Pingxi Sky Lantern Experience (Taipei, Taiwan)

Shiufen – Site of Pingxi Sky Lantern Experience

After our visit to Jiufen, it was back again to our bus for the nearly hour-long, 27-km. drive to the Pingxi District of New Taipei City where we were to participate in the beloved local tradition that has been practiced for over hundreds of years in Shifen – building and flying sky lanterns, symbols of peace and good fortune. Shifen, a historic and remote, hillside coal mining town, is one of several towns alongside Highway 106, a narrow back road that runs between southern Taipei and southern Keelung. It is the only place where lanterns can be released in Taiwan.

Check out “Jiufen Old Street

Pingxi Small Railway Line track (photo: Ms. Tine de Jesus of Xandei Travel)

This fascinating and creative practice is believed by the locals to bring good health and fortune. Sky lanterns, essentially hot air balloons made mostly of rice paper, were introduced to Taiwan from China in the nineteenth century. Being isolated by mountains all around, the Pingxi area was prone to banditry, and the sky lanterns were used as a signaling system for those living and working in the railroad industry to warn their women and children to run into the mountains for safety or to signal when it was safe to return.

One of Shiufen’s side streets

They soon developed into a form of prayer, and have been released annually around Chinese New Year for generations. Today, your wishes and prayers are painted onto the sky lantern before being released towards the sky.

As our bus approached Shifen, we could already see dozens of these sky lanterns floating in the now gloomy sky and, as we reached Pingxi, it was raining heavily. Still, despite the wet conditions, the streets were still filled with tourists and locals eager to release their own lanterns into the sky.

Vincent (center) assigning us to our respective lanterns at the lantern cum souvenir shop

Upon alighting from the bus, Vincent Chen, our Eagle Tour guide, directed us to the tracks of the Pingxi Small Railway Line , one of three remaining open, from the Japanese Colonial era and, by far, the most accessible for short-term visitors to Taiwan. Shifen, the first main stop of trains coming from Sandiaoling, is the only place remaining in Taiwan where the train passes just a few meters from the road on either side.

Writing down my own request on the lantern

The narrow gauge railway tracks are lined, on both sides, by lantern shops (visitors can get a lantern for around NT$150), which also doubles as souvenir shops, and eateries.

Jandy writing his own request on another side of the lantern

The shops were also crowded with tourists, mostly decorating sky lanterns and awaiting their turn for release. At one shop, we were assigned to lanterns on racks where we were asked to write down, using paint brushes and black ink, our wishes on the four sides of the lanterns, not forgetting to write down our names. It’s believed our wishes will be sent to the heaven.

author and Jandy set up their lantern near the tracks

The shopkeepers taught us how to launch the lantern and also offered to take photos of us launching our lantern. However, before we could do so, we had to wait for a break in the rain. Once we were cleared to launch, the lamp inside the lantern was lit by the shopkeeper and we finally released our lantern from the tracks itself.

Our lantern is lit…..

The annual, 3-day Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, the biggest lantern festival in Taiwan, is celebrated the night of the first full moon of the lunar year. The festival, originated from settlers from southern China who migrated to Pingxi in the era of the Qing Dynasty, made it to the list of Fodor’s Festivals To Attend Before You Die and is also one of 52 Things To Do by CNN. Attracting more than 100,000 visitors, thousands of paper sky lanterns, released by villagers, light the skies of Pingxi District during the festival.

….. and finally released into the sky

How to Get There: From Taipei’s Ruifang Station, you can catch a train to Pingxi. Many shuttle buses to Pingxi, departing from the Muzha MRT station, are also operated by tour operators in the capital. There are also many taxis operating the Taipei-Shifen route.  One-way costs about 1,000 NTD (US$33).

Eagle Tours: +886-910-130-180 (Mr. Vincent Chen) and +886-932-013-880 (Ms. Joyce Chen). 

Pasayahan sa Lucena (Quezon)

Pasayahan sa Lucena 2019

The Pasayahan sa Lucena, a mammoth gathering of colors, outlandish costumes and symbolic floats held during the merry month of May, is a sea of frolicking humanity reminiscent of Mardi Gras in Rio de Janeiro (minus the women’s skimpy outfits) of Brazil and New Orleans (Louisiana, USA), but imbued with the Lucenahin’s local culture.

Politicians and their families join in the fun…..

 

No festival is complete without a marching band ……..

