Also known as the Cry of Santa Barbara, Kahilwayan Festival is a social celebration that highlights the Ilonggo’s role in the uprising against Spain. The term Kahilwayan was derived from an Ilonggo expression that implies freedom.
The festival is a retelling of the account of the Cry of Santa Barbara. It commemorates the raising of the Philippine banner by progressive powers in Santa Barbara on November 17, 1898, which signified the beginning of the resistance against Spain. This was critical in the Philippine history as Santa Barbara was proclaimed a National Trunk Site outside Luzon in the Centennial Freedom Trail during the Philippine Centennial Celebration in 1998.
One of the main highlights of the Kahilwayan Festival is the people are dressed in various vibrant outfits and they are out on the streets marching to the tune of Marcha Libertador.
