TACLOBAN CITY -- Despite the rains, Matag-ob, Leyte, still marked the success of its month-long Himorasak Festival, a celebration of bountiful harvest.

Mayor Bernandino Tacoy expressed pride and gratitude that Himorasak, which means abundant, has put the municipality on the map in terms of tourism and agricultural development.

"I've been receiving calls from people asking where our humble town is. Most of them have signified their intention to visit Matag-ob, which I am grateful for," he shared.

Aside from showcasing their local cuisine and produce through 'Habhab sa Matag-ob,' Tacoy said they made sure to feature homegrown talents in their nightly activities.

The 21 barangays have been divided into eight clusters during their Grand Festival Parade and Street Dancing competition.

"We are blessed that the rain stopped to give way for our presentation. Many people still came to witness our dance presentation even those coming from other places so we are very much grateful for that," he said.

Himorasak Festival is the brainchild of the rookie mayor who pushes for a ‘Productive, Progressive, Popular, and more Peaceful Matag-ob.’

"We felt that people are embracing our programs. True to our platform, Matag-ob is now becoming popular. We learned that we just needed unity to do the things we want in order to achieve development," he shared.

He also attributed the festival's success to the active involvement of all the sectors in Matag-ob.

Matag-ob, a third class municipality in the 4th District of Leyte, is known for the Bondari Peak and pure tablea made from cacao nibs. Bondari is a 60-hectare mountainous range between the boundary of Matag-ob and Villaba town.

Aside from its breathtaking views on top of the mountainous range during sunrise and sunset, Bondari is an ideal place for camping, hiking, bike trailing, and motocross competitions.