The festival had its beginnings on May 28, 1987. It was conceptualized during the administration of the late human rights lawyer and Lucena Officer-in-Charge Euclides “Ed” A. Abcede (a former congressional fellow at the United States Congress), and former Bureau of Internal Revenue local office chief, Aguinaldo L. Miravalles.

….. and majorettes

Both wanted to correct Lucena City’s image as a haven of the Communist New People’s Army and to promote it as a great tourism and investment haven.  Pasayahan is a Tagalog word for “merry-making.”

Initially started as a three-day celebration, the first festival ended on May 30, the feast of St. Ferdinand, Lucena City’s patron saint but, as the years went by, it became a week-long celebration that is usually held during the last week of May.

Judges and emcees at the competition

The main highlight of the Pasayahan is the Grand Parade or Mardi Gras, a parade of huge and colorful floats of the participating companies and organizations, along with street dancing (and marching bands, a Pandong (hat) completion and the gay-friendly Carnival Queen competition.

Parade of Carnival Queens

The usual starting point of the parade is at Pacific Mall Lucena going to SM City Lucena or Perez Park. The best float, best in street dance, and best in costume would be given some awards and cash prizes.

Street Dancing Competition

The parade, starting at 2:00 PM at Quezon National High School, went through M.L Tagarao Street, then turned right on Quezon Avenue and extended until Perez Park, then turned left on Merchan Street (Philippine Tong Ho Institute) and right to Gomez Street going towards SM City Lucena.

The Float Parade, the main event of the festival, featured the floats of the different companies, fast food chains, shops, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, commercial outlets and service organizations.

As always, the themes of the colorful floats were based on any of the three products of the city, all reflecting aspects of local culture – pansit chami (a native delicacy of egg noodles sautéed with soy sauce, pork and vegetables), coconut or tinapa, a smoked fish made from tunsoy (sardine) and galunggong (mackerel scad).

IPI 60th Anniversary Float, the  grand prize winner in the Float competition, featured a giant carabao laden with farm produce

Each float, celebrating the products of the company and the entity involved, tried to outdo the others in vying for the approval of the judges.

Manuel L. Enverga University Foundation Float – fourth place

The 60th Anniversary Float of International Pharmaceutical, Inc. (IPI) of Cebu City, makers of Bioderm Soap, with Advertising Manager Angel “Tito” dela Merced with wife  Litlit on board, was the grand prize winner.

Raquel Pawnshop Float – second place

M Lhuiller Float – third place

Second went to Racquel Pawnshop, third to M Lhuiller, fourth to Manuel L. Enverga University Foundation and fifth to Nallas Talent and Entertainment; all from Lucena City.

Quesinhayaw Street Dancers – second place

Each participating group (open to all organizations, companies, schools and barangays in Lucena City and each with a minimum of 50 members) in the lively street dancing competition performed to the music of the Pasayahan jingle, their execution and style each exhibiting the flamboyant and flashy carnival look.

SK Dalahican Street Dancers – third place

The Barangay Gulang-Gulang dancers won the grand prize while Quesinhayaw of Quezon National High School was second and SK Dalahican  Street Dancers were third.

Candidate No. 1

Candidate No. 2

Candidate No. 3

Candidate No. 4

Candidate No. 5

Transgender women and gay men were afforded stellar participation in the Carnival Queen Competition, an extravagant drag segment that showcase ostentatious and heavy costumes that featured elaborate headgear, capes, brightly-colored feathers, gigantic flowers, fans and masks. Drum majorettes and little drummer boys announced their arrival.

Candidate No. 6

Candidate No. 7

Candidate No. 8

Candidate No. 9

Candidate No. 10

The regal and beautiful “queens,” looking like the real thing, walked confidently along the streets, moving your hips from side to side, in a way that attracts attention, before pausing before the jurors where they were introduced. In spite of the intense summer heat and heavy costumes, they all maintained their poise and smiled bravely.

Candidate No. 11

Candidate No. 12

Candidate No. 13

Candidate No. 14

Candidate No. 15

The less spectacular Pasayahan Pandong Contest featured contingents wearing creative hats.  DepEd Lucena won the grand prize while the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP and Barangay Ibabang Iyaw were second and third respectively.

DepEd Lucena

The winning pandong of Barangay Mababang Iyaw

Quezon Provincial Tourism Office: 2/F, Quezon Convention Center, Quezon Capitol Compound, Lucena City 4301.  Tel: (042) 373 7510.

