Lantern Festival

The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in December (Saturday before Christmas Eve) in the City of San Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features a competition of giant lanterns. Because of the popularity of the festival, the city has been nicknamed the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines".

The first lantern festival was held to honor President Manuel L. Quezon. At that time, Quezon made Arayat his rest area and converted Mount Arayat into a tourist resort. As a show of gratitude to Quezon, the people of San Fernando held a Christmas lantern contest to honor the first family. Quezon himself donated the prize for his lantern contest, which was personally awarded to the winner by First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.

In the years that followed, more innovations were introduced to the giant lanterns. Colored plastics replaced traditional papel de hapon. Large steel barrels called rotors also substituted the hand-controlled switches to manipulate the lights. And lanterns have grown in size, approximately 20-feet today, and illuminated by about 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs.

History
The San Fernando lantern industry evolved from the Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando. The festival, which is held every December, finds its roots in Bacolor where a much simpler activity was held. Following the transfer of the provincial capital from Bacolor to San Fernando in August 1904, this parul event followed as well. "Ligligan Parul" was said to have started in San Fernando in the year 1904. But some say that the "Ligligan Parul" did not happen immediately after the transfer and in fact began in 1908.

This predecessor of the modern day Giant Lantern Festival was actually a religious activity which we know today as “lubenas.” The lanterns measured just two feet in diameter, a far cry from the fifteen feet that we see today. These were created in each barrio from bamboo and other locally available materials. During the nine-day novena before Christmas, which coincided with the simbang gabi from December 16 to 24, these paruls were brought around each barrio in procession to their visita. Before the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the lanterns were brought to the town church together with the barrio patrons.

This tradition gradually evolved as the lanterns became bigger and the designs more intricate. Later, one big lantern was made for each barrio, which was created through a cooperative effort. Each resident contributed to its construction, from the concept and design, to the materials and labor. In the end, these lanterns became a symbol of unity for the barrios.

It was in the year 1931 that electricity was introduced to the San Fernando lantern, thus sparking the birth of the first Giant Lantern Festival. The added illusion of dancing lights highlighted the bright colors and intricate designs of these Giant Lanterns. At this time, the lights were controlled by individual switches that were turned on and off following the beat of the music. The barangays of Del Pilar, Sta. Lucia and San Jose were among the first barangays to participate in the festival.

Higantes in Rizal

Higantes Festival

Higantes Festival, also known as the Feast of San Clemente, is celebrated every November 23 in the town of Angono, Rizal. This is a major festival in honor of San Clemente, the patron saint of fishermen. His image is carried by male devotees during a procession accompanied by "pahadores" (devotees dressed in colorful local costumes or fishermen's clothes, wearing wooden shoes and carrying boat paddles, fish nets, traps, etc.) and "higantes" (paper-mâché giants measuring 10-12 feet in height and 4-5 feet in diameter). This street event ends in a procession to Laguna de Bay until the image is brought back to its sanctuary.

History
More than a century ago, when Angono was still a Spanish hacienda, the hacienda owners prohibited the townspeople from holding any celebrations. Aside from the costly preparation, they also wanted to restrict pagan festivities. They allowed only one annual celebration -- the town fiesta in honor of its patron saint, San Clemente.
The townspeople took advantage of this sole festivity, prepared lots of food, wore colorful costumes, and held a big procession featuring big paper-mâché caricatures of their Spanish landlords -- an art form imported from Mexico by Spanish friars. These multi-colored, humongous, comical and sometimes scary 12-footers were called "Higantes" or giants.

Before, only two or three higantes were made, representing a "mag-anak" (father, mother and son/daughter). In 1987, Mr. Perdigon Vocalan suggested that all thirteen barangay must have two or three higantes, symbolizong the barangay’s industry or personality. This idea materialized with the help of the Department of Tourism and Provincial Tourism Office. Since then, the towns folk maintained this practice and elevated it into an art form. This colorful celebration boasts of around 40 different higantes representing each barangay and attracting local and foreign tourists.

Activities
The Higantes Festival is part of a two-week long celebration of the Angono Town Fiesta. Activities include a Misa Cantada (a special sung mass), novena, song and dance contests, fried "itik" festival and cooking competition, a 5k Fun Run, on-the-spot painting contest, art exhibit, job fair, bingo and videoke challenge, and of course, the highlights of the festivities -- the Race of the Higantes and the Procession of the Pagoda.

A procession is held throughout the town, with the images brought to the banks of the Laguna de Bay where they would be enshrined in a floating pagoda for a fluvial procession until the event concludes with the image of San Clemente returned to the church. During the procession, thousands of revelers splash water on unsuspecting participants and onlookers. They use water bottles, squirt guns, and even drinking glasses, spraying water on everyone passing by.

The making of the higantes
In olden days, the heads of the higantes were made of paper-mâché. A model of the head was carved out of clay. Once the clay mold was dry, strips of newspapers would be glued together, one strip on top of the other. Once the right thickness was achieved, the paper-mâché would be cut open to separate it from the mold and the hollow head was glued back together, ready to be painted with the details of the face.

Bamboo strips or yantok were used as the skeleton frame for the body. It would then be covered with yards of cloth resembling their characters. The head was attached to the body and a person could go inside and carry the higante around. In modern times, clay was changed into Plaster of Paris and resin. Tougher material like fiberglass is applied to the mold instead of paper and thin strips of aluminum are used for the body frame for durability purposes.

The MassKara Festival is a week-long festival held each year in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental province in the Philippines every third weekend of October nearest October 19, the city's Charter Anniversary.

