Isabela Mayor Joselito Malabor yesterday said the Isabela municipal government will institutionalize the Tigkalalag festival, after he declared a successful relaunch of the festival, which ended last Thursday.

He said he will ask the Sangguniang Bayan to come up with an ordinance to make the Tigkalalag Festival an annual activity.

Malabor previously noted the festival had been shelved for the last four years due to a change of local leadership.

The mayor stressed, he decided to relaunch the festival because it was a trademark of the locality.

“When you talk of [the] Tigkalalag Festival, what comes to mind is Isabela town,” Malabor stated.

He added, Isabela has also made its mark on the Panaad sa Negros Festival as the Tigkalalag festival dance has won the festival dance contest championship several times.

Malabor noted, he wanted this year’s festival to be a recognition of his brother, former Isabela Mayor Renato Malabor, whose birthday was on the final day of the celebration./DGB, WDJ