Category: Albay

The Cagsawa Festival is an annual month-long cultural and historical celebration held every February in Daraga, Albay (Bicol Region, Philippines). It centers on the iconic Cagsawa Ruins, remnants of a church buried by ash during the catastrophic eruption of Mount Mayon in 1814. The festival commemorates several historical events: the destruction of the original Cagsawa settlement, the rebuilding of the Cagsawa Church in 1724, and the development of the area tied to early Franciscan missions. Initiated in 2012 by the provincial government of Albay and the municipal government of Daraga, the festival has become a major cultural event celebrating local heritage and resilience.