It’s official: the name of Laguna province’s biggest fiesta will remain for now.
This, as rumors had circulated the previous year that the name of the Anilag Festival will be changed after Governor Sol Aragones took over the helm of the Laguna provincial government.
In an announcement Wednesday, January 7, Aragones announced that plans are now underway for a “level-up” of Laguna’s premiere festival experience.
The move comes after a stakeholders’ meeting in which the private sector joined the provincial government and tourism officers from various LGUs in drafting plans for the festival.
“Just in: Anilag Festival 2026 level-up, pinaghahandaan na,” was how Aragones put it in her social media page.
But what netizens noted was that the current name of the festival has been retained in the governor’s announcement.
Netizens who had earlier lambasted Aragones’ “hinting” of a name change soon after she took office in a hotly-contested gubernatorial race last May 2025 now heaved a sigh of relief.
Ani ng Laguna
Since its inception in 2004 under former Governor Teresita “Ningning” Lazaro, the Anilag Festival has served as a “melting pot” of Laguna province’s rich culture and history, as well as a showcase of its progressive economy.
The name “Anilag” derives from “ani ng Laguna” (harvest of Laguna), in recognition both of the province’s former agricultural past and its current reputation as one of the largest industrial, commercial and residential hubs in the Calabarzon region.
However, during the term of former Governor Emilio Ramon "E. R." Ejercito, the name of the festival was changed to "La Laguna Festival" in 2011.
The name change, according to local officials at the time, was done to give a nod to the historical name of the province during the Spanish colonial period.
When former Governor and incumbent 2nd District Representative Ramil Hernandez took the helm at the provincial capitol in 2013, the name of the festival was switched back to Anilag in 2014 – a change that was made official in 2016.
Since then, Anilag Festival has showcased not only the literal "fruits" of Laguna but also the rich talent of Lagunenses.
Among its most prominent features is the highly-anticipated "Ginoo at Binibining Laguna" pageant competition and the Trade Booth and Fluvial Parade competition showcasing the culture, economy and unique heritage of the province's 24 municipalities and six cities.
Aside from promoting Laguna’s culture and economy, local officials have said that the Anilag Festival also serves as a vehicle for the growth of small industries in the province.
Last Year, officials of the Laguna Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO) shared that the 2025 Anilag Festival was also a convenient forum for the province’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their products.
LEDIPO head Fatima Villaseñor shared that local traders initially recorded a total of P3 million in sales during the festival, while booths operated by LGUs recorded total sales of P8 million.
“Nagiging area po ng economic development among the MSMEs ang ating Anilag Festival. Ito po ay dahil sa mga produktong nasho-showcase dito, and basically 70 percent po ng mga nagtitinda during the festival ay mga may kinalaman sa pagkain,” she had said at the time.
To date, the Laguna provincial government has yet to announce the full lineup of activities for the Anilag Festival.
However, Aragones herself has confirmed that the Anilag Festival 2026 Level-Up will be held from March 16 to 21.
In the meantime, it is also clear that the Anilag will not be another victim of the traditional political trend of “new ruler, new names” that has become part and parcel of local governance in the Philippines.
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