I was invited by a friend to visit her place in Santander, Cebu -- the southernmost municipality of the province of Cebu. I was told that they were celebrating their annual town fiesta but was hesitant to commit at first as I have a scheduled photoshoot early on the next day but still, I was convince to visit the place.
The town of Santander is around 3-4 hours bus ride from Cebu City. It is the location of sea ports that connect to Negros Oriental. Fast craft boats ferry passengers to Sibulan, Negros Oriental with trips taking 20 minutes. Roll-on roll-off barges travel to Amlan, Negros Oriental with trips taking 1 hour. Santander is an ideal spot for diving as it's located in the hub of some world renowned dive spots like Apo Island, Balicasag, Pescador Island, Sumilon and Siquijor.
Upon arriving I was surprised to realize that the town is famous for their sweet toasted biscuit called Tostado hence the town celebrated the Tostados Festival to honor their patron saint the angel St. Gabriel and to highlight their local delicacy while showcasing the culture and the people of Santander. The Tostados Festival is celebrated yearly a week before the start of Holy Week.
They had street dancing and showdown scheduled for that day so I took the opportunity to cover the town’s festivity.
