Manang Pula to Manapla

It always rains in August where flowers are in bloom and fruits are abundant, this is the month where you get to taste the sweetest rambutan, lanzones, santol, native pineapples and the mangosteen. When travelling to the north of Negros Occidental, makeshift stalls made of bamboo and nipa stalks are lined up along the main highway where fruits are on display which makes you stop and shop. 

On this Sunday morning, the sun shined brightly, we were wearing our sunglasses as we walked along the streets of Manapla for the 145^th annual town fiesta also known as the Manang Pula Festival. This day was the highlight of the weeklong celebration, Manang Pula is a term used to call a beautiful maiden named Crispula Santillan who married a Capitan named Bernardo Gallo one of the first inhabitants in town, when people  then asked for the towns name they would answer 'Manangpula' and later shortened to MANAPLA.

Manapla is about 43 kilometers from Bacolod City. This is a coastal town with Balulan and Ceferina beach, they also have blue crabs and exports crab meat with the presence of a canning factory by Blue Star.

Manapla is where the Gustilo Town Center is located with the famous Northland Hotel and Resort and the recently inaugurated Gustilo Clinic and Ambulatory Center which is a haven for retirees.

If you want to experience life in the farm, visit the Chapel of the Cartwheels where the Gaston Ancestral House stands tall in the middle of a sugarcane field at Hacienda Rosalia. The house was saved by the 503^rd regimental team during the second world war when it was about to be burned by the Japanese forces then. In fact, forty eight American veterans came back to Negros in 1995 for the sentimental journey where they shared stories of the past and met the whole Gaston clan.

The town has improved since the last visit, they now have a 24 hour convenience store, the  delicacies in town are  rice cakes aka ‘puto’ which taste even better and is best eaten with a cup of dinuguan, they also have fried sliced bananas coated with caramelized sugar with a sprinkle of sesame seeds locally known as ‘pinasugbo’ .

It was really hot in the afternoon as the street dance and dance theater competition was held at the plaza, there were 12 contingents representing barangays with Baranagy Punta Mesa as first place winner followed by Brgy. II-A and Brgy. Punta Salong in third place. All participants wore colorful stylish costumes in malong, tapis, saya and patadyong, with beautiful headdresses cut and designed which was appropriate to the dance and the craftsmanship was really good.

Mayor Lourdes Socorro Escalante together with Vice Mayor Edgar Pagayonan entertained guests and visitors with the attendance of the  Provincial Councilors League headed by Board Member Raul Rivera.

The festival dance and arena  competition program was hosted by the articulate Mr. Fernan Obregon who never ceases to make the audience laugh with his jokes. Festivals are held ones a year but the community always look forward to celebrate the biggest party in town, the celebration in Manapla was capped by a concert of  the 20 year old Filipino band Parokya ni Edgar with  a night of rock and novelty songs entertaining  Manaplahanons.

So next time you drive to the north, stop and shop along the highway to Manapla and drive around town where people are friendly and always wears a smile.