Despite downpour, Maribago holds 5th Guitar Festival

Buyong Elementary School, Maribago National High School and Rizwood College performed dances related to guitar playing while teachers from said schools also presented special performances. (CDN PHOTO/ NORMAN MENDOZA)GUITA

THE heavy  rains did not stop residents and visitors to celebrate the 5th Guitar Festival in barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City last Monday with the theme “Paghinumdom sa Panginabuhian”.

The parade started at 5 p.m. and residents waited to see the participants dressed in simple but colorful costumes.

Students from Maribago Elementary school, Maribago National High School and Rizwood College performed at the barangay gymnasium, dancing to a jingle related to guitar-making and playing.

The teachers of Buyong Elementary School also performed  to the tune of “New York, New York” in their white, red and blue costumes while teachers of Maribago National High School performed a colorful Indian dance.

All performers were given a plaque of recognition.

According to councilor Rosalino Abing, the Guitar Festival was started in September 2006, a year after he crafted an ordinance creating the festival.

He said the festival is in honor of residents who made the first guitars in the area, particularly in sitio Datag, barangay Maribago.

The first guitar was made by Domingo Abres, a native of Pari-an in Cebu City, who married  Potenciana Wag-wag, a resident of Sitio Datag.

One day, Abres was visited by his father who brought a guitar for him.  The guitar was a gift from a Spanish friar to Abres’ father.

Since then, Abres started to study how to make a guitar and eventually made several guitars in 1890s.

To this day, the guitar business in Lapu-Lapu City is booming.

Different designs and material innovations were made and  it has become the livelihood of most people in the barangay.