The grand prize winner from Brgy. Bayongon in Arkontest. Totel V. de Jesus
On a normal day, the stretch of Quezon Avenue in the hilly, green, clean town of Sampaloc in Quezon province looked like any main street with passing motorcycles, e-bikes, tricycles, jeepneys, mini-delivery trucks and people walking here and there to go about their businesses but for the last two weeks in April, it was adorned with 14 temporarily mounted colorful, glow-at-night arches.
They’re for the 15th edition of the Bulihan Festival that aimed to promote the town’s culture, arts, tourist spots, cuisine and most especially, handicrafts made up of buli or buri palm, defined as one of the Philippines' largest native palm species. If Quezon province is known for all kinds of products from coconut trees, Sampaloc has the colorful buli hats, wallets, slippers and bags.
The 14 arches were constructed starting April 15 by representatives from the 14 barangays of the town. They were all finished just in time for the opening of the festival on April 20. For about half-a-kilometer in every intersection of the poblacion’s main street, there were these creatively designed arches erected as entries for the arch-making competition dubbed Arkontest.
The makeshift arches were among the highlights of the annual fiesta, which followed the theme Alice in Wonderland and they had been selfie stops for delighted tourists and the locals called Sampalukins.
For the grand prize winner, there was P100,000 cash prize and an allotment of P300,000 worth of projects. The entry from Barangay Bayongon won. Simply called Barangay Bayongon Wonderland, from our honest observation, it was a meticulously crafted work of street art.
One of the selfie corners with the theme Alice in Wonderland along Quezon Avenue in Sampaloc. Totel de Jesus
The Barangay Bayongon Wonderland at night. Totel V. de Jesus
Strategically located on the intersection of Quezon Avenue and Obnemia Steet, the same corner right beside the town’s municipal building and plaza, the Barangay Bayongon Wonderland was a visual feast most especially at night. This writer kept on coming back and forth and observed people taking selfies and later taking notes of the details.
Its impost blocks were designed like battlements or crenelations of medieval castles while the center of the voussoir was adorned with a big clock that one may find in the Victorian Era, appropriately when the story of Alice was set.
Each abutment had Alice in different poses, with appropriate spaces meant for photo opportunities. Depending which side of the street you’re coming from, you’ll find one that had Alice with the Anxious White Rabbit -- or was it the Thackery Earwicket -- while the other corner had Alice with the Creshire Cat.
Each selfie corner had the big magical mushrooms, which, if we remember in Alice’s story, makes her taller or shorter depending which portion she takes a bite on. Both springers of the arch were wrapped with buli and the blow-up posters of the Card Soldiers.
At night, these designs were evenly lighted, not too bright to blind the viewers. Expectedly, it won in another category, the “Pinakamaganda sa Gabi (Most Beautiful at Night),” award, which had an additional P30,000 cash prize.
The second prize winner of P70,000 cash with P200,000 worth of projects was the entry from Barangay Owain. Third prize winner of P50,000 cash with P150,000 worth of projects was the arch made by Barangay Bataan. The fourth prize winner of P30,000 with P100,000 worth of projects was the one by Barangay Mamala.
Food stalls on Obnemia Street beside Sampaloc Municipal Hall and Park. Totel V. de Jesus
The same themes resonated in the other 13 entries, making the stretch of Quezon Avenue a series of selfie stops for tourists and the whole members of every Sampalukin families.
Complementing them were the same Alice in Wonderland-themed designs on walls of houses along Quezon Avenue. They were participants of the Payas and Banderitas contests, which added a more festive mood as residents showcased their artistry and creativity. Cash prizes were also given to winning entries.
At the Municipal Park also on April 23, there was the daylong trade fair which highlighted buri handicrafts. Earlier in the morning, there was also the Juego de Anillo contest participated in by members of Sampaloc Horsemen Association. The winner was Dante Jardin of Brgy. San Isidro.
