Well, as I have mentioned in my previous post, the Kanidugan Festival was moved to the 10th of April to give way or to respect the holy week. We are requested to join the town parade for a small compensation, the town parade started at eight o’clock in the morning it was epic actually because when we arrived the street was already closed, so we have no choice but to walk to the assembly area and it was just right on time that when I arrived at the elementary school, the parade was just about to start. I wasn’t able to find my coworkers, so I joined with the LGU family whom I am friends with, and when we went out, I found my co-workers standing in the corner so I  left the line, and joined them.

Anyway, the parade was spearheaded by the municipal officials, followed by the municipal employees, it was actually kind of boring to just walk, so I created my own world and my own dance steps, haha. I asked my workmates to dance with me, but they are kind of shy to do it, so I have to do it alone, until I went up front and met the employees from MS who were I think also bored walking and they are dancing in their own way while complaining that the drum beats were too sad to follow.

It was fun being included in the parade, but it was quite boring because you can’t see and enjoy the Kanidugan Festival, especially the street dancing. I decided to go on Facebook live, showing what is happening around me, and talking to my workmates and even to my viewers, and with that, I wasn’t able to take a lot of pictures.

The town parade took longer than expected, because of the street dancing, we have to stop many times to wait for them, When we are almost near the starting point, I walked back to find my batchmates, who are at the end of the parade, it was a bad decision because they are that quite far and it would be a better decision if I waited until we reached the endpoint.

Well, when I arrived at my batchmate’s location they were already planning to leave the parade because it is almost ten o’clock in the morning and our reunion program will soon start, so when we reach a certain point, we exited.

The pandemic made the world stops, it cleans busy roads and made people to stay home.  Anyway, after three years of not celebrating town fiesta, finally Odiongan was able to held one, simpler than the previous celebrations. Simpler in the sense, that there is no street dancing today and there is no Kanidugan Festival dance competition.

The highlights of today town fiesta is a float parade participated by clusters of barangays and some government agencies.  The town parade almost didn’t take place because it rained that day, and it is still drizzling when it happened.

Well, I really have no plans of going to town and watch the float parade, but thinking it was a first for my niece, we did go to town for her to see the floats and people. We went there, when it was already starting and we decided to find a good spot and location where we can see the whole parade without skipping anything.

[ Some floats have dancers to make the parade merrier and festive.]

There are only few floats, there are more people and groups who joined the town parade, especially fraternities and organizations, there was a short program in the town plaza after, but we didn’t see it anymore, we went home right after we saw the tail of the parade.

As you can see, the rain didn’t stop the people from going out, because the parade was already a big event after three years of community quarantines, as you know Philippines is still not mask free, and maybe there are still unreported cases until today. Well, who  will have the guts to report you are sick, by the way? Even me, maybe I will not tell anyone I have symptoms when I know that you and your family will be isolated without food to eat. LOL

The Kanidugan festival this year wasn’t too exciting, maybe because of the MIMAROPA Festival that was been held a few months ago in Odiongan. I think that’s how it works, if you already watched the big thing, small things doesn’t excites you that much anymore.  The festival wasn’t celebrated on the 5th, to give way to the procession of  Catholic church. The town parade was held in the morning of the 6th day of April, unlike the previous festival the contender this year where from different municipalities of Tablas island.

The first tribe where the Saginyogan Festival (Coco-Banana Festival) from the Municipality of Alcantara, their costume was mainly made of banana leaves and coconut. The festival was first presented in 2010 to bring awareness of the contribution of coconut and banana on enhancing the lives of the locals, especially the farmers.

The Governor of Romblon together with the government employees were in the parade too, everything was good not until one of them (people at the end) left a trash in the middle of the street, an empty water bottle. So disappointing, they should be the one to set an example to the local people eh.

Anyway, the next contender in the town parade was Tribu Banbanon from the Municipality of Looc, they are wearing vibrant color of fairy costumes, one thing you’ll notice on them they are all smiles, they were students of Looc National High School.

