Kalilangan 2015: Ano ang K Mo?

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (19 February 2015) – General Santos City is all set to celebrate its 76th Foundation Anniversary and its 26th Kalilangan Festival.

The Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges (RMMC) is the new partner organizer of the city government after the Mindanao State University – General Santos City (MSU-GSC) has passed the task  to RMMC.

When MSU-GSC held Kalilangan, it made the festival garner the Hall of Fame award in the “Best Festival, Culture and Arts Category” by the Department of Tourism.

Now, the RMMC will launch Kalilangan with the theme “Ano Ang K Mo?” This tagline traces again the cultural roots and historical identity of every “General” or Gensan resident  since and before the arrival of General Paulino Santos here on February 27, 1939.

Aside from the identity of Gensan as the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”, the celebration of Kalilangan has always been special as it signifies the founding anniversary of this fast-growing enclave in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region.

Kalilangan was not yet celebrated in General Santos City until it reached its 50th Founding Anniversary in 1989. Bai Janena Tito, now an executive assistant in the Muslim Affairs Division of the City Mayor’s Office, was the one who named the festival.

Kalilangan is derived from the root word “kalilang” of the Maguindanaon dialect which literally means “festivity”.

Perhaps this is the reason why Kalilangan can rightfully be called as the “festival of festivals” here in Gensan.

The Tuna Festival, Yaman Gensan, and Paskuhan sa Gensan are the other fetes Gensan celebrates annually.

Kalilangan 2015 will be a week-long celebration from February 23 to 27. RMMC has already finalized the list of activities during the festivity.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera, with the approval of the Sangguniang Panglungsod, has allocated a P4 million budget for this year’s Kalilangan

At the same time, the administration of RMMC headed by Marthin Anthony Millado also raised a P1 Million fund to make the activities be grander and meaningful.

Here are some of the events that everybody should look forward to this Kalilangan 2015:

IKONS (Grand Opening Day) – February 23, Oval Stage

PARADA NG LAHI (76^th Foundation Anniversary) – February 27, Bantayog Plaza

KADSAGAYAN SA KALILABGAB (Grand Street Dancing Competition) – February 27, Santiago-Roxas Boulevard

KLEHEW DI AMGANGEH (Tribal Day) – February 25, Oval Plaza Grounds

ANG PARANGAL (Honoring the Pioneers and Descendants of the Pioneers) – February 24, Veranza Mall

PAKARAJAN SA GENSAN (Moro Day) – February 26, Oval Plaza Grounds

KARIKTAN (Closing Ceremony) – February 27, Oval Stage

The night market and the carnival will still be lively especially every night to provide recreation for families and friends.

Mayor Rivera said these activities are to ensure that Kalilangan will always be the mirror of the city’s culture and tradition.

“We have Kalilangan because of the past that made us. We owe everything to the history and culture that shaped us,” the mayor said. He invites everyone to join this year’s Kalilangan. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John M. Lagare)