History

The festival first began in 1980 during a period of crisis. The province relied on sugar cane as its primary agricultural crop, and the price of sugar was at an all-time low due to the introduction of sugar substitutes like high fructose corn syrup in the United States. It was also a time of tragedy; on April 22 of that year, the inter-island vessel Don Juan carrying many Negrenses, including those belonging to prominent families in Bacolod City, collided with the tanker Tacloban City and sank. An estimated 700 lives were lost in the tragedy.
In the midst of these tragic events, the city's artists, local government and civic groups decided to hold a festival of smiles, because the city at that time was also known as the City of Smiles. They reasoned that a festival was also a good opportunity to pull the residents out of the pervasive gloomy atmosphere. The initial festival was therefore, a declaration by the people of the city that no matter how tough and bad the times were, Bacolod City is going to pull through, survive, and in the end, triumph.

Etymology

The word "MassKara" is a portmanteau, coined by the late artist Ely Santiago from the word "mass" meaning "many or a multitude of the people", and the Spanish word cara meaning "face". A prominent feature of the festival is the mask worn by participants; these are always adorned with smiling faces. MassKara thus means a multitude of smiling faces.

Features

The festival features a street dance competition where people from all walks of life troop to the streets to see colorfully-masked dancers gyrating to the rhythm of Latin musical beats in a display of mastery, gaiety, coordination and stamina. Major activities include the MassKara Queen Beauty pageant, carnivals, drum and bugle corps competitions, food festivals, sports events, musical concerts, agriculture-trade fairs, garden shows, and other special events organized ad-hoc every year.

Kadayawan Festival

Kadayawan Festival

The Kadayawan Festival is an annual festival in the city of Davao in the Philippines. Its name derives from the friendly greeting "Madayaw", from the Dabawenyo word "dayaw", meaning good, valuable and superior or beautiful. The festival is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living.

Today, Kadayawan has transformed into a festival of festivals, with a number of spin-off festivals in the region. The festival honors Davao’s artistic, cultural and historical heritage, its past personified by the ancestral “lumads”, its people as they celebrate on the streets, and its floral industry as its representatives parade in full regalia in thanksgiving for the blessings granted on the city. A celebration that interfaces the three aspects: tribal; industrial and; arts and entertainment. The festivities are highlighted with floral floats, street-dancing competitions and exhibits that showcases the island's tourism products and services.

History

The festival began from a government-initiated program called “Unlad Proyekto Davao” in 1986, planned to unite the Davaoeños after the chaotic martial law years and to showcase the city as a peaceful and colorful place to visit and do business in. At the time, it was called “Apo Duwaling”, a name created from the icons Davao was famous for: Mt. Apo, the country's highest peak; durian, the king of fruits; and waling-waling. The queen of orchids. Davao is also home of the majestic Philippine eagle, the national bird. In 1988, the festival was renamed “Kadayawan sa Dabaw” by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to celebrate the city's unique wealth in flowers, fruits, and ethnic culture. The usual schedule of the festival is on the 2nd week of August, however, with many lined activities, it becomes a month long celebration.

Pagoda Festival

Bocaue Pagoda FestivalBocaue, Bulacan

1st Sunday July

Every First Sunday of July, the town of Bocaue in the Province of Bulacan celebrates the fluvial Bocaue Pagoda Festival, the Pagoda sa Wawa, which commemorates the discovery of the miraculous cross floating on the Bocaue river 200 years ago.
During the Bocaue Pagoda Festival, a replica of the cross on which Jesus was crucified is paraded on a pagoda adorned with magnificent trimmings and guided by by colorful bancas. Hundreds attend the procession for a nine-day novena, during which they feast and celebrate the legendary rescue of the Holy Cross from the Bocaue River
The Bocaue Pagoda Festival legend has it that an ancestor fished the pagoda out of the river two hundred years ago. Yet as with most, if not all, Filipino festivals religion plays a role. The Bocaue Pagoda Festival is held in honor of the Holy Cross of Bocaue Bulacan or Krus ng Wawa.

The Bocaue Pagoda Festival has a cross, which rides on top of a pagoda adorned with magnificent trimmings and guided by colorful bancas. Hundreds of people attend the procession for a nine-day novena, during which they feast and celebrate the legendary rescue of the Holy Cross from the Bocaue River. What is unique about the Bocaue Pagoda Festival festival however is the procession down the river with a huge ornately decorated pagoda float. The float is atop a barge and the river is the Pasig River. Thus, is the Holy Cross of Bocaue brought down the river?

Accompanying the pagoda are hundreds of devotees. Probably because of the river, setting devotees customarily douse each other with water during the procession. Moreover, those who cannot find space on the crowded pagoda simply swim alongside.
The Bocaue Pagoda Festival is tinge with tragedy though. Huge festivities like the Bocaue Pagoda Festival festival sometimes leads to huge disasters. Thus was the fateful day of July 2, 1993 in Bocaue, Bulacan. The Bocaue Pagoda Festival was held at that; time was that of the Sto. Nino, more commonly known as the Pagoda Festival. As ususal people rode a multi-leveled Pagoda especially built to float downstream. People were dancing, eating, singing and enjoying themselves. Nevertheless, the floating pagoda was overloaded and has exceeded its maximum capacity. Eventually the pagoda begun to sink slowly at first but soon the rate of descent rapidly increased. When the pagoda started to flood panic ensued. People began jumping into the deep waters. Some made ashore but many drown. Today the Bocaue Pagoda Festival continues part of it to remember the dead. This tradition will continue as usual with better order and safety. However, for sure the Bocaue river festival will live on for a long long time.