Romblon Baktas Mountaineer joins the town parade too, I didn’t go with them because I watched the parade with my mother I can’t left her alone in the street.  What I did was stop them to have a photo and I was dragged by a few to come with them but I declined and reasoned out.

The next contender was Tribu Biga-biga, as what I have heard they are made -up tribe in Odiongan, by the popular group of dancers E2. They are wearing a colorful pink mask and they dance in a a bit seductive manner as their tribe name says.

Tribu Febabosa was the last tribe in the town parade, their costume was exquisite, it is well designed.  When the parade ended we waited for my sister who paraded with her office mates and instead of going to a restaurant for lunch we decided to go home first to check what is our father doing after going home first.

The town parade for Kanidugan Festival is one of the must see during Odiongan Town Fiesta and as expected many Odionganons flocked to town to see it. When we arrived in town there were already many people waiting for the parade and the main road wasn’t passable anymore. The parade have already started so we decided to see it where we are rather than finding a new spot.

Anyway, instead of watching the ground demonstration we have decided to eat lunch first because our grandma who is with us to watch the festival was already feeling dizzy, I think she was overwhelmed by the noise and the number of people around her.

Compare to last year where we ate at Laszaji Grill on Town Fiesta we decided to try the food at Mac’s Chicken & Barbecue Haus. This Barbecue house wasn’t a new one in town, it was been here for a few years already but we never tried their restaurant thinking their food is expensive just by looking how the place looks like.

When we came in, there were not many people around there are many vacant tables. The servers who are standing welcoming the group ahead of us just looked at us as we enter, and since maybe we are adamant where to sit someone finally asked if we are not included the group, we replied no and that was the only time we are given attention.

We seated on the table at the front corner near the bar since there was fan in there and it is spacious for us. We are given their menu and contrary to our belief that food is expensive on this restaurant it was actually cheaper than we could imagine.  We ordered their five orders of their chicken barbecue, a bowl of shrimp sour soup, a platter of chopsuey and fruit salads for dessert. The service is a bit slow, it took forty five minutes before our food was served, well at least the bottled water I have ordered were given first.

As we are waiting for our order, one server asked us to move to a new table (we are currently seated in a six or eight person table) saying that there might be other people who will come in. I was very disappointed, we are five people and she moved us to four person table when there are plenty of vacant table around since the place was spacious.

As what was expected when our orders arrived after waiting it for so long the table was too small to hold our food, our movement when eating is limited.  What’s more ironic there was only two group who came until we finishes eating our food and the table we are asked to be vacated has been empty until we finished eating and left the restaurant, so imagine how bad I feel being kicked out to a smaller table (lol).

Anyway, it was a good thing that their food wasn’t bad at all just  a little burn because if it was bad I’ll be sulking until we went out and I will never come back at this restaurant again. Their chicken barbecue was only for ₱99 with rice, coleslaw, sauce and with a bottle of small coke.

Unlike, many other restaurants you have to pay at the counter when you asked for your bill.  My sister pointed out the tip jar since she knew I have the habit of doing it but since I was disappointed I didn’t bother at all.

Well, if you are looking for a silent and spacious place to dine in with your family you can try Mac’s Chicken & Barbecue Haus and yes they have wide selection of food other than the chicken barbecue.  They also have “Eat all You Can” event during Sunday evening for only ₱199.

Mac’s Chicken & Barbecue Haus
Barangay Liwayway, Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/MACSHaus
Mobile No. – 0920 925 7284

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.

It is a tradition/custom in the Philippines to eat lunch in someone else house during fiesta, it was only the time that someone else house is open for visitors without needing an invitation. After watching the ground demonstration in school ground instead of going to my father’s contractor we went to Laszaji grill.

Laszaji was a newly opened grill house in town and since it opened they already catered many “chicken inasal” lovers in Romblon. When we arrived inside we sit in the table a bit but there was no food server coming to our table so we concluded we have to order at the counter so we did. They have a variety of menu to order from chicken to fried pork, vegetable dishes. desserts and etc but since Laszaji is well know for their mouth watering “chicken inasal” we ordered four orders of chicken inasal with bottomless ice tea and unlimited rice for ₱89 each and a plate of chopsuey.

