Festivals are supposed to celebrate progress. They are meant to reflect the pride of a province, the strength of its people, and the victories of communities that survived another difficult year. But what exactly are we celebrating when the very people feeding Camarines Sur continue to suffer beneath the noise of concerts, lights, and fireworks?
The invitation of BINI and other performers for the Kaogma Festival 2026 has drawn massive attention online—not only because of the excitement surrounding the event, but because of the uncomfortable question rising with it: why does the Provincial Government seem more willing to spend for entertainment than to confront the worsening problems faced by farmers and struggling communities across the province?
While stages are being prepared and performances are being promoted, many farmers in Pili continue battling economic uncertainty, agricultural struggles, and unresolved livelihood issues. The contrast is painful. On one side: glowing advertisements, celebrity appearances, and festival hype. On the other: communities still waiting for long-term support, concrete solutions, and actual government urgency.
And that is where the backlash truly comes from. Because this is no longer just about a concert. It is about priorities.
No one is saying festivals should disappear completely. Culture matters. Celebration matters. Music and entertainment have their place in society. But there is something deeply unsettling about watching a government enthusiastically fund large-scale performances while many of its own constituents continue asking for help that never seems to arrive with the same energy or speed.
The optics alone are damaging.
It sends the message that spectacle is easier than service. That applause matters more than agriculture. That public entertainment is more visible—and therefore more politically rewarding—than solving the slower, uglier realities of poverty and food insecurity.
And perhaps that is what hurts the most: farmers are expected to keep producing despite heat, unstable income, rising costs, and insufficient support, while government attention suddenly becomes abundant when there is a stage to build and cameras to attract.
The timing makes the issue sharper.
This is happening during a period where many communities are already struggling with the effects of economic pressure and agricultural instability. Yet instead of placing those concerns at the center of provincial action, the government chose to place celebrities at the center of public attention. The result is a festival that, for many, no longer feels like celebration—but distraction.
Because what does “Kaogma,” or happiness, truly mean if the people working under the sun to feed the province remain unheard beneath the sound systems?
Supporters of the event argue that festivals stimulate tourism and local business, and to some extent, that is true. Large events can generate temporary economic activity. But temporary excitement cannot replace long-term solutions. One night of performances cannot irrigate dry fields, lower production costs, repair struggling livelihoods, or address the structural problems farmers continue carrying year after year.
And that is the danger of performative governance: it creates the appearance of progress without confronting the realities preventing it.
A government’s priorities are revealed not by its slogans, but by where it chooses to spend its urgency.
Right now, many people are looking at the stage being built for Kaogma Festival and seeing something larger than a concert. They are seeing a painful symbol of misplaced priorities—a province willing to spend for spectacle while many of its own people continue waiting for support that feels forever delayed.
Because at the end of the day, fireworks may brighten the sky for a few minutes. But they cannot hide empty fields forever.
Written by Ibong Maya, Insight PH
Ibong Maya, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