Mayflower

Flores de Mayo at Santacruzan

Flores, from Spanish flores or "flowers," also known as Flores de Mayo (flowers of May), Flores de Maria (flowers of Mary) or alay (offering), may refer to the whole Flower Festival celebrated in the month of May in honor of the Virgin Mary. In the Tagalog region, this custom and celebration started after the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and after the publication circa 1867 of Mariano Sevilla's translation of the devotional Flores de Maria or Mariquit na Bulaclac na sa Pagninilaynilay sa Buong Buan nang Mayo ay Inihahandog nang mga Devoto kay Maria Santisima (The Flowers of Mary or the Beautiful Flowers that in the Meditations During the Whole Month of May are Offered by Devotees to Mary the Holiest).

A Santacruzan is a religious-historical beauty pagent held in many cities, towns and even smll villages throughout the Philippines during the month of May. One of the most colorful May-time festivals in the Philippines which depicts the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Many movie and television personalities participate in the events and are featured as major sagalas and escorts. The festivity commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reina Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, there was a joyful celebration for thanksgiving.

Nine days of prayer (a novena) in honor of the Holy Cross precedes the Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan. This festival was introduced by the Spaniards in the Philippines and has since become part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love and romance. This colorful pageant parade is arranged in this order:

1. Methuselah - he is bearded, bent with age, riding a cart looking preoccupied with toasting some grains of sand in a pan over a fire. This is a reminder that all that glitters will end up as dust like what he is toasting.

2. Reyna Banderada - a young lady dressed in a long red gown carrying a yellow triangular flag. She represents the coming of Christianity.

3. Aetas - represent the state of the country before the coming of Christianity. These are the unconverted Filipino pagans.4. Reyna Mora - represents the dominant religion before Christianity (feminine of Moro from the Moslem religion).

4. Reyna Fe - symbolizes the virtue of faith - the first of the theological virtues. She carries a cross.

5. Reyna Esperanza - symbolizes the virtue of hope - the second theological virtue. She carries an anchor.

6. Reyna Caridad - symbolizes the virtue of charity - the third theological virtue. She carries a red heart.
7. Reyna Abogada - the defender of the poor and the oppressed. She wears a black graduation cap (toga) and gown and she carries a big book.

8. Reyna Sentenciada - has her slim hands bound by a rope. She is the symbol of the innocents who have been convicted. She is accompanied by two Roman soldiers.

9. Reyna Justicia - a personification of the "mirror of justice". She carries a weighing scale and a sword.

10. Reyna Judith - representing Judith of Pethulia who saved her city from the Assyrians after she beheaded the cruel holoferns. She carries the head of the beheaded man on one hand and a sword on the other.

11. Reyna Sheba - who visited the famed King Solomon and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power and richess. She carries a jewelry box.

12. Reyna Esther - the biblical Jewish who spared her countrymen from death and destruction through timely intervention with the King Xerxes. She carries a scepter.

13. Samaritana - the woman who Christ spoke to at the well. She carries a jug on her shoulder.

14. Veronica - the woman who wiped the face of Jesus. She carries a bandana imprinted with the three faces of Jesus.

15. Tres Marias: Mary of Magdala - she carries a bottle of perfume; Mary, Mother of Christ - she carries a handkerchief; Mary, mother of James - she carries a bottle of oil.

16. Marian - celebrating the many titles of the Virgin Mary.

· A-v-e--M-a-r-i-a -- represented by eight (8) girls all Wearing long white dressess with wings to make them look like angels. Each one carries a letter to complete the word "AVE MARIA."
· Divina pastora (Divine Shepherdess) - she carries a shepherdess' staff.
· Reyna de las Estrellas (Queen of Stars) - she carries a wand with a star.
· Rosa Mystica - she carries a bouquet of roses.
· Reyna Paz (queen of peace) - she carries the symbol of peace.
· Reyna de las Propetas - she carries a hour glass.
· Reyna del Cielo (Queen of Heaven) she carries a flower. She has two (2) angels.
· Reyna de las Virgines - she carries a rosary and is surrounded by two (2) little angels.
· Reyna de las Flores (Queen of Flowers) - she carries a bouquet of flowers.

17. Reyna Elena (Queen Helena) - the legendary founder of the true Cross, represented by the small cross she carries. She is escorted by her son, Constantine. The procession is followed by the steady beat of rondalla, playing and singing "Dios Te Salve". The devotees walking with the procession hold lighted candles in their hands and singing the prayer.

Dios Te Salve (Hail Mary)Dios te salve MariaLlena eres de graciaEl senor es contigoBendita tu eresEntre todas las mujeresY bendito es el frutoY bendito es el frutoDe tu vientre Jesus.
Santa Maria Madre de DiosRuega por nosotrosPecadores ahoraY en la horaDe nuestra muerte amen. Jesus.

After the procession there is a pabitin that serves as a culminating activity for all the children to enjoy. Pabitin is a square trellis where goodies (candies, fruits, etc.) are hung by strings. This trellis in turn is tied to a rope and is suspended on a strong branch or pole. The children gather under the trellis and they jump as high as they can to try to pick the goodies as the trellis gets lowered to them while someone pulls it up and down repeatedly until the goodies are gone.

For the Santacruzan to be more exciting, the chosen Reina Elena is kept a secret until the day of the parade to surprise the people.
It is requested that male members attending the Santacruzan wear Barong Tagalog and the women wear any Filipino costumes, if available.