The Pandang Gitab (Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro)

Pandang Gitab (Festival of Lights)

After our dinner and interview of Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr. at Vencio’s Garden Seafood Café, we boarded our respective vans to cover the Pandang Gitab Parade, Oriental Mindoro’s “Festival of Lights.”  The festival was usually held on the third Saturday of February but, as this month was usually rainy, it was held, for the first time, in the month of April.

The parade had already started at 6 PM (upon the sound of the pealing church bells which signaled the start of the oracion, the six ‘o clock prayer), at the Calapan City Plaza so we were dropped off along J.P. Rizal Street were we were to catch the parade as it approached the Oriental Mindoro National High School OMNHS) grounds where the in-place competition will take place.

The word pandang-gitab, which describes an old tradition of Mindoreños, was coined from the word pandango (descended from a Spanish-American dance performed by a man and woman) and the word dagitab (handmade lamp or portable light or “flicker of light”).

According to Kanami Namiki’s book “Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance and Me,” the pandango is danced with regional and local variations such as lights (ilaw) in Mindoro and hats (sambalilo) in Bulacan.

The Filipino folk dance Pandango sa Ilaw (Dance of Lights), of Mindoro and Pangasinan, is a dance made up of two dances using lights.  Dancers from Mindoro balance oil lamps on their head and on their palms while those from Pangasinan use lamps wrapped in dark-pink scarves. The Pandango sa Ilaw of Mindoro originated from Lubang Island.

The dance was inspired by the practice of wives from the coastal community of Mindoro who accompany their fishermen husbands going out to fish at the crack of early dawn. The burning wisps of their oil lamps light the way to the shore. Part of this practice is a ritual folk dance for a safe voyage and bountiful catch. The lights also provide a beacon for fishermen coming back from the sea. The annual Pandang Gitab, the street dancing festival inspired by this practice, is a nod to this tradition.

The Pandang Gitab, one of the much awaited celebrations in Oriental Mindoro, was first introduced as a street dance in November 2001 (51st founding anniversary of Oriental Mindoro) and has been held every year since then. At the national level, this lively street dance has already reached great popularity and promotional exposure.

In 2011, the Pandang Gitab Oriental Mindoro (“Oriental Mindoro” was added to imply exclusivity to the island where the festival is held) joined the Aliwan Fiesta competition, the country’s grandest fiesta celebration, which brings together, in a single setting, street dancing contingents from all over the country. According to Gov. Alfonso Umali, it brought home the 5th prize, beating other well-known contestants from around the country. Last year, it made it to the Top Ten, bringing home the 7th prize.

In 2012, during the recent celebration of the province’s 62nd founding anniversary, the “Pandang-Gitab” was declared and recognized as the official festival and cultural event of the island province, by virtue of Provincial Ordinance No. 25, and will now carry the banner of Oriental Mindoro. A far cry from the loud, usual drummed beats of older and more famous festivals (Ati-Atihan, Dinagyang, Sinulog, etc.) in the Philippines, street dancers here don colorful and glittery garbs, inspired from the traditional baro’t saya, and twirl and sway with the rural, lively tune (a composition of National Artist for Music (1988) Col. Antonino Buenaventura) of the pandango to relive the old and simple living of fisherfolk in the island.

Set at night, the event lit up the streets of Calapan City and the melodious Pandango sa Ilaw serenaded us as well as fiesta-goers. This unique aspect added to the annual festival’s allure.  Though the influx of spectators are limited (usually it’s only from Calapan City and Baco area), this still nascent festival has a big potential to attract foreign and domestic tourists outside the province.

The dancers at this lively street dance parade where clad in colorful traditional Filipino costumes, with made up faces and coiffed hair.  They queued and formed their lines, holding their gas lamps and candles in glasses. Then, they started to stomp their feet in triple time rhythm, grinding and swaying to the beat of Pandanggo sa Ilaw.  The street was illuminated by the bright tongues of light of the three glittering oil lamps (tinghoy), or candles in glasses, balanced on the pandanggera (dancer’s) head and on the back of each hand.

On the other hand, the guys, with hands akimbo, dance to and fro, exchanging steps left and right and following the movement of the pandanggera.  They all gyrated to the blaring beat of the song played repeatedly and continuously until all the six dance groups (from Calapan City and the municipalities of Socorro, Baco, and Pola), usually with 60 to 100 performers, had finished their turns. The sets and props were just as impressive, from stilts, bancas, a Ferris Wheel and even a lighthouse (parola).  The Baco delegation, guided by folk choreographer Dr. Jay Mark Atienza, was declared as the Pandang Gitab Dance Parade Competition champion for the third consecutive year.

