Ever wonder where the happy Island is? Well, maybe you heard about the place called the Land of the Howling winds? Yes, that is our beloved province of Catanduanes dubbed as the Happy Island, one of the provinces in Bicol Region. Our province offers a lot of places you can enjoy from islets, beaches, hills, historical churches, waterfalls, man-made/natural pools, and many more.
The home of the Finest Abaca. A haven of cheerful hospitable and God-Loving people.

The Islanders

Just like the strong fiber from the leafstalk of abaca, we have one thing in common, despite the super typhoons, natural disasters, the pandemic hitting us, we always rise, stronger than before. We are resilient withstanding earthquakes, pandemic, typhoons and just like our famous abaca we are strong and we will continue living. Our kababayans, our parahag-ots remained strong-willed and industrious enough making our province the center of abaca in the Bicol Region despite the pandemic.

As Islanders, we always look on the brighter side of life, we will always find fire to lit our ways until the sun rises and sets at the end of the day. We center ourselves on God and we live with it. Starting our days with thanksgiving for God's blessings. Maybe some of you know that we are blessed with oceans/beaches, beautiful mountain landscapes, and more.

The Abaca

Abaca is the strongest of natural fibers and is used as tea bags, banknotes, and decorative paper. Can be weave and be the primary source of cloth. Bags, slippers, ropes, flowers are some of the products which can be derived or make out of abaca fiber.

The Abaca Festival

During the month of May, our province celebrates our own festival and that is the Abaca Festival, which started last May 2016...featuring Abaca Fiber as the major product of our beloved province. This year, we are celebrating the 5th Abaca Festival and the COVID-19 pandemic won't stop us to celebrate this kind of Festival.

Because of this pandemic, just like last year, our province embraces innovation, the innovation to celebrate this festival virtually,... wherein we can celebrate digitally.

'New Normal' Celebration

In times like this so-called 'new normal', 11 towns of our province compete and showcase their creations, craftsmanship, and talents.

One of the activities of this festival is the eBarakalan Trade and Tourism fair it is a blended fair wherein you can purchase local products online to support local entrepreneurs showcasing various abaca products.

Another part of the Abaca Festival Queen Competition is the festival costume, that was exhibited at the Capitol lobby (as a dressmaker I dream someday my creation will be one of them too haha), and those glamorous creations were judged based on craftsmanship and originality, cultural value and relevance, quality, and wearability and of course overall impact.

AbacAmazing Spoken poetry is also a part of this year's celebration all about abaca and to show our support we can cast votes for the People's Choice Award by hitting the love reaction. There is also this so-called TikTok, Abakantahan, Virtual Dance Showdown are also in this year's celebration featuring abaca too.

Every year as our province celebrates Abaca Festival, national agencies and establishments displays statement of support for the celebration and let me share with you guys our town's display at our LGU entrance wherein you can pose and take pictures but sad to say, I was so busy with my small business that's why I can take mine haha...an arch as the representation of our municipality touched with collective efforts, history and culture. St Ignatius of Loyola our Patron Saint is also in this display, and I am glad to share my skills by sewing our patron's cloak for the display.

Colors are also well presented in the display, wherein yellow for the hope of a better and brighter tomorrow, blue for an ocean of endless possibilities, white as pure intentions to end this pandemic, green for the call of the protection and conservation of our resources.

Finally Home

Welcome to the municipality that smiles to you and soon to the world! Yes, I am proud to be a Pandananon, it is said that your home is where the heart is, and am glad and proud to say that I am finally home now, because I stayed in Manila for sometime Wayback 2004, and living in the city is not quite easy, I know some or most of you guys can relate especially if and you are alone in that place a total stranger in that place but glad I survived for almost 10 years haha of course not to forget the help of some relatives though not in the same house but knowing you have relatives nearby it would be of great help,...but being home with your family is the greatest feeling after all the struggles of being alone in the city I decided to go home and decided to put up my Dress Shop where I spend most of all my time and as my source of income to help my family, when not that busy I love to bake a cake for the family and take care of my collections of plants as a Plantita.

Our town has a number of tourist spots that you can visit when this pandemic is over. These places are:

Carangyan Beach Resort if you are looking for a tropical beach experience in the northern part of our province.

Tuwad-tuwadan Blue Lagoon and Cagnipa Rolling hills it is said that if you love a dangerous kind of beauty, then this place is perfect for you to visit.

St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, which was built in 1874, if you happen to be here don't miss the chance to visit our church.

We have also the Hiyop Highlands, Paraiso ni Honesto, and a new Hotel and Halfway Resort...some beaches like Mangbang beach, Muraw beach and not to forget our Seashore Park too name a few.

'Til Next Time

Thank you for spending time reading my article, hope you guys find this interesting, feel free to comment and maybe some suggestions for my next article.