The Negros Occidental Orchid Society (NOOS) celebrates it’s 14th Waling-Waling Festival at Robinson’s Place, Bacolod City from August 9 to August 17, 2016. Traditionally set sometime in August-September to coincide with its peak blooming season, the festival highlights one of the country’s premier floral treasure: the Euanthe sanderiana. More popularly known as “Waling-waling”, it is a Philippine endemic orchid found only in Mindanao; from Cotabato and Bukidnon all the way down to Davao and the Zamboanga Peninsula. And no where else in the world. Since it’s first discovery by Roebelin in 1882 and named after Henry Sander, a famous nurseryman and an important patron tropical orchids in England at that time, this orchid has become a popular breeding parent of most vanda hybrids, imparting its large size, attractively rounded shape and overlapping tepals and its beautiful tesselated markings to its offspring.
This year’s festival themed “Waling-waling…Love Beyond Time” pays tribute to one of the mythologies on the origins of the Waling-waling as told by some of the indigenous tribes in Mindanao. Likewise, the organizers would like to bring to fore the timeless qualities that make Waling-waling an orchid that should be in the collection every Filipino plant enthusiast. Waling-waling, worthy to be called our True National Flower.
NOOS President Dr. John Clifton Martyr’s short message: “The NOOS hopes to reintroduce the Waling-waling to the people of Negros as it redefines the beauty and the grandeur that is inherent in every Filipino. An orchid that is easy to love and to care for. It can become an heirloom to every family.”