Marine Conservation and Virtual Reality: Buglasan 2023 Festival
In the heart of Dumaguete, at Freedom Park, the Buglasan Festival 2023 was a vibrant celebration like no other. Spanning from October 14th to 22nd, this year’s ‘fiesta of fiestas’ brought together the unique spirits of the six cities and 19 municipalities of Negros Oriental. The province’s rich heritage was shared through a colourful journey of traditional dances, delectable local cuisine and more.
Origins of the festival
Buglasan Festival takes its name from “Buglas,” the island’s name in the pre-Hispanic era, referring to the tall “marsh grass” that grew in abundance across the island. It was created in Dumaguete to honour the beauty of the island, and Buglasan has brought the province’s many communities together since 1981.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and the relatively slow return to normal in the Philippines, MCP was unable to attend the festival the previous three years. However, this hiatus only encouraged us to return to Zamboanguita’s booth with an absolute bang.
Amidst the festivities, together with Zamboanguita, Marine Conservation Philippines (MCP) helped co-host the ground floor of an absolutely incredible booth. Our design was a portal to a world beneath the sea. We aimed to represent the amazing ocean life and conservation in Zamboanguita. In fact, a remarkable virtual reality (VR) dive experience was the highlight. Little did we know that it would reach more than 2,000 festival-goers in the coming week!
In the run-up to the event, weeks of work went into all the incredible city and municipality stalls of Buglasan. We owe our success to the hard work of our staff, and especially our media intern, Queenie. For weeks she designed captivating infographics and stunning coral decorations. We also can’t thank our resident photographers, Barbara and Kauê, enough for toiling endlessly over the mesmerising videography on our many screens and in VR. Lastly, we must highlight the work of our maintenance team and the Zamboanguita Local Government Unit. They built our booth in the days leading up to the festival, bringing the idea to life piece by piece.
Finally, the setup was ready, and the first day of Buglasan arrived! With VR headsets ready to go, a wave projector running, and the impressive LED wall showcasing footage of a local MPA, we waited with great anticipation for our first guests…
What an opening night! The booth was packed with crowds of interested people, learning and laughing. The VR headsets were never put down, and photos were snapped continuously. Children were sprinting around, hunting for different marine animals that had been hidden amongst the walls’ coral reefs. People asked questions and spent the night exploring the delights of Dumaguete and what each town of Negros Oriental had to offer.
The electric buzz and bustle continued each day. Every night, a different group of our volunteers would attend and represent MCP. They also enjoyed the festivities for themselves, dressing up, taking photos, and spreading our message with festival-goers. They were awesome!
Using new technology
It’d be fair to say that the international volunteers and the VR dive experience stole the show. There were looks of awe, as visitors wearing the VR headsets found themselves right between the vibrant corals and graceful snappers. Many of those who participated had never explored the ocean’s depths before. To be able to do so while completely dry was an incredible experience for many. At Marine Conservation Philippines, we hope the experience stirred a newfound appreciation for our fragile ecosystems, especially among the many children who did their first “dry dive” with us. Furthermore, this test run suggests real promise for the VR headsets in the future education of MCP’s volunteers. This can be a powerful tool in biology training. It bridges the classroom setting with the immersion of actual scuba diving.
This festival was an invaluable opportunity to engage with the public about marine conservation efforts, and to show them what amazing wonders lie beneath the waves of the region. Attendees learned about Zamboanguita’s support of vital work in MPA monitoring, community education projects, and the importance of protecting marine life for future generations.
The final night arrived all too soon, with an ultimate celebration of award-winning photographers, booth winners, pageantry, more dancing, more singing and even more eating! We were saddened it was all over too quickly, but with hearts full, we packed up our booth and headed home.
As we reminisce about the Buglasan 2023 Festival, we are reminded of the power of joining hands for a common cause. In Negros, it’s not just about celebrating the province’s vibrant culture; it’s also about preserving the marine beauty, the vital resources that come from the sea, that helps define the region. We hope that this week showed people that we can all play a role in protecting our planet’s precious environment, one person at a time. So, until the next Buglasan, let’s dance, dine, and dive into the beauty of the incredible coral reefs of Negros Oriental.
