UMADAGAT Festival of Saint Bernard
2nd Place Best Tourism Event-Festival Category-Municipal Level
for 2009 ATOP-DOT Best Tourism Practices
In the aftermath of the tragic Guinsaugon landslide in 2006, the Municipality of Saint Bernard struggled through during and especially after the crisis. Under the able leadership of Mayor Rico C. Rentuza the municipality strengthened its Disaster Coordinating Council and coveted the Gawad Kalasag Awards in 2008 and 2009 (Grand winner and 2nd Place, respectively).
The Mayor believed for a positive change in paradigm-shifting through tourism and indeed the town became one of the most-visited in the province of Southern Leyte.
Thus, in the 2007 annual fiesta celebration in the month of May, the Executive Committee for the event convened and UMADAGAT Festival was born. This is the story of UMADAGAT:
A humble yet significant beginning….
Saint Bernard is a 4th Class municipality and its economy thrives mainly on agriculture. The municipality has undergone several crises including the Guinsaugon landslide tragedy. This brought about lessons learned and most of all people became capacitated and resilient to face future tests. Its people are proud of the town’s natural endowments for tourism and agriculture. The UMADAGAT is only in its second year this year. In cooperation with the Local Government and the Parish Social Action Center, UMADAGAT was born – celebrating two years of struggle, hope and survival not only of the landslide-affected communities but the entire municipality. The term UMADAGAT is coined from ‘uma’ which means to farm, and ‘dagat’ which means sea, the main source of fishing.
The UMADAGAT Festival was endorsed by Mayor Rentuza through its Tourism Officer Rosalinda ‘Jane’ A. Araneta to be brought as an entry to this year’s ATOP-DOT Convention and Best Tourism Practices Awards in General Santos City. Indeed, because of its significance and humble beginning, the UMADAGAT Festival of Saint Bernard was awarded as 2nd Place for Best Tourism Event - Festival Category (Municipal Level).
The entry was not limited to focusing on dance and culture; rather, it showcased the 10-day activities (agri-aqua fair; pageant; sports; culture & arts; job fair; biking competition, etc) for the entire celebration which feature the involvement of and empowerment of the different sectors like the youth, women, business, farmers, fishermen, OFWs, professionals, rural poor, the elderly, NGOs, among others.
The award was given by ATOP National President Roselyn Arminda B. Merlin and DOT Secretary Hon. Joseph ‘Ace’ H. Durano last October 3, 2009 during the awards night in General Santos on the occasion of the 10th ATOP (Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines) Convention.
