By I. Inojales, Helen Castaño | 11:20 AM March 26, 2026
TAGBILARAN CITY — The Tagbilaran City Government has postponed several major events of the annual Saulog Festival scheduled for April and May due to an ongoing crisis affecting the city.
The decision was reached following a three-hour emergency meeting on Tuesday evening involving members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tagbilaran, barangay captains, and department heads.
Mayor Jane Yap announced that the “Mutya sa Tagbilaran” pageant set for April 19 and the “Maoy sa Mayo” celebration on May 3 will not push through.
While acknowledging the difficulty of the move, Yap said the postponement was necessary as the city prioritizes stability and public welfare. She added that a complete list of affected events will be released soon.
Despite the suspension of major government-led activities, privately organized events will proceed as scheduled. The Street Dancing Competition and Ritual Showdown, one of the festival’s highlights, will still take place on April 26.
A foot procession involving all barangays will be held ahead of the street dancing, followed by a Holy Mass. City streets will be illuminated with candles—symbolizing hope amid uncertainty, unity in difficult times, and unwavering faith in Señor San Jose, the city’s patron, to guide and protect Tagbilaran.
The Saulog Bazaar and nightly activities at City Hall will also continue to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and sustain local economic activity.
Yap emphasized the need to keep the city’s economy moving, noting that public transport drivers, including tricycle and multicab operators, as well as small business owners, rely on daily income to support their families.
She also announced that all city buses will be reserved exclusively for the “Libre Sakay” program on designated routes, with no units allowed for other purposes.
In addition, the mayor has asked the city council for authority to cancel franchises and business permits of tricycle operators and establishments found exploiting the crisis.
The city government is also preparing to roll out fuel subsidies and rice assistance for the most vulnerable sectors as part of its response measures.