Flores de Mayo(Flowers of May)

Stop and smell the roses. During the month of May, in the tropical islands of the Philippines (where my roots are), we don't have to stop -- the fragrance of flowers floats in the air. When the rains begin to pour after a long dry spell, flowers magically bloom overnight. And being predominantly Catholic, the Filipinos celebrate the beneficial rains by giving praise to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The townfolk gather the colorful flowers to decorate the Parish Church altars and aisles. They bundle the blooms in exotic arrangements for the many different festivities all together referred to as the "Flores De Mayo" (Flowers of May). Many towns celebrate Flores De Mayo with the community congregating in the afternoons to pray the rosary, offer flowers to the Virgin Mary, and share homemade delicacies and snacks. Children and adults wearing their Sunday best, sing and dance to welcome the rains that will water the new crops.
In many parishes, these afternoon festivities culminate in an elaborate procession to the Church where an evening mass is celebrated. The procession is called "Santacruzan" (Festival of the Holy Cross), a commemoration of the finding of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. The townfolk choose pretty young ladies to represent the various characters of the commemoration: the "Accolades of Our Lady". Each one is dressed in an exquisite, colorful gown, looking as regal as the Reina (Queen) she portrays. Reina Fe (Faith), Reina Esperanza (Hope), Reina Caridad (Charity), Reina Mora (Muslim), Reina Banderada (Flag), and Reina Justicia (Justice) walk with their consorts under hand-carried bamboo arches decked with color-themed native flowers. The highlight of the procession is the magestic Reina Elena (Queen Helena) who walks with her consort, Prinsipe Constantino, under a huge canopy of May flowers. Immediately behind her is a float carrying the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by a brass band that lends the festive sounds to the procession. As the pageant moves along the streets, devotees holding lit candles follow, and join in the rosary, novena, and songs of praise. Oftentimes, after the evening Mass, the town Mayor hosts a dinner party to cap the celebrations. This Filipino tradition ("The Queen of May Festivities"), introduced by the Spanish conquerors, is more than 100 years old and lives on even in Europe and America. Filipino Communities and Associations all over the world celebrate the Santacruzan with the same pageantry and glamor as the townfolk in their homeland. Filipino-Americans in New Orleans maintain the tradition courtesy of The Franzuela Family. In Europe, the Euro-Santacruzan is hosted by The Filipino Community in Belgium. In the month of May, Filipinos don't need to stop to smell the flowers. The fragrance of sampaguitas (Philippines' National Flower), kalachuchis, roses and other blooms, floats in the air.

Lechon Parade

Parada ng Lechon

In the Philippines, it is not unusual for lechon or whole roast pig to grace any Filipino fiesta table. Parada ng Lechon is a parade of golden-red and crispy roasted pigs. The delicious aroma of this sumptuous dish led the locals of Balayan and Batangas to commemorate the feast of St. John, their patron saint on 24 June with the presence of the delectable, crispy lechon.

It is on the night before the festival that an anniversary ball is held at the town plaza to choose and crown the lechon queen. On the event day itself, a mass is held at the Immaculate Conception Church. After the mass, at least, 50 lechons are gathered in anticipation of the celebration. The parade proceeds after the holding of blessing of the pigs and people in St. Johns' name. At this celebration, one can witness a hilarious sight when the roast pigs are dressed according to the theme of the participating social organizations. Some of the lechon are dressed in wigs, sunglasses, raincoats, or whatever the decorators want

In an event of sheer madness such as this, one can expect mischief just around the corner. During the celebration, pranksters toss water or beer over the lechons, drenching not only the lechons, but the bearers and onlookers as well. Some will even attempt to have a free sample of the roast pig's prized crispy skin. To prevent this from happening, some participants cover their lechons with barbed wire.

After the fiesta, the lechons are then brought back to their respective club headquarters or home for yet another celebration of drinking and feasting. As for those who believe in the spirit of sharing, they will gracefully give away their prized lechons to the crowd of audience.

Pahiyas sa Lucban

Pahiyas Festival

Pahiyas Festival is a colorful feast celebrated every 15th of May by the people of Lucban, Quezon in honor of San Isidro Labrador. It is the farmers' thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest with a grand display of colorful rice wafers, fruits, vegetables, and handicrafts adorning every house in the town.

History
The festival's name comes from the Filipino terms hiyas (jewel) and pahiyas (precious offering). This feast is an ancient farmers' harvest celebration that dates back to the 16th century. According to legend, San Isidro Labrador magically plowed the field whenever he went out of the church. This is the story that the Spaniards passed on to the Philippines from Mexico during their colonial period. Since then, the Pahiyas Festival has been a source of excitement for the locals and visitors of Quezon Province.

Customs
The highlight of the festival is a procession along the streets of the image of San Isidro Labrador, to ensure the people's bountiful harvest in the coming seasons. The procession features a pair of giant paper mâché figures of a farmer and his wife. This is followed by the image of the patron saint and his wife Sta. Maria de la Cabeza, who carries a basket with triangulo biscuits, which are given to the children during the procession. This culminates with generous sharing of food among the townspeople.

All the locals' houses are decorated with agricultural harvest (fruits, vegetables, rice grains, rice stalks, flowers, and ferns) and colorful rice wafers, called kiping. These thin wafers made from rice dough are usually arranged into two or three layers of chandeliers called aranya. The locals use different kinds of leaves to add flavor and color to the kiping. They also produce varieties of tastes and textures by using different ingredients such as kabal, coffee, talisay (umbrella tree), cocoa, and banaba leaves.

