The local government of Jagna has scaled back its annual Calamay Festival and ordered fuel and energy conservation measures in municipal operations, with Mayor Mark Louie Monungolh citing the ongoing Middle East conflict and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of a state of national energy crisis as the basis for the moves.
Monungolh said the Calamay Festival 2026, scheduled Tuesday, April 28, will be held in simplified form, with the local government limiting expenditures to subsidizing basic ingredients for local calamay makers rather than staging its traditional large-scale celebration.
Jagna, in Bohol province, markets itself as the “Calamay Country” for its famous sticky rice delicacy.
“The uncertainty in the Middle East conflict prompts us to be judicious in our government spending,” Monungolh said in an official statement released over the weekend.
Beyond the festival, the mayor said the municipality has directed fuel consumption cuts on government vehicles and adopted a four-day workweek to reduce energy use across municipal offices.
The measures follow Marcos’s declaration of a state of national energy crisis, which directed local government units in the Philippines to institute austerity measures, conserve fuel and protect public funds amid supply disruptions tied to the intensifying conflict in the Middle East.
The Philippines, which imports nearly all of its oil requirements, has been among the Southeast Asian nations most exposed to the global fuel price shocks driven by the war.
The Department of Energy has warned of potential supply tightness and price volatility, prompting the national government to activate emergency powers and call on both public and private sectors to reduce consumption.
Pump prices in the country have risen sharply in recent months, squeezing household budgets and raising transport and logistics costs nationwide.
The government has urged LGUs to lead by example through visible austerity in operations and events spending.
LOCAL RESPONSE
Monungolh acknowledged that developing nations like the Philippines bear a disproportionate burden during global conflicts that disrupt energy markets.
“In any global conflict, it is often the developing countries which are most vulnerable,” he said, adding that his administration was committed to ensuring that essential services continue to be delivered despite the economic pressures.
He called on residents to adopt similar conservation practices in their households and businesses, framing the appeal as a collective effort to weather the crisis.
The simplified Calamay Festival will retain its focus on supporting local producers, with the municipal government providing ingredients to calamay makers as a form of livelihood assistance even as public celebrations are pared down.