New Year's Day: you can bet the larger towns like Taal and Batangas City will have festivities planned for the New Year. The local Batanguenos are renowned for their drinking skills, which are put to the test on this happy occasion.

Edsa Revolution: this triumphal gathering in the capital Manila marks the success of the People’s Power Movement. The air is electric as the locals celebrate the elimination of the previous dictatorship. If you are in the capital for this one, be prepared for some serious energy.

Pancit Malabon Festival: this traditional and tasty dish has been given its own festival in the town of Malabon. A parade, eating contest and other fun events are scheduled for the day, which culminates in a frenzy of eating this popular dish.

Tapusan Festival: this day-long event in Alitagtag town honours the Holy Cross. A very old cross in the centre of town is festooned with flowers, then mounted on a colourful float and paraded through the town along with images of Mary and other floats. The locals pull these floats along by rope, creating a stimulating atmosphere.

Parada ng mga Lechon: Balayan town is the place to be for this religious celebration that coincides with the Feast of St John. Roasted pigs are paraded through town dressed with the year’s theme for the fiesta. After the parade, the roasted pigs are enjoyed by all. In between events, locals douse each other with water, creating a surreal but highly entertaining scene not to be missed.

Subli-an sa Batangas: what began as a religious ritual based around the Holy Cross has evolved into a dance form known as subli. This indigenous Batangas dance is accompanied by four choral voices, each of which adds a special meaning to the song. Every large town in the province performs a version of this special and unique event.

Cry of Pugad Lawin: another of the country’s nationalistic holidays, this event marks the brave Filipinos who first rose up and fought against the Spanish. Every town in Batangas has special events planned to remember these forefathers of the freedom movement.

Anihan Festival: the usually sleepy town of Lobo erupts into colour during this week-long celebration. Locals dress up as regional produce and parade through the town, followed by a beauty pageant and a dance competition.

Masskara Festival: a lively and colourful parade is the highlight of this wonderful event. Locals don masks made from paper mâché in a show of appreciation for life. Many towns across the region have variations of the festival on this important day.

All Saint’s Day: this nationwide festival honoring the dead is one of the most important and interesting festivals in the Filipino calendar. Cemeteries become unlikely places for day-long feasts and parties. Since every town has a cemetery, visitors are guaranteed to see this fun event wherever they are.

Christmas: the Philippines is predominantly a Catholic nation, and Christmas is a major time for celebrations and religious processions. The old Spanish colonial churches in Taal and Batangas City come alive with special services and other events to mark this occasion.