The winning Baco contingent

This annual Festival of Lights, which brings back the culture and old traditions of the Mindoreños, is truly unique from the other well-known Philippine festivals and I am optimistic it would catch the attention of fiesta revelers nationwide.

The Pandang Gitab awaits you ………

Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, Calapan City 5200.  Tel: (043) 286-7046 and (043) 441-0306. Website: www.ormindoro.gov.ph.

Asakusa Shrine (Tokyo, Japan)

Torii (Japanese gate) leading to Akasusa Shrine

The Asakusa Shrine (浅草神社 Asakusa-jinja), one of the most famous Shinto shrines in the city, is also known as Sansha-sama (Shrine of the Three gods, san means “three” and sama means “shrine”). The shrine. popular among the public, stands only a few dozen meters to the left of the main hall on the east side of Sensō-ji Temple, down a street marked by a large stone torii.

Akasusa Shrine

Part of a larger grouping of sacred buildings in the area, the shrine honors the three men who founded the Sensō-ji. According to legend, on May 17, 628, two fishermen brothers, named Hinokuma Hamanari and Hinokuma Takenari, picked up a bosatsu Kannon statuette of Sensoji Temple caught in a fishing-net in the Sumida River.  Hajino Nakatomo, the third man, was a wealthy landlord who, upon hearing about the discovery, approached the brothers.

Shrine Pavilion

He delivered an impassioned sermon about the Buddha to the brothers who were very impressed and subsequently converted to the Buddhist religion and devoted their lives to preaching the way of Buddhism. Nakatomo consecrated the Kannon statue in a small temple. These three men are worshiped here as Sanja Gongen.

The shrine, commissioned by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, was built in 1649 during the Edo Period.  It was integrated with Sensoji Temple until the Edo period.  However, when the Gods and Buddha separation ordinance was promulgated in the Meiji period, it was separated from Sensoji and renamed Asakusa Shrine. Its beautiful, vermillon-lacquered shrine pavilion was built in the same style as the Nikko Toshogu, in the gongen-zukuri style of Shinto architecture.

Statue of Lion-Dog (Kumainu)

Unlike many other structures in the area, including the Sensō-ji Temple, the shrine, along with the Nitenmon Gate, where the only two buildings in the area to survived the  World War II Tokyo air raids of 1945.  In 1951, because of this rich and long history, both were designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese Government.

Nitenmon Gate

The Niten-mon Gate, located to the east of the main hall and to the right of Asakusa Shrine, was erected in 1618 (the current gate was said to have been rebuilt in 1649) as a shrine gate, with statues of Toyoiwamado no Mikoto and Kushiiwamado no Mikoto placed on either side.

Ablution Fountain

The gate was left standing after the deity enshrined in Toshogu was moved to Koyozan, inside of Edo Castle. After the separation of the Buddhist and Shinto religions during the Meiji Restoration, Shinto deities were removed to Asakusa Shrine. In their place, a statue of Tatenmon was enshrined, but this has subsequently been lost. This massive, 8.13 m. wide (at the beam) structure has 8 pillars and was built in the mitsumune zukuri style with a tiled roof in built in the kiritzuma zukuri style.

Prayer Wall

The shrine‘s annual,  popular Sanja Matsuri festival, one of the Three Great Festivals of Edo (the old name of Tokyo), is held in late spring for 3 days (Friday to Sunday) every third weekend of May. which takes place over 3–4 days .  During the festival, the surrounding streets are closed to traffic, from dawn until late evening.  Well known for the “soul swing,” the festival vividly demonstrates the traditional Edo style, depicted in the old saying “fights and fireworks are Edo’s flowers.” During the festival, portable shrines called mikoshi are wildly swung around in a wild parade, reaching a climax when three mikoshi called ichi-no-miya, ni-no-miya and san-no-miya leave and return to Asakusa Shrine.  The procession includes 120 mikoshi from a total of 44 parishioner associations affiliated with Asakusa Shrine, making it Tokyo’s most spectacular festival.

A mikoshi (portable shrine) on display at Asakusa Station

Asakusa Shrine: 2-26-1, AsakusaTaitō-ku, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan. Tel: 03-3844-1575.  Website: www.asakusajinja.jp/english/

How to Get There:  The shrine is a 7-min. walk from Asakusa Station (Toei Asakusa Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tobu Isesaki Line, Tsukuba Express.

Kalanguya Festival (Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya)

The next day, after breakfast, we observed the beautiful and colorful parade of 16 floats (each representing a barangay) along the National Highway as wound its way to the Santa Fe Sports and Cultural Center at the town proper.

