Handout 

Nueva Vizcaya recently held its 15th Ammungan Festival, which also celebrated the province's 185th founding anniversary.

The event, which aims to highlight Nueva Vizcaya's cultural diversity, kicked off with a travel and tourism expo featuring booths from 15 municipalities. 

Ammungan is named after a tribal Gaddang word which means coming together, with the festival gathering Nueva Vizcaya's 18 indigenous peoples and ethnolinguistic groups such as the Ifugao, Isinai, Dumagat, Kalanguya, and Bugkalot. 

Nueva Vizcaya governor Jose Gambito hopes that the Ammungan Festival will shine a spotlight on tourist attractions such as waterfalls in Quezon, farm resorts in Bayombong, ATV adventures in Aritao, citrus farms and cave systems in Kasibu, century-old heritage churches in Dupax del Sur, World War 2 relics and mountain vantage points in Sta. Fe, eco-tourism parks in Diadi, and culinary offerings in Bagabag and Solano. 

Other activities during the festival included "Bailes Y Canciones," which pitted collegiate students in choral and creative dance competitions; "Mangan! Kulinarya Vizcaya Competition," which showcased the province's gastronomy tourism circuit; a street dancing competition; a pageant; a paramotor flying exhibition; and a concert featuring various artists.