Tawi-Tawi's Lepa Festival Celebrates Maritime Heritage

The Lepa Festival in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, marked the province's 53rd founding anniversary celebration. The event showcased traditional Sama Dilaut boats, known as lepa, which served as home, transport, and livelihood for communities connected to the sea. The festival featured decorated lepa, traditional dances, and music, highlighting the province's maritime heritage. The lighting of the lepa was a highlight of the event, with generators switched on to reveal colorful lights tracing the hulls, masts, and carvings. The celebration was described as communal, joyful, and rooted in place, with heritage being carried into the present rather than frozen in the past.