Festivals are already ingrained in the Filipino culture. One of them is Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival – the one and only festival that combines the music, arts, culture, and nature for celebration – celebrated in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, on March 2-4 annually.

Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival is usually held at the foot of Mount Malasimbo overlooking Puerto Galera Bay which is one of the most beautiful bays in the world. This event is supported by the Department of Tourism, the National Commission for Culture, the local government of Puerto Galera, and the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro.

Description

The festival is performed by international and local musicians. They showcase jazz, latin, original Filipino, and ethnic music performances in the open air amphitheater. The festival has an exhibit for local contemporary artists who want to promote the protection of environment through their artworks. The exhibit is also a way of showing the culture of the Mangyan tribes living around the area, by making an artistic replica of the Mangyan villages. Another purpose of this event is to raise money for livelihood projects for the Iraya Mangyan communities.

The Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival is the venue for an eco-cultural tourism and a platform for various artists to promote the advances of music and arts of the Filipinos.

As environmental awareness becomes more widespread, eco-tourism is gaining ground as a primary driver for information dissemination about today's environmental issues. Eco-tourism can take many forms: the experience of sustainable activities in a natural environment, the conservation of local flora and fauna or of indigenous art and culture, the preservation and support of the local community, and the creation of sustainable attractions that draw visitors to a specific destination for all of the above purposes.

The festival is seen as one of the most important in the country, helping to spearhead the country's continued advance in music, arts and culture. It blends traditional and contemporary arts and culture with a holistic approach through reforestation and marine preservation.

Mindoro Island, composed of the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, is a prime destination for eco-tourism activities. The area has numerous beaches, several dive sites rich in marine biodiversity, unspoiled mountain ranges home to varied wildlife, and active tribal Mangyan communities. Its most popular tourist draws are the beaches of Puerto Galera, but concerted efforts are being made to encourage visitors to see beyond the beaches to the eco-tourism potential of the island.

How to get there

If you want to join and experienced this wonderful event, just take a bus from Manila to Batangas pier and then a bangka or a wooden outrigger boat to Puerto Galera.