Brgy. Bantinan float

Brgy. Bantinan float

Brgy. Sta. Rosa float

Brgy. Sta. Rosa float

Each float had their barangay’s beauty candidate, wearing a Kalanguya costume, on board. Floats were also bedecked with the barangay’s farm produce (chayote, eggplants, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, ginger, bananas, pechay, pineapples, etc.), baskets, walis tambo (tiger grass brooms) and flowers.

The winning walis tambo-themed float of Brgy. Bacneng

The winning walis tambo-themed float of Brgy. Bacneng

At the town proper, the street dancing competition unfolded with a street performance held in front of the municipal hall and the ground demonstrations at the Santa Fe Sports and Cultural Center.  Both showcased the Kalanguya’s costumes, dance and musical instruments.

Santa Fe Sports and Cultural Center

Santa Fe Sports and Cultural Center

Alexis, Roel, Ms. Lelia E. Blancaflor (DOT Region 2 acting director), Ms. Imelda A. Garduque, also from DOT Region 2, and I were asked to judge the competition.  We would also do so for the float competition. Three contingents – Kalahan, Canabaan National High School and Sta. Fe National High School presented story lines regarding a particular Kalanguya practice.

The street performance in front of the municipal hall

The street performance in front of the municipal hall

Ground demonstration

Ground demonstration

We also observed the padit, a grand canao (socio-religious celebration) ritual featuring the traditional (but shocking to others) butchering of pigs, native chickens and 2 carabaos.  These were then boiled and served to all attendees.  Tapey (native wine) was also served to guests while the bah-liw was chanted by tribal elders.

Kalanguyas performing the padit

Kalanguyas performing the padit

Later, officials, guests and barangay officials danced the tayaw, to the beat of gangha or gangsa (gongs). Indigenous sports such as bultong (wrestling), tug-of-war, bamboo pole climbing, wood chopping, gayang (spear throwing), hanggol (arm wrestling) and dapapnikillum (pig catching) plus tapey drinking and group chanting of the bah-liw were also featured.

A pig sacrifice

A pig sacrifice

Within the festival venue are 16 booths selling jams and jellies made from guava, santol, bignay or wild berries; farm produce such as camote, gabi, vegetables, yakun, sayote, etc.; Ifugao handicrafts such as rattan baskets, woodcarvings; tiger grass soft brooms; and exotic and beautiful handwoven fabrics used as tapis by women and g-strings by the men.

DSC07496

DSC07504

Farm produce at the Agri-Tourism Fair

Farm produce at the Agri-Tourism Fair

Sta. Fe Municipal Hall: Poblacion, Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. E-mail: info@santafe.gov.ph. Website: www.santafe.gov.ph.

Sangyaw Pasasalamat Parade (Tacloban City, Leyte)

Jandy and I arrived at typhoon-ravaged Tacloban, via a Cebu Pacific flight, on the morning of June 29.  Grace, Cheska, Marve and Kyle were already in the city, having left the day before.  We arrived at my brother-in-law Manny’s house just in time for lunch.

The Sangyaw Pasasalamat Parade

The Sangyaw Pasasalamat Parade

His house was conveniently located along Avenida Veteranos, one of the major city streets that the Sangyaw Pasasalamat Festival (which honors Señor Santo Niño de Leyte, Tacloban City’s patron saint) parade would pass through (Real to Imelda then Rizal towards Romualdez and will end at the Kanhuraw Hill).

The Sto. Nino de Leyte is a favorite theme

The Sto. Nino de Leyte is a favorite theme

The parade, held nearly 8 months after Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) devastated the city and other parts of the Visayas, was a simple affair, tame and devoid of much extravagance and glamour as with previous festival parades.

Thank you in many languages

Thank you in many languages

Foreign aid workers also join in

Foreign aid workers also join in

The parade was participated in by more than a thousand merrymakers from 8 schools, 5 barangays, private companies (LBC, Talk and Text, Monterey, ABS-CBN, etc.), government agencies (PhilHealth, Department of Health, Department of Education, etc.), delegates from the various branches of the country’s armed services, and the humanitarian international non-government organizations (iNGOs) such as Oxfam, Save the Children, Volunteers for the Visayans, World Vision, Plan Philippines, Care Philippines, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), etc.. Eleven non-competing and six competing groups will join in the merrymaking. There were only 5 participating floats.

