PULILAN, BULACAN—The annual Kneeling Carabao Festival drew a record-breaking 427 carabaos this year, according to the Municipal Tourism Office, marking a sharp increase from 277 in 2024 and 266 in 2023.
The growing participation highlights not only the town’s strong commitment to preserving its agricultural roots but also the festival’s role in driving tourism and local livelihood. As industrialization and urbanization rise across Bulacan, Pulilan continues to showcase the enduring importance of traditional farming.
Local officials view the festival as a strategic initiative to encourage farmers and livestock raisers to grow their herds. The long-term vision includes developing a viable dairy industry anchored in the local carabao population.
Believed to have started in the 1920s, the Kneeling Carabao Festival remains a cultural landmark, drawing visitors while reinforcing the town’s deep agricultural heritage.