Pagibang Damara is a festival in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, where the community comes together to give thanks for a bountiful harvest, in line with the annual City Fiesta held in the second or third week of April. The term “Damara” refers to a Tagalog word for a bamboo-and-nipa shelter traditionally built in rice fields, providing farmers shade and protection from the sun and rain during planting and harvest seasons. In past generations, farmers and landlords in San Jose City constructed these shelters before planting season and would later dismantle them (ginigiba) after harvest, celebrating the end of the season with gratitude and camaraderie. This tradition gave rise to the name “Pagibang Damara” (shed ready to be demolished), symbolizing the community’s shared thanksgiving for a successful harvest.

Today, the people of San Jose City celebrate as one large community, unlike in the past when gatherings were separate. The modern-day Pagibang Damara festival has evolved into a multi-sectoral event funded by contributions from both the public and private sectors. It is marked by lively street dancing, beauty contests, tourism and trade fairs, award ceremonies, and cultural performances, showcasing the city’s unity and vibrant cultural heritage.