SAN FELIPE, Zambales — This town successfully held the three-day “Keri-kHARiTon” program with an exhibit and parade of colorful “karison” native carts, as well as dance and musical shows that rocked the local tourism scene on September 26-28.

Mayor Reinhardt Jeresano led the kick-off ceremony of the program, which took off with the theme “Kultura, Kabataan, Kalikasan” and brought out the best artistic and cultural vibes from various barangay councils and Sangguniang Kabataan groups in town.

The first day featured the exhibit of “karison” entries—native carts decorated with indigenous materials mostly made of bamboo. This was followed by the Zumba Showdown, which showcased the talent of San Felipeans in doing the Latin-inspired fitness dance.

The second day was special for the youth, as they competed in dance contests and sang the night away with Original Pilipino Music (OPM).

For the final part of the festival, the “karison” entries formed a colorful parade of carabao-drawn carts from the Municipal Hall to the Lubong-Nangoloan Falls located in Barangay Feria, a local swimming hole popular for its serene environment, fresh air, and scenic views.

The parade followed the route taken by tourists who prefer the popular carabao-drawn cart ride from the jump-off point to the Lubong-Nangoloan Falls.

The winner in this year’s Keri-kHARiTon Championship was Barangay Rosete, which featured intricately-woven bamboo decorations. Barangays Amagna and Apostol brought home the first runner-up and second runner-up prizes, respectively. – Taktikom News & Features