Each house tries to outdo each other in decorations in an annual competition as they vie for the honor of being recognized for their creativity. After the competition is over and the awards are handed over to the owners of the winning house, the decorations of the house will be thrown away to the huge flock of people as free treats. For the other houses, after the festival, those kipings that were used as decorations are cooked and eaten as rice chips. Also during the festival, the people display their harvest in front of their homes so that the parish priest can bless them as the procession passes by.

Santa Clara Pinung-pino!

The Obando Fertility Rites are a Filipino dance ritual. Every year during the month of May, to the tune of musical instruments made out of bamboo materials, the men, women and children of Obando, Bulacan, Philippines wear traditional dance costumes to dance on the streets followed by the images of their patron saints San Pascual Baylon (St. Paschal), Santa Clara (St. Clare) and Nuestra Señora de Salambao (Our Lady of Salambao), while singing the song Santa Clara Pinung-Pino.

Festivities
Among the fiesta participants in the fertility dance are outsiders from other towns in the Philippines; most are asking the patron saints for a son or a daughter, a husband or a wife or good fortune. They are all dancing on the streets as a form of a religious procession primarily in order for the spirit of life to enter into the wombs of women. This is the magic and mystery of Obando, Bulacan.

The feast days or dance festivals are held for three consecutive days: May 17 for St. Paschal, May 18 for St. Claire and May 19 for the Our Lady of Salambaw.
The Philippine national hero, José Rizal, mentioned this fertility dance ritual in his 1887 Spanish novel, Noli Me Tangere (Chapter 6: Captain Tiago).

The Feast usually starts in the morning of May 17, with the mass of the current Parish Priest. Afterwards, the procession of the three Saints will follow, followed by the dancing of the devotees and the musical band. This continues for the duration of the festival, with the image of the particular Patron Saint of the day leading the procession.

History
The ancient Filipinos once held a ritual known as the Kasilonawan headed by a katalonan or high priestess. The ritual normally lasts for nine days and usually involves drinking, singing and dance, and is normally held at the home of a datu or barangay chieftain. This ritual became important to early Filipinos because they value of fertility that could also mean wealth or abundance of every individual person. A barren woman was once considered as a member of the lowest class in Philippine society and suffered stigma and mockery. Because of this reason, it became important to perform the fertility rites so that the women could become productive. The god known as Linga, a force of nature, became the center of the Kasilonawan ritual.

The community would congregate to perform these rituals usually in a clearing of some kind in the middle of a dense forest with some sort of earth-oriented and artistic phallic symbol displayed in the center of the clearing. The lights of strategically placed, ritualistic fires would shine on this structure and it was thought that the sun, giver of all life embodied in the fires, was giving its blessing of fertility to all who participated in the rituals.

Upon the arrival of the Franciscan missionaries to the Philippines, they built churches to propagate Christianity and introduced Catholic saints. In Obando, Bulacan, the Spanish Franciscans introduced a trio or a triangle of saints, namely St. Claire, St. Pascual and the Our Lady of Salambao in order to replace the traditional pagan gods.
The current images at the altar of Obando Church are replicas, sculpted with the financial assistance of the people of Obando. The originals were destroyed during World War II.
The patron saints

Saint Clare
St. Clare is the oldest patron saint of Obando, Bulacan. She was the first saint to be enshrined at the chapel built by the Franciscan missionaries in Catanghalan, the old name of Obando Town. St. Clare was a nun in Assisi, Italy during the 13th century, who founded a congregation known as the Poor Clares based on the devotional teachings of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Clare has been considered as the patron saint of good weather because her name in Spanish meant the brightening of the skies after a season of storms, which later became the basis why the residents of Obando, Bulacan believed in offering eggs at the base of the altar of St. Clare to pray for good weather. Eggs are offered to St. Claire because her name also meant claro (albumen) in Spanish.

The introduction of St. Clare by the Spanish Franciscan missionaries as a replacement for the pagan gods of the ancient Filipinos resulted in the transformation of the old Kasilonawan ritual into the offering of the fandango or dance for St. Clare to prevent women from becoming barren. This transformation from pagan rituals to Christian ceremonies enhanced the conversion of Filipinos to Catholicism.
Eventually, St. Clare became the pilgrim’s patron saint of an individual who would like to request for a mate and to bear children, female babies in particular.

Lyrics of the song or novena to St. Clare
In Tagalog: Santa Clarang pinong-pino / Ako po ay bigyan mo / Ng asawang labintatlo / Sa gastos ay walang reklamo!
English translation: (To the very refined Saint Clare / I pray that you grant me / Thirteen spouses all in all / To the expenses, he won’t complain!)
Variation, in Tagalog: Santa Clarang pinong-pino / Ang pangako ko ay ganito / Pagdating ko sa Obando / Sasayaw ako ng pandanggo.
English translation: (To the very refined Saint Clare / This is my promise / Upon reaching Obando Town / I will dance the fandango.}

St. Paschal
During the 18th century, after the founding of Obando, Bulacan as a Spanish Municipality, the Franciscan missionaries built a church. At that time St. Paschal, or San Pascual Baylon, was introduced to Obando, Bulacan. Like St. Clare, he also became the patron saint of fertility, wealth and abundance. St. Paschal’s surname, Baylon, meant a person who likes dancing, after having been derived from the Spanish word bailar.

