With the new administration of Mayor Najie Gapangada, residents of San Pablo City, Laguna have come to expect that the upcoming Coco Festival in 2026 will also be altered.
However, when the new lineup of events for the 2026 Coco Festival were released, some San Pableños were disappointed by the removal of some activities such as the Beer Plaza, Trade Fair and Streetdancing Competition.
The question some sectors raised was: What’s the use of celebrating the Coco Festival if these long-standing activities are removed from the lineup?
For a group of San Pableños who originally organized the Coco Festival, however, the 2026 celebration is a wise return to the roots of the festivities.
In an open letter that was published on social media last November 26, the group led by Raquel Tan, Sylvia Inciong, Willy Tan and Rolly Inciong expressed their support for the “revamped” Coco Festival, which they explained goes back to the very spiritual roots of the celebration.
“Bago pa man namin naisip at binuo ang Coco Festival, matagal nang may hindi napuputol na tradisyon ang San Pablo City—ang kapistahan ng ating patron, si San Pablo, ang Unang Ermitanyo,” the organizers said, referring to the feast day of San Paul of Thebes on January 15.
The group also explained that the Coco Festival, first held in 1996, was meant not to replace but to complement the religious feast, and also to celebrate San Pablo City’s coconut industry.
To recall, Gapangada had initiated several programs to revive the city’s coconut industry, including the massive tree-planting activity last August 30 that earned it a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“Sa paglipas ng panahon, ang Coco Festival ay umunlad at kinilala sa buong bansa. Ngunit mula’t sapul, ito ay suportang handog sa fiesta—hindi upang palitan ang tunay na kahulugan ng fiesta. Ang debosyon kay San Pablo, ang Unang Ermitanyo ang nananatiling pundasyon ng pagdiriwang tuwing buong linggo ng Enero 15,” the organizers emphasized.
Aside from hailing the city government’s decision to focus more on propagating local culture and talents for the Coco Festival, the group also reiterated its call for the festival itself to be moved to May 7, San Pablo’s cityhood anniversary.
“Sa ganitong paglipat, mas lalo pang uunlad ang festival nang hindi nasisira ang kabanalan ng fiesta. Ang buwan ng Mayo ay magiging Pista ng Pitong Lawa at Cofofest,” they suggested.
Among the expected lineup of activities for the 2026 Coco Festival include the San Pablo Unang Ermitanyo Choral Competition; the Hataw Sanpy Invitational Dance Championship; The Voice: San Pablo City; and the much-anticipated Mr. and Ms. San Pablo Star 2026.
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