HISTORY OF DAPIL FESTIVAL

Dapil Festival is Bangued Municipality’s way of celebrating it’s festivities. This is centered on one of Abra’s main agricultural products, the sugarcane. Dapil is derived from the word “Dadapilan”, an equipment used in extracting the sugarcane juice that can be done through a conventional or modern method. With the old type, they use the service of a carabao to pull the wooden dapil to rotate clockwise, while the farmer is inserting the sugarcane stems to be pressed. The juice flows down as they collect it into a big pot or “silyasi”. They heat it through the fire when they have collected enough. The heat varies depending on what product you want to achieve. Slight heating is necessary for making “Basi” or the wine followed by “Suka” or vinegar. Molasses is also a by-product of sugarcane. The use of traditional type of dapil is getting rare nowadays, since modern machines are much more convenient. This pushes the administration of Hon. Dominic B. Valera, together with the help of the Governor, Maria   Jocelyn “Joy” Valera-Bernos, realize and mark the birth of the DAPIL FESTIVAL. The Dapil Festival started last February 2008. The festival features trade expo of sugarcane products and other agri-based items, search for festival queen and king, parades, and cultural shows and the like. The Festival is a five-day celebration that takes place from the 19^th to 23^rd day of February every year but varies depending on the schedule of activities. The festival aims to bring back the essence of “Panagdapil” as demonstrates excellence that defines the richness of the culture and tradition of the People of Bangued.