There is an anecdote about the miracles of St. Paschal. The Obando story narrates that there was a childless couple from a neighboring town known as Hagonoy, Bulacan, who met a man who sells crabs. That man invited the couple to go to Obando, Bulacan, to participate in the mid-May dance ritual. And when the husband and wife finally did visit the Obando Church, they were stunned when they discovered that the face of the image of St. Paschal inside the church looked exactly like the face of the crab vendor they met.
St. Paschal also became as a patron saint for having children, particularly male babies.


Our Lady of Salambao
On June 19, 1763, the Our Lady of Salambao, also known as the Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion, was also introduced to Obando, Bulacan. Based on an Obando legend, three fishermen namely Juan, Julian and Diego dela Cruz caught the image of the Virgin Mary with their salambaw, a fishing net supported with bamboo crosspieces and mounted on a raft, while fishing at a place known as Hulingduong, Binwangan at the town of Tambobong or Malabon. When the fishermen decided to bring the image of the Virgin Mary to a neighboring town known as Navotas, their fishing boat became heavy and couldn’t be paddled towards Navotas. But they eventually decided to bring the image of the Virgin Mary toward Obando; their fishing boat quickly lightened and became easy to paddle. Thus, the image of the Our Lady of Salambao was added to the altar of the church of Obando, Bulacan.
The Our Lady of Salambao eventually became the patron saint of fishermen and good harvest.

Revival after World War II
During World War II, the church and a large portion of Obando Town was ruined by fire including the three images of the patron saints. A few years after the war, the archbishop of Manila and an Obando parish priest forbid the practice of the fertility dance because of its obviously pagan roots. During the time of this prohibition, normal religious processions were still being held but without the lively street dancing. However, in 1972, a new parish priest in the name of Rev. Fr. Rome R. Fernandez and the Komisyon ng Kalinangan or Commission on Culture of Obando finally revived the once sleeping tradition.

Flower Festival

Panagbenga is month-long annual flower festival occurring in Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines. The term is of Malayo-Polynesian origin, meaning "season of blooming".The festival, held during the month of February, was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake. The festival includes floats that are decorated with flowers unlike those used in Pasadena's Rose Parade. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes, that are inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera region. Aside from economic boosts from tourism, the festival also helped the younger generation of indigenous people to rediscover their culture's old traditions. The indigenous people was first wary with government-led tourism because of the threat that they will interfere or change their communities' rituals.

History

The Panagbenga Festival, formerly as the Baguio Flower Festival, was formed in 1995 as the brainchild of Attorney Damaso Bangaoet Jr. of the John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation (JPDC) and Victor A. Lim of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA). Entries from the annual Camp John Hay art contest gave its official logo: a spray of sunflowers. The festival was set in February to boost tourism as it was considered as a month of inactivity between the busy days of Christmas season and the Holy Week and the summer season.

In 1996, archivist and curator Ike Picpican suggested that the festival be renamed as Panagbenga, a Kankanaey term that means "a season of blossoming, a time for flowering".In 2007, Members of the Team Unity and other candidates from the opposition gave their political campaign in the festival. All the candidates broke the festival's guidelines by handing out campaign materials. Some tourists were displeased of their presence as people that wanted to take pictures with the candidates spilled over the streets and disrupted the parade.

Schedule of events

Opening parade
Date: February 1
Venue: Session Road and Melvin Jones Grounds.
The parade signals the start of the Panagbenga. This will be participated by a representative contingent of volunteers. The parade will be followed by a short opening program, together with competitions between drum and lyre including street dancing contingent among elementary students.

Trade Fair and Bazaar
Date: First Saturday of February until First Sunday of March
Venue: Burnham Park

Grand Festival Parade and Street Dancing Competition
Date: Fourth Saturday of February
Venue: Session Road up to Melvin Jones Grounds

Float and Marching Band Competitions
Date: Fourth Sunday of February
Venue: Session Road up to Melvin Jones Grounds
The parade opens with a shower of rose petals along Session Road while marching bands played lively tunes that sets the mode for the parade. Colourful costumes and lively dance numbers come next followed by cleverly- crafted, vibrant and multicoloured floats made entirely from flowers of every kind.

Session Road in Bloom
Date: Fourth Saturday of February until First Sunday of March
Venue: Session Road
Flower and related stalls together with side walk cafés and food outlets shall be set-up along Session Road that will be closed to vehicles during the occasions. Street and musical entertainers shall be performing in selected areas in Session Road. This activity shall be organized and managed by the tourism sector of the city.

Closing ceremonies
Date: First Sunday of March
Venue: Athletic Bowl
Field demonstrations and other exhibitions shall be featured. A fitting and appropriate closing ceremony program will formally end the festival followed by a fireworks display in the evening.

Sinulog

The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival honors the child Jesus, known as the Santo Niño (Holy Child), patron of the city of Cebu. It is a dance ritual that commemorates the Cebuano people's pagan origin, and their acceptance of Christianity.

The festival features a street parade with participants in bright-colored costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate, and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a "Sinulog sa Kabataan", performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the grand parade.

Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex.

Festival

The Sinulog celebration traditionally lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. The day before the parade, the Fluvial Procession is held at dawn with the Santo Niño carried on a pump boat from Mandaue City to Cebu City, decked with hundreds of flowers and candles. The procession ends at the Basilica where a re-enactment of the Christianizing of Cebu is performed. In the afternoon, a more solemn procession takes place along the major streets of the city, which last for hours due to large crowd participating in the event.
On the feast day at the Basilica, a Pontifical Mass is celebrated by the Cardinal with the assistance of several bishops of Cebu. Most devotees go to the Basilica to attend the mass before heading out to the streets to watch the parade.

