Baragatan Festival

 Palawan province names float and pageant winners

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

More than 20 floats, each representing their respective local government units (LGUs), joined the Parada ng mga Palaweño on the opening week of the 2026 Baragatan Festival in Puerto Princesa City.

The town of Quezon won the Mainland Category Float for beautifully & ingeniously creating the face of its strong IP community.

The 2nd Place went to the town of Taytay, known far and wide for its cultured South Sea pearls (especially those of Jewelmer), while the municipality of Rizal was proclaimed as 3rd Placer.

In the Island Category, the municipality of Linapacan was adjudged the champion.

2nd Place went to Araceli’s lush reef life; while the 3rd Place went to the municipality of Culion, the former leper colony. In 2006, a centenary after its creation, the sanctuary was declared leprosy-free by the World Health Organization.

Baragatan comes from the Cuyonon word that means “to gather” or “meeting point.”

The newly launched festival logo reflects the convergent-point idea by incorporating symbols associated with Palawan; including the katala bird, pearls, ocean waves, leaves, jars, and human figures representing communities across the province.

Each of the contingent’s muse, who braved the early morning sun and, danced throughout the thoroughfares that were part of the parade route, also competed in the Mutya ng Palawan 2026 search.

After the pageant, five delegates were proclaimed as winners.

- Dolores Sanchez, Brookes Point (Miss Universe Philippines Palawan 2027)

- Fatima Sayad, Cuyo (Mutya ng Palawan – Earth 2027)

- Marc Krysteena Beatriz Luciano, Puerto Princesa (Mutya ng Palawan – World 2027)

- Farra Maxine Barber, San Vicente (Mutya ng Palawan – Global 2027), and

- Mary Rose Palay, Agutaya (Mutya ng Palawan 2027 1st runner-up)

The street dancing showdown and finale takes place on June 23 at the PGP Convention Center.

The 2026 Baragatan Festival will culminate with a Parokya ni Edgar concert right after the Baragatan Festival, including the street dancing performances, have been given out.

In its recent tourism report, 2025 generated approximately Php 65.51 billion, as well as foreign visitor arrivals totalling 2.1 million.

This year’s festival, which ran for three weeks, followed the theme that revolved around the concept of “Makukulay na Yaman, Iisang Palawan.”