One of the participating floats

One of the participating floats

With its theme “Pasasalamat,” the parade now focuses on thanksgiving for those who survived the wrath of the super typhoon as well as for Taclobanons and Leyteños to express their gratitude to the different iNGOs whose heartwarming assistance and support helped Tacloban and the Taclobanons get back on their feet.

Lion dancers from the Fil-Chinese community

Lion dancers from the Filipino-Chinese community

The iNGOs also made this parade possible by taking care of the logistics, giving a subsidy of not less than PhP30,000 to each participating barangay and contingent.  During, the parade, thanks was expressed in the languages of the iNGOs –  Australia (Thoinks Moite), Belgium (Dank U), China (Xie Xie), France (Merci),  Germany (Dankeschön),  Greece (Efharisto), Hungary (Koszonom), India (Nandri), Indonesia (Terima Kasih), Italy (Grazie), Japan (Arigato), Korea (Kamsahamnida), New Zealand (Kiaora Koe), Russia (Blagodarya), Spain (Gracias), U.S.A. (Thank You), etc.

A drum and lyre band

A drum and lyre band

Though it was a gloomy Sunday, with scattered rain showers (but no excruciating heat from the sun), it was nice to see the people enjoying again and the city colorful, with many Taclobanons, in colorful costumes, joining the parade, exhibiting their unique innovations and creativity.

Sangyaw Parade (27)

Sangyaw Parade (37)

Sangyaw Parade (147)

It was still a parade with a rainbow of colors

It was still a parade with a rainbow of colors

The parade somehow relieved the stress and trauma that the Taclobanons have experienced after Typhoon Yolanda.  At the same time, it also helped people in the area to feel that life is returning back to normal in the city.

Kyle, Marve, Grace, Cheska and Jandy enjoying the parade

Kyle, Marve, Grace, Cheska and Jandy enjoying the parade

City Tourism Operations Office: City Hall, Kanhuraw Hiil, Tacloban City, Leyte. Tel: (053) 325-8955, (053) 325-2491, (053) 523-9671 & (053) 325-6248.

Sto. Domingo: Birthplace of the Sarung Banggi (Albay)

The next day, Bernard and I left the Governor’s Mansion in Legaspi City and took a jeep to Quick & Hearty for a buffet Filipino breakfast.  Here, we met up with Mr. Martin A. Calleja, head of Bicol Adventures Philippines and Viento de Mar Beach Resort in Bacacay. After breakfast, we made a short stopover at the DOT Region V office at Rawis where we met up with Regional Director Maria O. Ravanilla.  From here, we made the short 11.5 km. drive to the nearby quaint town of Sto. Domingo.

The author with Bernard and Dir. Maria Ravanilla

Sto. Domingo, formerly called Libog (a corruption of the Bicol term libot meaning “roundabout”), is nestled at the foot of Mayon Volcano. The town is noted for its numerous beach resorts along the jet black sand Kalayukaii Beach in Brgy. Kalayukaii, located 3 kms. east of the town.  At the Spanish-era (the former tribunal and presidencia built in 1832) municipal hall in Plaza Pugad Lawin, we made a courtesy call on Mayor Herbie  B. Aguas.

The municipal hall and fountain at Plaza Pugad Lawin

Also at the plaza, across the fountain and municipal hall is the picturesque Church of St. Dominic Guzman, the town’s most prominent landmark.

Check out “Church of St. Dominic Guzman

Church of St. Dominic Guzman

The town is also the birthplace of Potenciano V. Gregorio (May 19, 1880-February 12, 1939), the composer of the famous local ditty Sarung Banggi (meaning “one night”), the best known song in the Bicol dialect, on May 10, 1910.  The 8-day (May 18-25) Sarung Banggi Summer Festival, which features a folk song festival, immortalizes this love song and pays tribute to its illustrious local son.   His ancestral house was burned when a fire hit the town in 1961.

Potenciano V. Gregorio Mausoleum

On May 2005, Mayor Aguas, together with then Albay Gov. Fernando and First District Rep. Edcel Lagman, had Gregorio’s remains exhumed in La Loma Cemetery and brought home to Sto. Domingo for a municipal vigil and reinterred at the town’s cemetery with military honors. In 2006, a mausoleum and his bust, also at the town plaza, was erected and his remains transferred there.  In 2010, Gregorio was declared a municipal artist by the Sangguniang Bayan.

