SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna — San Pablo City marked a renewed chapter in its cultural calendar as it staged the 2026 Coconut Festival (Coco Festival), the first major fiesta-season celebration under the leadership of Mayor Najie Gapangada, highlighting a more organized, community-centered approach and a strong focus on homegrown talent and cultural expression.
The multi-night celebration was held from January 12 to 15, 2026, in line with the Feast of Saint Paul the First Hermit, with festival activities strategically distributed between the City Plaza and Regidor Street to improve crowd flow, enhance public safety, and create clearly defined zones for performances, food fairs, and community interaction. Monsignor Jerry Bituon led the opening religious observances, underscoring the spiritual roots of the annual celebration, while city officials said the layout allowed families and visitors to better enjoy the festivities and provided wider exposure for local artists and small businesses.
City tourism officials, including An Mercado Alcantara, Tourism Officer for Special Projects, played a key role in shaping this year’s Coco Festival program, positioning it as part of the city government’s broader strategy to adopt culture-based tourism and strengthen San Pablo’s identity as both a cultural and pilgrimage destination. Alcantara, who has represented the city in national tourism forums and championed creative tourism initiatives rooted in local culture and community participation, emphasized that the redesigned festival lineup reflects a commitment to integrating artistic expression with sustainable tourism development.
Branded as a showcase of talent, this year’s festival placed emphasis on music, dance, and performing arts, featuring competitions and open stages that included choral performances, street and contemporary dance showcases, amateur and professional singing contests, rock band competitions, pageants, and open-mic segments that welcomed grassroots performers from different barangays across the city.
One of the major highlights remained the presentation of the World’s Largest Buko Pie, reinforcing San Pablo City’s reputation as a center for coconut-based products and culinary tourism. The showcase was sponsored by Colette’s, with local producers and major buko pie brands using the festival platform to present large-scale versions of the iconic pastry, accompanied by public tastings and giveaways at the City Plaza main stage that drew large crowds and visiting tourists.
Mayor Gapangada said the Coconut Festival is being repositioned as a cultural movement that celebrates artistic excellence, youth participation, and community pride, while maintaining the religious and historical roots of the annual observance. He added that the city government aims to make the festival a model for organized, inclusive, and talent-driven cultural celebrations in Laguna.
City officials also confirmed that future editions of the Coconut Festival will align more closely with May 7, San Pablo City’s Charter Day, a move intended to distinguish the cultural festivities from the religious solemnity of January and to strengthen tourism and civic engagement during the city’s anniversary celebrations.
Photo credits: Dong Fullo, SPPF, and San Pablo City Information Office
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
