With less than two months to go before the grand celebration of one of the largest Marian festivals in Southeast Asia, the City Government of Naga has formally kicked off its preparations with the issuance of Executive Order No. 008, series of 2025.
The order, signed by Mayor Leni Robredo, constitutes the event committees and support services for the 2025 Peñafrancia Festival, a tradition deeply embedded in the cultural and spiritual fabric of the city and held every September.
In her directive, Mayor Robredo emphasized that the Peñafrancia Festival is a season of unity where people, regardless of status or background, come together in faith and celebration of their shared cultural heritage.
The executive order highlights the festival’s role as a platform for community engagement and collaboration, where civic organizations, local businesses, schools, and government agencies join hands to organize a series of religious and cultural events, parades, and competitions—fostering a strong sense of community pride and identity.
To ensure the smooth implementation of this year’s festivities, the EO mandates the active participation of all departments and offices under the city government. These offices are tasked with forming and composing various event and support committees, with clearly defined functions, roles, and responsibilities.
Among those named in the EO are the Executive Committee, the Miss Bicolandia Committee, the Bicol CTP/MAPEH DRRM Parade Competition Committee, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Parade and DXMC Committee, the Civic and Float Parade Committee, the Peñafrancia Voyadores Festival Committee, the Bicol Regional Military Parade Committee, and the Tagboan Arts, Music and Gastronomy Festival Committee.
Support services also formed under the order include committees on Physical Arrangements and Festival Structures, Sponsorship and Marketing, Public Information and Promotions, Event Scheduling, and Trade Events and Vending Services.
To further strengthen festival operations, particularly in the areas of peace and order, public safety, sanitation, and emergency response, the city government will also reactivate the Multi-Agency Coordination and the Incident Command System, through a separate executive order.
Naga City, often referred to as the Pilgrimage Capital of the Bicol Region, expects another influx of devotees, tourists, and guests this September, as it once again showcases its vibrant faith, deep-rooted traditions, and community solidarity through the Peñafrancia Festival. | via Jason B. Neola
