Batangas holds successful three-day Barako Fest 2025
The energy was high as crowds gathered for the opening day of Barako Festival 2025. The event became even more special with former Batangas governor and congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto leading the inauguration of the Manila-Batangas Bypass Road Section 3, a project aimed at improving access to the province.
Now in its third year, Barako Fest has grown into a major celebration of Batangas’ culture, business, and community spirit. Organized by Mentorque Productions, led by John Bryan Diamante, the festival was made possible through partnerships with San Miguel Corporation and Angkas, along with support from local businesses and officials.
Dressed in a striking red suit, Santos-Recto was joined by her sons, Luis Manzano and Ryan Christian Santos-Recto, along with Luis’ wife, Jessy Mendiola, Lipa Mayor Eric Africa, Councilor Mikee Morada, and other key figures in a motorcade to signal the start of the festivities.
This year’s three-day event (Feb. 13 to 15) offered something for everyone—sports, music, motorsports, and food. Highlights included the Battle of the Bands, Barako Games, Billiard Cup, and Moto Gymkhana Slalom. Basketball fans enjoyed a 3v3 tournament and a celebrity match, while motorsports enthusiasts gathered for Drift Fest, headlined by Doctor Drift and the Autocraft Drift Team, along with international drifting stars.
Music fans were treated to performances from Hev Abi, KZ Tandingan, TJ Monterde, Vice Ganda, Joshua Garcia, JC Santos, Jerome Ponce, Ron Angeles, Mike Swift, Alex Gonzaga, Eclipse, Good Boyz, and new P-pop girl group Eleven Eleven. Other big names included Juan Karlos, Arthur Nery, Al James, and Nik Makino.
Social media personalities also took the spotlight at the Content Creator Fest, featuring Boss Toyo, Von Ordoña, Dane Grospe, Cherry White, Whamos, Pio Balbuena, Toni Fowler, Ava Mendez, Sachzna Laparan, Ato and friends, Jayzar Recinto, and Bisaya Squad.
Food lovers had plenty to enjoy, with over 500 stalls offering local favorites and modern dishes. The Trade Fest also provided a platform for Batangueño entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses.
“Barako Fest is more than just coffee. It’s about bringing the community together and celebrating everything that makes Batangas special,” said Diamante during a press conference. “And this is reflected in all our activities throughout the festival.”
“The third edition of Barako Fest, which opened Thursday, is not just a celebration of Batangas’ high-quality coffee—it also highlights the top products of each city and municipality and how they create jobs and boost the local economy,” Diamante went on. “Hotels are fully booked. Restaurants are packed. It couldn’t get any better than this.”
As one of the youngest festivals in the country, Barako Fest continues to grow, drawing more visitors and strengthening Batangas’ identity beyond its famous coffee. Some 250,000 guests came to each of the first two editions.
“Teamwork—that is the magic word,” said Santos-Recto. “We will continue to work together as a team and as a family here in Batangas. We are proud of Barako Fest, and as it expands, we will have even more to showcase from our province. Now we are focused in Lipa, but soon this will travel to other cities.”
She added that while Batangas is known for its strong coffee, Barako Fest represents more than that.
“it highlights the courage, resilience, and unity of Batangueños,” the Star for All Seasons affirmed.
Luis echoed this sentiment, saying, “This is just the beginning. When people talk about Batangas, they won’t just mention coffee and balisong. They’ll say, ‘That’s where Barako Fest happens. I want to go there.’”
Ryan also emphasized the festival’s role in supporting local businesses.
“It’s more than just an event. It’s a way to showcase what Batangas has to offer. Let’s support them,” he said.