It is a customary in any restaurant to a serve drink first before the main dish but that was not the case when we had our order, the chicken arrived first in our table, it was served late actually since we’ve waited for more than 15 minutes before it was served in our table maybe because there was plenty of people at that moment since it was town fiesta and it’s lunch time. What’s disappointing was I have already finished my food but there was no drinks coming yet and it turns out there was no clean glass to use. Since it was unlimited rice we asked for another servings, the chopsuey wasn’t served yet at that time but the drinks finally arrived in glasses, chopsuey was only served the second time we have asked for another servings of rice and since we almost choked from thirst the drinks didn’t last so we have to asked for refill since we’ve seen that they personally refill the glasses of our neighbor table instead of giving a pitcher of drinks for tables with bottomless drinks.

Travelling and eating at different places I have learned to leave something in the table for the server, according to J’s standard if the service is slow it doesn’t deserve any but since it’s town fiesta and the food servers are probably dead tired from walking in and out the kitchen I did. Actually, my parent’s at first doesn’t agreed with it since they both work in a restaurant on their younger years and they knew when a food server deserve something. The food server who was busy cleaning the table behind us was very apologetic of the poor service when my mother handed something to him, it was my mother’s idea to hand it over to him if I do insists on leaving something in the table since he was the one who frequently served in our table, she thought if we just leave it on the table somebody else would take it. LOL

Laszaji grill won’t disappoint you when it comes to their food, they’re one of the best in town and their food are in very affordable prices too. Maybe if you went on a different day without a town affair where almost everybody are out of their comfort zone, the service will be different since it won’t be so freaking busy. The grill was made of bamboo and pretty ventilated with wall fans so eating during warmer days won’t be a problem. Laszaji grill also offered catering service on birthdays and any other occasions for affordable rate just contact them at –

LASZAJI GRILL
Gen. Luna St. Cor. Rosales St. Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/laszajigrill
Mobile No. – 0929 853 2973

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.

Odiongan celebrated town fiesta every 5th of April but the celebration opened on the evening  of April 1st through a color run in the public plaza, a night inspired by light followed by a beach party featuring a reggae singer “Kokoi Baldo” then on the 2nd of April there was Agency Night sponsored by Romblon State University and Barangay Night on the next night sponsored by barangay associations. On April 4th a fluvial parade and oar boat racing in the town shoreline and grand coronation of Ms. Odiongan on the evening at Odiongan Public Plaza.

Kanidugan Festival is the highlight of Odiongan fiesta celebration, it was been a decade ago since it was first opened. When we went to town the parade and street dancing was already starting and the intersection going to the public market was already blocked with vehicles and people so we returned and use the other route but it was also blocked so went the other way and we are able to find a good place where we can see the street dancing but on my disappointment my camera didn’t cooperate with me, it won’t focus and there was too much light in the photos.

After the parade and street dancing the Kanidugan competition follows at OSCES grounds. It was a very hot day but there was a lot of people. It was a shame but many Odionganons left their manners at home that day, people were redundantly told to sit and not to leave their grounds so other people at the back can see but many didn’t listen so as expected everybody swarmed upfront and of course I wouldn’t just remain seated in the ground seeing different shape of legs and butts so I went nearer as well so I could take better photos.

Well, I wasn’t able to find a good spot but I can’t go back since a lot of people swarmed up in our back, it was very discomforting, it feels like my ear drums will pop out and when the current performers ends I left to find my companions and since most people left out of disappointment, the ground became a bit spacious and my companions were able to find a good spot beside the stage ground, I took a bit of photos and asked them to go home, the last tribe performing was very lame anyway, their sounds wasn’t good.

I think the people in San Agustin, Romblon during their festival and ground demonstration was more disciplined except from one teacher who also left her manners at home that day.