The Sandugo Festival is a yearly historical event that takes place every year in the island province of Bohol. This festival honors the celebration of a local Philippine leader Datu Sikatuna's blood compact and association or treaty of friendship with the Spanish king conquistador, Captain General Miguel López de Legazpi in March 16, 1565. The annual celebration of the Sandugo Festivities begins in the month of March. However, the streetdancing competitions have been changed to July to coincide with the annual TBTK or Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan, translated into English, literally or otherwise as a gathering of Boholanos (the people of Bohol) from around the world. Tagbilaran City also celebrates its Charter Day on July 1 while the Province of Bohol became a separate politico-military province on July 22, 1854, known as the "Bohol Day", in commemoration of Bohol's separation from the government of Cebu. Thus, a festive mood pervades the province for the whole month of July.
Hundreds and thousands of people from around the Philippines and the world gather for this special event which involves colorful costumes and loud drum beats, street parades, church services, fireworks, beauty pageants (Miss Bohol and Miss Tagbilaran), cockfighting tournaments and sport tournaments.
The main highlights of the Sandugo Festival is a street parade with a street dancing competition, a re-enactment of the first sandugo or blood compact, and the Search for Miss Bohol Sandugo.
The street dancing competition is held in Tagbilaran City where each local high school develops its own dance custom with special costumes and choreography. A small marching band follows each group of dancers to provide the music. The bands consist only of xylophones, drums, and trumpets. Some of the dancing was very good, and the costumes were very colorful. The parade also integrated the customary entourage of local officials, police department, local business establishments and associations and, of course, the local beauty queens, Miss Bohol and Miss Tagbilaran. The street dancing has since then evolved to include entries not only from high schools but also entries from Local Government Units (LGUs) or municipalities as well as guests from other cities and provinces.
The Bohol Sandugo Celebration or Sandugo Festival, also known as Blood Compact Commemoration, is an annual historical event that takes place every year in the island province of Bohol, Philippines. This festival commemorates the treaty of friendship between two people of different races, culture, religion and civilization: between Datu Sikatuna, a native chieftain and the Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi, representing the king of Spain. This treaty of friendship occurred on March 16, 1565 through a blood compact. This blood compact is the first international treaty of friendship between Filipinos and Spaniards and is known today as "Sandugo", meaning "one blood".
In honor of this occasion, the late Philippine President Elpidio Quirino established the Order of Sikatuna, a presidential decoration conferred upon diplomats.