Background

The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which is "like water current movement," which describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language.

The Sinulog dance steps were believed to originate from Rajah Humabon's adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon's grief when Baladhay was driven sick. He then ordered his native tribe to bring Baladhay into a chapel where the Santo Niño was enthroned. Moments later, surprisingly, Baldhay was heard shouting, and was found dancing with outmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to whether why was he awake, and was shouting. Baladhay explained that he found a small child, pointing to the image of the Santo Niño, on top of him, and trying to wake him up. He, at great astonishment, scared the child away by shouting but couldn't explain why he was dancing the movements of the river. Up to this day, the two-steps forward, and the one-step backward movement dance is still used by the Santo Niño devotees believing that it was the Santo Niño's choice to have Baladhay dance what the holy child wants them to dance.

History

On April 7, 1521, the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan arrived and planted the cross on the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory in the name of the King of Spain. He presented the image of the child Jesus, the Santo Niño, as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Rajah Humabon. Hara Amihan was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, mother of Carlos I. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also baptized to the Christian faith. At the moment of receiving the image, it was said that Queen Juana danced with joy bearing the image of the child Jesus. With the other natives following her example, this moment was regarded as the first Sinulog.

This event is frequently used as basis for most Sinulog dances, which dramatize the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to the Queen. A popular theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often afflicted by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirits.

Arrival of López de Legazpi

After Magellan died on April 27, 1521 on the shores of Mactan, the remnants of his men returned to Spain.
The conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Cebu on April 28, 1565, and destroyed the villages, and native settlements ruled by Rajah Tupas. In one of the huts of the burning village, one of López de Legazpi's soldiers named Juan Camus found a wooden box containing the image of the Santo Niño lying amongst several native idols. Historians later said that during the 44 years between the arrival of Magellan, and López de Legazpi, the natives of Cebu continued to dance the Sinulog but no longer to worship their anitos but to show their reverence to the Santo Niño. The Augustinian friars that accompanied López de Legazpi in his expedition proclaimed the statue miraculous and built a church on the site where it was found. The church was called San Agustin Church, later renamed to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Letter to the King

After Juan Camus found the Santo Niño in the burning village, López de Legazpi was said to have included the incident in his report, entitled "Relation of Voyage to the Philippine Islands":

"Your Excellency should know that on that day when we entered this village (Cebu City), one of the soldiers went into a large and well-built house of an indio where he found an image of the Child Jesus (whose most holy name I pray may be universally worshipped). This was kept in its cradle, all gilded, just as if it were brought from Spain: and only the little cross, which is generally placed upon the globe in his hands, was lacking. The image was well kept in that house, many flowers were found before it, and no one knows for what object or purpose. The soldier bowed down before it with all reverence and wonder, and brought the image to the place where the other soldiers were. I pray to the Holy Name of his image, which we found here, to help us and to grant us victory, in order that these lost people who are ignorant of the precious and rich treasure, which was in their possession, may come to knowledge of Him."

Present

Since 1521, devotion to the Santo Niño has grown, and has taken root in Philippine popular piety, particularly in the Visayas; pilgrims from different parts of Cebu, and the rest of the Philippines make their yearly journey to the church to take part in the procession, and festival. Starting in 1980, the Cebu City government organized the Sinulog Mardi Gras, and eventually gave incentives to dance groups. The first Sinulog parade was held in 1980, organized by Dávid Odilao, then Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports, and Youth Development. The parade was composed of students dressed in moro-moro costumes, dancing the Sinulog to the beating of drums. The idea caught and thus, under the direction of the Cebu City Mayor Florentino Solon with the help of several influential Cebuanos, Odilao turned over the Sinulog project to the Cebu City Historical Committee under Kagawad Jesus Garcia. It was the task of the Committee to conceptualize the Sinulog festival and make it into a yearly event from then on.

In 1981 the following year, the concept of the Sinulog Parade was actualized, involving practically every sector in the Cebuano community. Marking its difference from another popular festival, the Ati-Atihan in Aklan, the Sinulog focuses not on the ritual itself but on the historical aspects of the dance, which, as it has been said, represents the link between the country's pagan past and Christian present.

Sinulog Coat of Arms

The Cebu City Historical Committee, which was responsible for the conceptualization of the Sinulog as a provincial event, decided to adopt a logo for the Sinulog to identify it as an institutionalized yearly event. They turned to the coat of arms of the Santo Niño which consisted of a two-headed hawk that was the mark of the ruling House of Habsburg in Europe. The emblem represented the twin purpose of the Habsburg dynasty as "Champion of Catholicism and Defender of the Faith." At the time when Spain sent expeditions to the Philippines, they were under the Habsburg dynasty. The Sinulog committee then incorporated the two-headed eagle to a native warrior's shield. The native shield is supposed to symbolize the Philippines resistance to colonization while the Santo Niño's coat of arms printed on its face represented the country's acceptance of Christianity.

Sinulog in Macao

The Santo Nino de Cebu Fiesta was first conceived in Macao, in the last quarter of the year 2000 with Lito Escote, Louie Silagpo and a handful of devotees at the New Allied Cleaning Services, Ltd. office, with the inspiration and guidance of Rev. Father Carlos D. Saligumba, SOLT.
The first fiesta then was held in 2001 at the Saint Joseph Parish Church on the 3rd Sunday of January.

