BagongLosBaños celebrates a more fun and more colorful Bañamos Festival 2023

September 5, 2023

3–5 minutes

The #BagongLosBaños Administration, led by Mayor Anthony “Ton” Genuino, will celebrate a more fun and colorful Bañamos Festival 2023 from September 17 to 24 this year and which coincides the celebration of the 408th Founding Anniversary on September 17. The festival theme for this year is, “Tara na at sumama sa mas pinasaya at mas pinakulay na Banamos sa Bagong Los Banos.”

A more vibrant and exciting celebration in the town is expected through the conduct of different events such as the Thanksgiving Mass, Barangay Night, Cultural Show, LBirit Star Search Duets, Padyak LB, Zumbaños, Bailamos, Civic Parade, Grand Revelry, Mister and Miss Bagong Los Baños at Bayle sa Kalye Dance Showdown, Fun Run (Color Run), LB Awards (Iconic Businesses, Top 10 Tax Payers and Outstanding Citizen) and Carnival Fair.

The festival offers new events, including the Bañamos Kick-off Shower Parade, where there are showers, bubbles, and color blasts in the parade. Pinoy games with a twist are something to look forward to at Palarong Bañamos. One of the new attractions is the boat design competition called Kakaibangka. Bañamos Aqua Games will showcase the beauty of Tadlac Lake, where the water relay games will happen. There will be more big hot-air balloons and a market bazaar on the UPLB grounds in partnership with the Business Affairs Office of UPLB in the event of the Hot-air Balloon Fiesta and Trade Fair.

The Bañamos Festival 2023 will not be possible without the partnership of LGU with the University of the Philippines Los Baños, headed by Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr., and the rest of the UPLB officials permission to use the university grounds for some of the major events of Bañamos.

This will be the second time to celebrate this big event in the town since the pandemic started.

The local government ensures that it follows new health protocols when holding the different activities and events of the festival.

During his first term from 2010 to 2013, Mayor Ton has already successfully made this weeklong event more festive and fun for LB citizens and tourists. He was able to improve and revamp this festivity once, so the people can expect even more this time around.

Hotsprings and non-hotspring resorts in the town may soon offer discounts during the event in celebration of the hotspring baths” festival.

Birth of Bañamos

The Los Baños Tourism Council of 2002, spearheaded by Dr. Francisco F. Peñalba, has conceptualized the festival with the aim of promoting the tourism industry of the town. For they believe that a strong, competitive and aggressive tourism advocacy is key to a progressive economy.

Bañamos Festival was successfully launched on September 17-21, 2002, in conjunction with the 387th Foundation Day of Los Baños. The very first grand fest gathered over 50,000 spectators and tourists, including the local and foreign visitors and media.

This is a celebration of the colorful history, culture and well-known natives of the town through parades, dances, exhibits, talent search and performances.

Bañamos as a commemoration of history

This festival is the annual commemoration of the founding of the Municipality of Los Baños observed every September 17th. “Bañamos” comes from a Spanish word that means “we bathe.”

This word can be traced back during the Spanish period, whereas, the Franciscan friars were enticed with the rich hot springs and steam vents of the Mount Mailing set up as public bath which are believed as holy and healing.

It was believed that the Spanish authorities named this town as Los Baños or “the baths” because it is visited by tourists from Manila and neighboring provinces.

Bañamos as a celebration of natural wonders and local products

The town of Los Baños is home of two natural wonders such as the Mount Makiling and Laguna de Bay. These natural lands are rich in fertilized soil, clean air, potable water, and a rustic ambiance that influences and helps sustain the livelihood and lifestyle of the people of the town.

This natural richness brought life to the popular native products of the locality including buco pie, milk, ornamental plants, souvenir items and other homemade delicacies.

Bañamos is a recognition of immense scientific talents

Los Baños is known not only in the Southeast Asian region but also around the world as it highly contributes to the advancements in the fields of agricultural science and technology.

This town was proclaimed as the “Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines” since it is a home for various educational and research institutions offering opportunities for study visit, or science appreciation and discovery tour to visitors.

The annual Bañamos festival is an occasion that reflects the rich values of social responsibility and cooperation instilled to the citizenry of Los Baños.

This has opened opportunities to showcase the home-grown talents and beauties of its people, a time for friends and families to connect, and bridge generation and socio-economic gap through community-wide activities supported and participated by various government agencies, business establishments, civic associations and other private groups and individuals. //PIO LOS BAÑOS / Edjun Mariposque