PILI, Camarines Sur (Oct 11, 2013) – The multi-awarded 'Cimmarones Festival' shall no longer be a feature of this capital town's 194th fiesta celebration this month as history experts claim that the 'Cimmarones' were in fact bandits and brigands who terrorized the natives in the 19th century and do not deserve to be honored with a festival.
Pili Municipal Mayor Alexis San Luis II told newsmen on Thursday (Oct. 10) that there is a historical reason to discard the festival in lieu of which the Pili municipal government mandates the celebration of “Pinili” festival, a month-long event that already started in Sept. 29 and shall end on October 31.
San Luis explained that contrary to the perception of many Bicolanos, the name “Pili” of the capital town of Camarines Sur was not derived from the famous Pili nut of Bicol, but from the term “Pinili” that translates to "chosen place" or simply “chosen”.
San Luis said the present Pili town was chosen as a refuge by early inhabitants who came down from the old poblacion in barangay Binanuaanan in the 19th century because of frequent barbaric raids of the “Cimmarones”.
According to Pili Parish Priest Rev.Fr. Louan Jarcia, “it is not fitting to honor the “Cimmarones” because they were 19th century bandits, although the tribal bands were known to have resisted Spanish rule in that century.”
Mayor San Luis also said the “Pinili Festival” which is celebrated on October aims to compliment the Peñafrancia Festival that is celebrated in adjacent City of Naga a month earlier.
The new festival shall feature the Search for Ms. Capital town of Camarines Sur; “An Solterong Pileno,” a search for able and intellectual bachelors; colorful street dancing and civic and military parade on Oct. 22 and 23.
In the mid-2000s the 'Cimmarones' festival garnered some awards in the “Wow Philippines” festival competition that for a time was regularly sponsored by the Department of Tourism. (SONNY SALES)