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Plaza Pugad Lawin, St. Domingo, Albay.  Tel: (052) 435-1357.
Department of Tourism Regional Office V: Rawis, Legaspi City.  Tel: (052) 435-0085 and 482-0715.  Fax: (052) 482-0712. E-mail: dot_bicol@yahoo.com. Website: www.wowbicol.com.

The Other Ati-Atihan Festival (Aklan)

The highlight of my 5-day visit to Aklan with Gil Bilog, my wife Grace’s first cousin (on her mother’s side), was our visit to Ibajay town to attend the Ati-Atihan.     Held on the weekend after the more well-known and recently held (just a week ago) Kalibo version of the festival, this Ati-Atihan is less commercialized but just as old and is said by Ibajaynons to be the original and more authentic of the two. It being a Sunday, Gil and I planned to leave very early to make it to the town’s 8:30 AM mass. Joining us was Carl Flores, John Paul Sta. Maria and Jayrel Vicedo, Grace’s first cousin, nephew and grandnephew respectively (all on her father’s side).  Jayrel was to drive us there on our Mitsubishi Adventure. We left Malay poblacion by 7:30 AM and the 35-km. drive took just a little over 30 mins. 

Gil and I outside the Church of St. Peter the Apostle

After parking our car at the town center, we made a short walk to the Church of St. Peter the Apostle.  When we entered the church, the main aisle was cleared of pews and the churchgoers, including us, stood at the sides.  Special guest was Kalibo Bishop Jose Corazon Talaoc who delivered his homily in Aklanon.  Many devotees brought images of the highly venerated Sto. Nino (Holy Child Jesus), in varying shapes and sizes.  Old stories said that the image of the Sto. Nino  miraculously protected Ibajay from the bandits and and Moro pirates by preventing the invaders from docking their ships along the shoreline of the town.

The church interior

The end of the mass signaled the start of the culminating parade, a competition among groups (representing different tribes), with devotees dressed as warriors in flamboyant and colorful costumes made from native materials adroitly fashioned into feathers, headdresses and vests and carrying images of the Sto. Nino. By tradition, the devotees paint their faces with black soot and imitated the playful likeness of the Ati (or Aetas), the short, dark-skinned and kinky-haired first settlers of the Philippines. Ibajay claims to be the original site where the Atis came down from the hills to celebrate with the lowlanders.

Devotees dressed in flamboyant and colorful costumes

This parade is coupled with festive merrymaking, with heads, torsos, hands and feet gyrating and swaying to the sounds of whistles and rhythmic, hypnotic and continuous beating of drums with repeated shouts of “Viva Kay Senor Sto, Nino Viva!”  Some tourists and locals also smeared their arms, legs, and even their whole torso with soot, and joined in the street dancing.

A coconut-themed float

There were also simple floats, representing the town’s different barangays, decorated with palm fronds, fruits and vegetables and the all-important image of the Sto. Nino. On stakes were cooked fish, grilled chicken,  succulent steamed mud crabs, cholesterol-rich lechon (roasted pigs) and even bayawak (monitor lizards). The parade wound through the town, from the municipal hall to the main highway and back to the town center ending with an entrance to the church for a blessing.

Bayawak and steamed mud crabs on stakes

Unlike other major festivals, there’s no big cash prize for the best float, costume or dancing. We watched the parade from our vantage point at the palatial residence of Ang Kasangga Partylist Cong. Teodorico “Nonong” T. Haresco, Jr. (a fourth cousin of Grace).  After the parade, we dined, as guests of Cong. Haresco, on lechon, prawns and a dessert of buko pandan.  After lunch, we dropped by the residence of Judge Cesar Sta. Maria (another fourth cousin of Grace) and posed by the Ibajay Municipal Hall before returning to Malay.

L-R: Jayrel, Gil, the author and Carl

Pinyasan Festival 2011 (Daet, Camarines Norte)