The theme of Alice in Wonderland was chosen for this year because, according to the office of Mayor Nikko Devandera, Alice’s storyline can be compared to what the Bulihan Festival wanted to portray—colorful, fun and full of wonderful stories.
Every year, there’s a new theme. Last year, it was “Under The Sea” from the Little Mermaid.
Austerity measures
Despite scaled-down activities, the festival was successfully held.
What was usually a weeklong festival started with a buli-weaving workshop for high-school students from various participating schools in Sampaloc, conducted by local weaver Maryjane Abcede-Callejo, held at Sampaloc Amphitheater on April 20, which was a Monday. For employees, it was a regular working day.
No activities were held the following two days, April 21 to April 22, as employees of both private and government offices continued their work. Their work schedule wasn’t actually interrupted since April 20 because the event was meant for selected students.
The festival resumed on Thursday, April 23, with contests we described in the previous paragraphs, showcasing the buli as main materials. At 4pm on the same day, the grand parade around the población was held.
The judging for the Arkontest, Payas and Banderitas contests were held until midnight to see how they all looked like for night promenaders.
In all contests, the main criteria for judging was the creative use of buli materials.
The following day, April 24, which was a Friday, more tourists from nearby towns started to come in. At 4 p.m., there was the solemn procession in honor of San Vicente Ferrer.
Afterwards, the Sundown Music Fest was held at the municipal park. There were several local bands that played until 1 a.m. The highlight was a one-hour performance by Kean Cipriano and his band, wherein he sang his hits from his years with Callalily to recent years.
This writer asked around and I found many attendees of the music fest came from Mauban, Tayabas City and Lucena City, who drove all the way from their respective places to join the fun and have a good time on a Friday night.
There was only P100 entrance fee meant to regulate those coming in. The capacity of the park, in our rough estimate, could handle around a thousand audiences, all comfortably seated. There were tables and chairs for them. They had their drinks and appetizers, worry free.
Then again, even those outside the park also enjoyed the free concert because it’s an open-air event.
The festive mood was at its peak on Saturday, April 25, the actual celebration of the town fiesta. Most households opened their homes to visitors who feasted on local cuisines like the kinulob, hardinera, the town’s version of longganisa and a lot more. Nighttime, there was a fireworks display in front of San Vicente Ferrer parish church.
Benefiting local economy
When the national government issued a directive on March 3 for all of its agencies, including state-run corporations, to cut power and fuel consumption due to rising oil prices, it was taking the lead in conserving energy.
Then again, it didn’t mean to cancel festivities like the traditional fiestas that promote native products, culture, arts, tourist spots and local talents.
“We acknowledged that there is a crisis and we needed to save up on energy. I don’t know where it came from, the notion that we needed to cancel events but as for me, no one said to cancel celebrations like our town fiesta. What was said in the directive was to save up on consumption of electricity and fuel. Then again, that is just how interpreted it,” Mayor Nikko Devanadera told ABS-CBN News.
He shared he was sort of shy in asking his fellow mayors in Quezon province why some of them didn’t push through with their respective activities. “We have a group chat, the members of the Quezon Mayors League. Nahihiya ako magtanong na ano kapalit if they cancel events. Whether crisis or not, para sa kin tuloy. Mas maraming factors, na dapat tuloy,” he said.
He surmised probably the main reason the bigger towns and cities cancelled events was because their usual target market were those coming from abroad. “Siyempre, mahal ang air fares but our visitors are those coming from nearby towns,” he said.
“As for me, events like town fiesta equate to economic stimulation. When you cut down on spending, you are cutting down someone else’s income. In time of crisis, kung tatanggalin mo yung income ng tao, lalo mo syang papahirapan,” he added.
“If you cancel events like our festival, you cut down spending from tourists who flock to our towns. So basically, you’re making it harder. We need to bring in local tourists. Mahirap ang ating buhay and people cannot afford live entertainment, at para malibang ka, gagastos ka eh. If you set up a festival, you’re getting entertainment for free. Times like fiesta, it’s our duty na magpasaya ng mga tao,” he added.
