Quirino Province recently opened its month-long Paskuhan sa Quirino, one of the most-anticipated Yuletide festivities in the Cagayan Valley Region.
Held at the Quirino Sports Tourism Complex in the capital town of Cabarroguis, the fair showcases the local crafts, cultural diversity and tourist attractions of the province’s six municipalities.
Now on its sixth edition, this year’s theme “Inspired Christmas among the Tribes” features exhibit booths with ethnic motifs from the Bugkalot, Agta, Igorot, Kalinga, and Dumagat indigenous peoples, as well as Ilocano lowlanders, to highlight their roles in Quirino’s socio-cultural development.
“Paskuhan is one way of attracting domestic and foreign tourists to make Quirino their choice destination for the Christmas vacation,” says provincial Governor Junie Cua who introduced the annual event in 2012.
The province’s top tourist drawers are Aglipay Caves and Campsite in Aglipay, Siitian Nature Park in Nagtipunan, and the iconic Governor’s Rapids in Maddela which is known for its massive limestone walls along the Cagayan River.
It also has a world-class watersports complex with a wake park, winch lagoon, multi-purpose pavilion and hostel.
He said that the Paskuhan takes on a different theme annually to put the spotlight on the diverse aspects of Quirino’s way of life.
He noted that this year’s celebration is special with the consecutive annual Seal of Good Local Governance Award the province received from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for its excellence in financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order.
The province also welcomed guests from the University of the Philippines Business Administration Batch 1967, which conducted community outreach programs in different barangays.
Running until Dec. 31, Paskuhan features live bands, giant lantern contests, food plaza, bazaar, musical presentations from public schools and government agencies, and will conclude with a pyro musical display to welcome the New Year.