Piña Festival Ormoc : Everything You Need to Know
Traveling to Ormoc for the first time? This detailed and curated travel guide will make it easy for you to navigate your way inside, save money, and maximize your time.
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HOW TO GET TO ORMOC
Direct Flights from Manila,Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and more are being served to Tacloban. Flights are operated by Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and AirAsia. Then, ride a van from Tacloban to Ormoc.
✓ ENTRY POINT MANILA (NAIA) or CEBU (MCIA) or DAVAO
- By Airplane (Cebu pacific, Airasia and Philippine Airlines)
Manila to Tacloban. Then, Tacloban to Ormoc.
✓ ENTRY POINT CEBU (Pier 3)
- By Boat (Roble Shipping Lines)
From Cebu, ride the Roble Shipping lines boat at Pier 3 to Ormoc City. Roble Shipping Lines serves the route everyday per week and at 7:30 pm. Travel Time is around 6 hours. Fare is about PHP 660.00 per person.
- By Fast Craft or Fast Boat (2GO, Oceanjet or Weesam)
From Cebu, ride any of the three boats at Pier 1 to Ormoc City, Leyte. The three fast crafts serve the route daily. Travel Time is around 3 hours. Fare is PHP 600.00 per person.
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PINYA FESTIVAL (PIÑA FESTIVAL)
Growing up in Ormoc, it has always been a place where Pineapples are very very famous. I don’t know if it is because of the plantation that has been around ever since I was a kid.
The festival just recently took place when the Gomez’ reign in our municipality and I am so glad it did. It brought the festival to life.
There are a lot of activities happening at every festival but I will list down below the activities that are tourist-friendly, eye-catching, and will make your attendance worthwhile.
>FLUVIAL PARADE
The Fluvial Parade is a significant and mainstay event of the yearly Celebration of Piña Festival.
Every year, devotees brave the waters of the Ormoc Bay to show their devotion to the image of St. Peter and Paul by accompanying the image through its short voyage. It is quite a visual feast for the foreigners and shutterbugs who regularly escort the convoy, riding decorated and retrofitted barges, and motorized outrigger boats.
Whatever vantage point you’re at, the St. Peter and Paul Fluvial Parade is quite a sight to behold.
>PARADE OF LIGHTS
This happens at night so that people can actually see and appreciate the colorful glowing lights. A series of big-large cars (aka float) with different themes of designs are parading at night in the central park at Ormoc. Inside the floats are people with costumes that are the same as their float’s designated theme.
>PIÑA SWIM CUP
If you love swimming then this activity might pick your interest. Though this is one of the activities that I find somehow interesting.
>PIÑA FESTIVAL STREET DANCE
The Piña Festival is not complete if the street dance won’t commence. This is like one of the life of the festival. The colorful dresses worn by contestants are gonna be paraded around the town. They will dance beat by beat to their music. You can spot their festival queens because it is the one with the pineapple. It is like their signature pose.
>PIÑA FESTIVAL RITUAL SHOWDOWN
This takes place after the street dance aka the parade of contestants are over. This highlighted event usually begins somewhere before the setting of the sun.
>FOOD BAZAAR
Opened last 2016 is the first-ever night food bazaar in my hometown. The food bazaar is named as Quadro : Foodie Market Feast. It offers a lot of food choices.
The Quadro is situated near the Old City Hall and Superdome. The entrance fronts at the Ormoc City Stage.
WHEN IS IT CELEBRATED?
The Piña Festival is a celebration for the bountiful harvest of Pineapple in the City. It also honors its Patron Saints Peter and Paul. The actual date of the fiesta is on the 29th of June.
REMINDERS, TIPS AND NOTES
1.Study Your Location
Every location is unique and so are the rules while trekking on it. Carry a map with you all the time so that you know exactly where you are so that you can find your way back.
2.Medical Kit
Stuff your bag with all the necessary medicines and medical tools.
3.Emergency Contacts
Remember “Prevention is better than cure.” This is just a precautionary step. I genuinely do not want to see you in any trouble at all
4.Please Inform
“Leaving a simple text to your family or trusted friends.” If something unfortunate happens, your loved one’s will find you.
5.Plenty Of Essentials
Carry at least 3 liters of water and plenty of nutrition bars. They are light and filling till the time you find any other source.
Have you visited Ormoc City? Let’s visit and check why they are called the City of Beautiful People
Always remember to “Develop your One Days to Day Ones!“
XOXO,