It was on the second fiesta that the idea of the Sinulog came about. Therefore, in 2003, the Sinulog in China made its debut on January 19. The affair was a surprise beyond all expectations. It was bigger than anyone expected. Bishop Lai officiated the Mass. The Macau Government threw in its support through IACM (Civil and Municipal Bureau) and MGTO (Macau Government Tourist Office). TDM (Teledefusao de Macau), Journal Tribuna and Clarim also came to help spread the news that indeed the Santo Nino is finally in Macao.

Dinagyag Festival

The Dinagyang is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on the fourth Sunday of January, or right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan. It is held both to honor the Santo Niño and to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis.

Dinagyang began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez of a local Roman Catholic parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in November 1967. In 1968, a replica of the original image of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez as a gift to the Parish of San Jose. The faithful, led by members of Confradia del Santo Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport and parading down the streets of Iloilo.

In the beginning, the observance of the feast was confined to the parish. The Confradia patterned the celebration on the Ati-atihan of Ibajay, Aklan, where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate the Atis dancing to celebrate the sale of Panay. These tribal groups were the prototype of the present festival.

In 1977, the Marcos government ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals or celebrations that could boost tourism and development. The City of Iloilo readily identified the Iloilo Ati-atihan as its project. At the same time the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.
The Dinagyang is divided into three Major events: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang.

Today, the main part of the festival consists of a number of "tribes", called "tribus", who are supposed to be Ati tribe members dancing in celebration. There are a number of requirements, including that the performers must paint their skin brown and that only indigenous materials can be used for the costumes. All dances are performed to drum music. Many tribes are organized by the local high schools. Some tribes receive a subsidiary from the organizers and recruit private sponsors, with the best tribes receiving the most. The current Ati population of Iloilo is not involved with any of the tribes nor is they involved in the festival in any other way.

The Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines voted Dinagyang as the best Tourism Event for 2006, 2007 and 2008. It is the first festival in the world to get the support of the United Nations for the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, and cited by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice on government private sector & NGO cooperation.

The Black Nazarene

BLACK NAZARENE

January 9

The feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 is considered one of the most spectacular religious events that take place in the Philippine history.
Every year thousands of devotees from all walks of life come to the district of Quiapo to take part in the procession as a way of strengthening their faith or fulfilling their “panata” (vow) to Lord.

The Black Nazarene is the patron saint of Quiapo, a small but well-known part of Manila, a hub of trade and commerce because of the Quiapo market and the many stores located there. The life size image of the Black Nazarene shows a “black” Jesus Christ carrying a cross. The statue has been housed at the Saint John de Baptist Church in Quiapo, Manila also known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene since 1787. The image of the Black Nazarene is brought out in procession on its feast day and Good Friday.

A Spanish priest brought the statue to Manila in 1607 aboard a ship. The ship caught fire, burning the image and thus came to be known as the Black Nazarene. Though the image was burnt, the people decided to preserve and honor it. Since then, miraculous things have been reported to those who touch the image. The celebration starts as the huge door of Quiapo Church opens and the image of the Black Nazarene is within sight. The ocean of devotees start to yell “Viva Señor” while some wave white towel high in the air along with the scripture of the Black Nazarene.

The statue is placed in a gilded carriage for the procession. As the procession starts, procession participants garbed in maroon tops grab two long ropes and pull it to make the carriage move. Many will attempt to touch the image while some throw their handkerchiefs and towels in the air. People who join in the procession walk barefooted as a sign of humility.

The devotion to the Black Nazarene is long time practice of the Filipino Catholics and they believe that through their faith with Jesus Christ, there will be peace and harmony among families, long life and good health among people, deliverance from all calamities and disasters, and prosperity, joy and love among nations.

Ati-Atihan - Hala Bira!

The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), concluding on the third Sunday, in the town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. The festival consists of tribal dance, music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and parade along the street. Christians and non-Christians observe this day with religious processions.

History

A 13th century (c.1200 A.D.) event explains the origins of the festival. A group of 10 Islamic warriors, Malay chieftains called Datu, fleeing from the island of Borneo settled in the Philippines, and were granted settlement by the Ati people, the tribes of Panay Island. The Ati-Atihan was originally a pagan festival who worshipped Islam, Animism, and their anito. Spanish missionaries gradually added a Christian meaning. Today, the Ati-Atihan is celebrated as a religious festival. Another version was that somewere in the 16th or 17th century, the Filipino and Spanish Christians in Aklan were in constant threat of muslim pirate attacks. Then one night the people of the island covered themselves with coal, in an attempt to mimic the Ati people. When the muslims came, they thought they saw real atis. They were known as fearsome warriors at that time- so the muslims fled the area.

Events

The people attend masses for the Santo Niño, and benefit dances sponsored by government organizations. The formal opening mass emphasizes the festival’s religious event. The procession begins with a rhythmic drumbeats, and dances parading along the street. The second day begins at dawn with a rosary procession, which ends with a community mass, and procession. The highlight of the festival occurs on the last day, when groups representing different tribes compete. The festival ends with a procession of priest carrying torches, and different images of the Santo Niño. The contest winners are announced at a masquerade ball, which officially ends the festival.

Other festivals held in the island include.

Dinagyang of Iloilo
Halaran of Capiz
Binirayan of Antique
MassKara of Bacolod
Biniray Festival of Romblon, Romblon.
Several nearby towns and villages of Aklan, Antique and Capiz also hold the Ati-Atihan Festival.