ILOILO City – The 53rd Paraw Regatta Festival is breaking away from its sail-and-sea tradition by putting Ilonggo food culture and creative expression on equal footing with its iconic boat races.
Organizers are rolling out two new crowd-drawer events that highlight coastal livelihoods, local cuisine, and visual arts.
Paraw is a native sail/fishing boat used by seafaring Ilonggos for centuries even before the Spanish conquest of the Philippines. The annual Paraw Regatta aims to keep this tradition alive.
This year’s festival introduces the “Kusina Regatta Cook-Off: Bugay sang Baybay Challenge” and the reimagined “Pinta Tawo: Transformational Art for Food” – a deliberate shift to broaden Paraw Regatta’s cultural and economic reach beyond maritime spectacle.
Festival committee member Aldene Duyag said the cook-off, scheduled on February 27 at Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafood Restaurant in Arevalo district, is designed to showcase traditional Ilonggo seafood dishes rooted in everyday coastal life.
“Traditional seafood nga matilawan gid sa Iloilo amo ang lutuon sang mga participants. Gusto namon ipakita ang bugana nga grasya sang dagat kag ang kahimtangan sang aton mga manugpangisda,” Duyag said.
Culinary schools across Iloilo have been invited to compete, with Ilonggo chef Cidj Jalandoni helping lead the initiative.
Duyag said the activity is meant to connect food heritage with sustainability and the realities faced by fishing communities.
“Through this cook-off, we are not only promoting Ilonggo cuisine but also honoring the fishing communities whose livelihood depends on the sea. This is our way of connecting culture, food, and sustainability,” he added.
On the visual arts front, Pinta Tawo returns on March 1 at Tatoy’s Arevalo with a fresh theme that fuses gastronomy and creativity. JCI-Iloilo representative Rogie Joan Villasis said participating artists will be required to integrate Ilonggo dishes and food traditions into their artworks.
“Ang concept naton subong is ‘Transformational Art for Food.’ Luyag naton ipakita indi lang ang talento sang Ilonggo artists sa pagpinta, kundi pati man ang aton sikat kag ginahigugma nga pagkaon,” Villasis said.
“It’s art that tells stories of who we are, what we eat, and how food is part of our identity as Ilonggos,” she added.
Around 10 to 12 artists are expected to join Pinta Tawo this year, which aims to offer the public a visual feast while deepening appreciation for local art and Ilonggo culinary identity.
With these additions, Paraw Regatta Festival 2026 positions itself not just as a maritime celebration but as a wider platform for culture, creativity, and community — one that honors the sea by elevating the people, food, and stories shaped by it.
This year’s regatta is expected to draw at least 35 sailboats, a notable drop from last year’s 44 participants, underscoring concerns about the event’s long-term sustainability.
To accommodate safety and logistics, the race course has also been shortened to about 26 kilometers from the usual 30-kilometer route across the Iloilo Strait.
Paraw Regatta Festival Foundation chair John Lex Bayombong said prize money for the sailing competitions will be increased to entice more crews to return.
The Slalom Race is on February 26 while the main sailing event is on March 1./PN