Pinyasan Street Dancing Competition

My last visit to Camarines Norte literally hit two birds with one stone as we covered the 150th birth anniversary of National Hero Jose Rizal (June 19) and the Pinyasan Festival (June 15-24) which coincided with Daet‘s 428th foundation anniversary and the quadricentennial of its St. John the Baptist parish.  Daet Mayor Tito Sarion, who was a town councilor in 1993, started the town’s Pinyasan Festival. Back in the1990s, while attending a Philippine Travel Mart Convention, Tito conceived of the idea of promoting a local festival in honor of the Formosa pineapple, the sweetest variety among home-grown pineapples in Camarines Norte and a major fruit product. The festival has significantly boosted the popularity of the pineapple (its other potentials then only known by local farmers and traders) and fortified industries related to it.   Today, foreign firm Sunzu Agri-Development, Inc. has a pineapple processing plant at Brgy Caayunan in Basud while another newly-established agro-industrial firm (Flora Farms Integrated, Inc.) in Brgy. Pamorangon in Daet has ventured into the production of food and other products derived from pineapple. There is also a Pineapple Island Resort-Hotel (Calasgasan, Daet), a new bus firm (Pineapple Gold Express) and countless newly created food recipes that include pineapple as ingredient.  Neighboring Basud town and local cooperatives, with the help of the local government and national agencies, have created new fiber products and the popular pineapple pie,  a contribution to the One Town One Product (OTOP) program, harnessing local creativity in to exploring product possibilities extracted from the fruit and sustaining a now major industry.

Mayor Tito Sarrion

This year is the 19th edition of the festival and this would be my first Pinyasan. Our three-day (June 17-19) visit to Daet didn’t extend to June 23, the day of the Grand Float Parade, but we did get to see the Miss Pinyasan/Miss Daet 2011 beauty contest and the Street Dancing and Best Marching Band Competition the next day. We had just returned from our Calaguas Islands tour when Bernard, Lee, TJ and I were invited to cover the beauty contest’s Coronation Night.   From the Bagasbas Lighthouse Resort (where we were booked), we were brought first to the Terrace Grille for dinner.  Here, we espied the candidates and guest Ms. Universe runner-up Ms. Venus Raj as they were about to leave and met up with Daet Mayor Tito Sarrion.  The pageant proper was held at Provincial Gym.  Ms.  Abigail “Abby” Ortega was crowned as Miss Pinyasan.  Runners-up were Ms. Renei Victoria Almoneda (Miss Daet, also Best in Swimsuit, Festival Costume Design and Evening Gown), Ms. Nicole Anne C. Gange (Miss Tourism and Miss Photogenic), Ms. Princess Joy Burce (First Runner-up), and Ms. Erika Bianca “Ekaa” Lasay (Second Runner-up).

Miss Pinyasan/Miss Daet 2011 winners
The next day, all four of us had our lunch at the K Sarap Snack Bar along Vinzons Ave.  Right after lunch, we went out along the Vinzons Ave. (and, later, to the First Rizal Monument) to watch the Street Dancing and Best Marching Band Competition.  The winners of the Miss Pinyasan (minus First Runner-up Ms. Burce) and town officials in a float (led by Mayor Sarrion) also joined the parade.  There were also a number of karetelas bedecked with pineapples and flowers.  The winners of the Street Dancing Competition were Barangay Cobangbang (first), Barangay 7 (second) and  Barangay Lag-on (third).  In the elementary school level, the Best Marching Band Competition winners were Talisay Elementary School (first), Daet Elementary School (second) and Gregorio Pimentel Elementary School (third), while at the high school level, the winners were St. Francis Parochial School (first), Tulay na Lupa National High School (second) and San Roque National High School (third).
 
Best Marching Band Competition

Agew na Pangasinan (Lingayen)

Street dancing parade

After our visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag, we proceeded to the capital town of Lingayen and made a courtesy call on Provincial Information Officer Mr. Orpheus “Butch” Velasco at the Provincial Capitol.  We arrived in time for the Parada na Dayew, a grand parade of floats that was part of the celebration of the province’s 431st founding anniversary dubbed “Agew na Pangasinan,” now on its second year.  With the theme “Aliguas na Baley, Aliguas na Luyag,” the parade featured 22 participating local government units (LGU) and 12 colorful floats that showcased the various products and development programs and projects of participating LGUs.

The Lingayen float

The float parade, which included a colorful presentation of street dances with contingents clad in local costumes and accompanied by drum, lyre and bugle corps., commenced at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center, then followed a fixed route to Artacho St., Poblacion Area, Maramba Blvd. and ended at the Capitol. The floats, decorated with indigenous and recyclable materials, provided a glimpse of Pangasinan’s best products such as the sugpo (prawns) and malaga of Binmaley, the delicious and sweet tasting mangoes of San Carlos City, the savory corn of Sto. Tomas, the famous bagoong (fish paste) of Lingayen, the walis tambo of Bautista, the puto of Calasiao and the tupig of Laoac.

A drum and bugle corp
Provincial Tourism Office: 2/F, Malong Bldg., Provincial Capitol Complex, Lingayen, Pangasinan.  Tel: (075) 542-8007 and 542-6853.  E-mail: tourismpangasinan@yahoo.com