Philippine Traditional Dances Take Center Stage at the 2025 FolkMonção Festival
LISBON 11 August 2025 — Culture Philippines of Ontario, a non-profit, community-based, youth-centered organization, proudly represented the Philippines at the 2025 FolkMonção Festival held in the Municipality of Melgaço on 08 August 2025, with the support of the Philippine Embassy in Portugal.
The dance group captivated the audience with a powerful performance of Bangga, a traditional Filipino folk dance originating from the Kalinga province. The piece highlighted the strength and grace of Filipino women, who danced while balancing heavy clay pots on their heads, a symbol of both endurance and elegance. More than 500 locals watched in awe as the performers expertly balanced up to ten pots each with unwavering poise and precision.
Ambassador Paul Raymund P. Cortes and Dr. Yasmin P. Cortes extended their full support to the Philippine delegation by joining the group in the Municipalities of Monção and Melgaço. They also paid courtesy calls on local government leaders, including Dr. António José Fernandes Barbosa, Mayor of the Municipality of Monção; Dra. Daniela Fernandes, Monção’s Councilor for Education, Health, Youth and Animal Welfare; and Dr. Manoel Batista Calçada Pombal, Mayor of Municipality of Melgaço, to express gratitude for their warm welcome and hospitality.
In his remarks, Ambassador Cortes emphasized the value of cultural diplomacy. “We believe that dance and art demonstrate the power of creativity in fostering goodwill among peoples. This festival is a wonderful opportunity to share our culture through dance, a universal language that connects hearts beyond borders. We hope to continue participating in this cultural exchange, strengthening bonds between our nations and with the rest of the world.“
As a gesture of friendship, Ambassador Cortes presented to the Mayors two iconic symbols of Philippine culture and heritage, a copy of the Portuguese Noli Me Tangere, a landmark project of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon and a bottle of the internationally awarded Ube Cream Liqueur.
The FolkMonção Festival, which runs from 02 to 11 August 2025 in ten municipalities of Portugal and Spain, is an annual international gathering that brings together cultural groups from around the world to showcase their heritage through folk dance, music, and traditional arts. This year marks the second time the Philippines has participated in the FolkMonção Festival.
The Philippine Embassy in Portugal reaffirms its commitment to advancing cultural diplomacy and fostering deeper ties between the Philippines and Portugal through meaningful exchanges such as the FolkMonção Festival. END
For more information, visit https://www.lisbonpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PHLinPortugal/ or https://www.instagram.com/phinportugal/.