Batangas Basilica

The ancient town of Taal is where the well-preserved heritage houses and other establishments of the
rich and famous people of a bygone era are located. There’s a park in the town called Taal Park where
Basilica de San Martin de Tours stands. Modern times have paved ways for modern shops like
convenience stores but the charm of this quaint place remains. You can go on a walking tour around the
area where you can also buy embroidered piña fabrics as pasalubongs.