Cainta, Rizal formally opened its week-long celebration of this year’s “SumBingTik” (Suman, Bibingka, Latik) Festival on Friday evening.

“The first day of our fiesta has begun. We are featuring all the houses here in Barangay Sto. Niño,” Cainta Mayor Elen Nieto said in an interview on Saturday.

“We hope you can join us here in Barangay Sto. Niño to see the different houses we have decorated for ‘SumBingTik,’” the mayor added.

She also thanked congressional candidate Mia Ynares, the daughter of former Rizal Governor Casimiro “Ito” Ynares Jr., for visiting Cainta and for joining them in celebrating the town’s festival.

Tagged as the “bibingka capital of the country,” Cainta is known for its delicious delicacies suman, bibingka (rice goodies) and latik (coconut-based sweets).

“Here, my fellow townspeople are serving our delicious kakanin during this fiesta,” Nieto said.

Ynares said this was her first time attending the “SumBingTik Festival,” and she really enjoyed eating the town’s delicious delicacies.

“I’m very happy to be here with you in this very joyful event. There are so many delicious kakanin. I’m very surprised that Cainta has so much to offer. I didn’t know about this, so it’s good to know,” she added.

Celebrated every 1 December to commemorate the town’s founding anniversary and the feast of Our Lady of Light, the principal patron saint of the town, the festival begins in earnest on 30 November, the feast day of Cainta’s first patron saint, Saint Andrew the Apostle.

Aside from the “SumBingTik” house decorations, other highlights of the festival include a color fun run, bikers’ fun ride, Maya Negosyo caravan, Caindakan sa kalsada (street dance), concert, and many others.