Mid-morning preparation for the Pyesta Sa Ilog on April 26. Attendees started flocking in as early as Satuday night to secure their spots. Photo from Sampaloc Tourism FB page
The fourth day, Sunday, April 26, was the most awaited Pyesta Sa Ilog (Festival in the River), wherein Sampalukins and tourists flocked to Sitio Kakati river in Barangay Apasan. It’s one of the free-to-the-public picnic grounds but on this day, a makeshift stage was built in one portion of the river where bands performed from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
We learned the Pyesta Sa Ilog started decades ago when Sampalukins would go to Sitio Kakati River to eat the food leftovers from the previous day of the actual fiesta while bonding with visiting relatives and friends. Since it became a regular event, the local government thought of organizing a battle of the bands, complete with a foam machine.
There were stalls selling food and drinks, souvenir items, boosting more local businesses. When we asked around, these small-scale entrepreneurs also came from nearby towns. There was one stall by a couple from the town of Pagbilao selling home-made tropical necklaces, beads, rings, earrings and the like, the types we usually find being peddled along beaches in Boracay and Siargao.
One of the bands that performed early afternoon in Pyesta Sa Ilog. Photo from Sampaloc Tourism FB page
The water in the river is always knee-deep so there’s no need to worry that people might drown. The attendees danced and sang to the music with only their knees submerged in the flowing river water. The whole stretch of the river, probably half-a-kilometer, was filled with happy faces.
“Here, we acknowledge most attendees are from other towns because Sampalukins have been used to it. There’s a joke actually saying Pyesta Sa Ilog has 80 percent Maubanin and Lucbanin and only 20 percent Sampalukins. I don’t know if that is true but everybody’s welcome,” Mayor Devanadera said, laughing.
As part of austerity measures, there was no battle of the bands this year but there was enough number of performers for the whole day. Unlike in the previous years when bands performed beyond midnight, the event was finished before 10 p.m.
“We started early, around mid-morning, so we were able to save on consumption of energy. We provided minimal lightings, minimal use of electricity.
Tourism, film location spots
Sampaloc is one of the smallest towns not only in the province but in the whole country, with only 14 barangays spread in a land area of 10,478 hectares. According to the recent census data, its population in 2025 is estimated at 13,629 with around 3,447 households.
Aside from the Sitio Kakati River, there’s also the Maapon River, often used for boat races.
Among Sampaloc’s natural attractions are its waterfalls. There’s the majestic Hangga Falls and Buho Falls in Barangay Bataan, frequented by local and foreign tourists.
In 1971, the young future National Artist for Film Fernando Poe Jr. shot “Asedillo” in Sampaloc, which was about a local hero Teodoro Asedillo during the American Occupation. The waterfalls in Brgy. Caldong where the shooting happened is now called Asedillo Falls.
Rows of stalls selling clothes, watches, sunglasses, pots, pans and even pangkamot sa likod wood carving beside San Vicente Ferrer church. Totel de Jesus
Despite a lot of young, beautiful Sampalukin ladies, the local government has long decided not to join provincial and national beauty pageants, which usually cost around P500,000 to shoulder trainings, stylists, costumes and all that.
Mayor Devanadera said, “Better to spend that kind of amount to projects that would benefit our farmers.”
Aside from the Bulihan Festival, just in December last year, the local government pioneered in organizing the Sine Sampaloc film festival, which of late, could be considered the first of its kind in Quezon province.
Mayor Devanadera told ABS-CBN News that for this year, the film festival will be held in September.
Film tourism in Sampaloc has been on the upswing since the festival was held. Early April, this writer learned an award-winning director shot countryside scenes in Sampaloc’s vast rice fields and forests for his entry in this year’s Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.
For the whole town, April was already one of the best months in 2026 and there’s a lot more wonderful events that will happen that the Sampalukins look forward to for the rest of the year.