May would always be
the diva of the year due to its event-filled schedules. Among its activities before the rainy season kicks in are
the three most awaited ones in Pakil.
FLORES DE MARIA
The month of May signals the bloom of the flowers and the harvest season. And as part of the religious culture of Filipinos, we celebrate it in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary by offering her flowers to show our gratitude hence the tradition of what is now dubbed as "Queen of Filipino festivities" known as Flores de Mayo/Maria.
Every town, barrio and city have their own way of celebrating Flores de Maria and Pakil is no different. We celebrate it for the same reason. But we've got specifics on how we are supposed to celebrate it.
First of, you ought
to know that the Bulaklak ng Bayan administers this long-standing tradition.
Each year, they appoint someone to be
the Hermano and Hermana, which were generously accepted by Roel Supendio and
Ritchelle Bobis for this year. Along with that, a handful of Cabesillos and
Cabesillas for each barangay to govern the task of inviting sagalas (young men
and women) to participate in the event. The bulk of the task lay on their
shoulders as to which they have to decorate their own barangays, prepare
flowers and food, musiko and offertory to the church. Aside from this, the
Cabesillos and Cabesillas are to finance their own term that's why most of the
Cabesillos and Cabesillas were chosen by their age months before the
celebration commence in May.
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| Preparations of the flowers to be offered Photo by Mira Celemin |
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| Flower arranging Photo by Mira Celemin |
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| Since there aren't much Calachuchi nowadays, we improvised. Bernard Vista on photo. Photo by Mira Celemin |
The start of May
signals the opening of the celebration, and the Cabesillos and Cabesillas were
to have a procession with their Hermano and Hermana around town. After that
opening, scheduled dates for each of the barangay's 'alay' commence - one day
for each of the main barangays here in the poblacion. And then, the culminating
activity which was held last May 19.
This culminating
activity known as the Kapistahan is a part of the Flores de Maria festivities
to which each of the Cabesillo and Cabesilla with their respective Sagalas of
their barangay are to join the procession -
a very very very long procession of pretty girls in gowns and charming
boys in their barongs offering flowers
to Mama Mary.
Although , joining
the sagala is a mark of street cred as well, with the teen's active
participation for this kind festivity, there will be more years of these annual
religious semi-fashion show for years to come.
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| Kapistahan. Pamamaalam. Photo by Bernard Vista |
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| Blessing of Cabesillos and Cabesillas with our Hermano and Hermana. Photo by Bernard Vista. |
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| Long Procession Photo by Donna Escarcha |
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| New tradition: Awarding of plaques to the Hermano and Hermana. Photo by Donna Escarcha |
On a personal note
though, this year, I made Cabesilla to which I have personally experienced this
unique tradition first hand. Base from my experience, being a Cabesilla isn't
that all glamorous. It dawned on me on how hard it is to invite a sagala nowadays.
Teens tend to shy away from the spotlight or they just don't want to
participate somehow. But still you have that drive to not disappoint your
barangay and Mama Mary, of course. Gladly there are kids who confirmed and it
is with that, I feel truly blessed. An after the long months of preparation, it
was an over-all success. My co-Cabesillos and Cabesillas managed to pull
through with the events with lots of support from our barangays, family and out
Hermano and Hermana. We somewhat even try to revive the very unique flower
arrangement known as the Bastagan in our own terms, despite the lack of
Calachuchi in the area.ost awaited ones in Pakil.
AHUNAN SA PING-AS
The last Saturday of
May is always reserved for a day out of town. Actually, the whole town is
out-of-town. The annual Ahunan sa Ping-as, for many, is their last attempt for
a summer getaway before June kicks in.
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| A familiar scene. Ahunan sa Ping-as 2013. Photo by Son Pacheco. |
Families, friends
and organizations hike up the mountains at the burst of dawn to celebrate this
day of social gathering and spiritual healing. They say that the way to cross
is not easy and that's what we have to remember, even if it means literally. Activities
such as station of the cross, mass, games, tree planting and salo-salo awaits you at the top of Mt. Ping-as for a
whole day of fun, frolics and faith. This is the first time that there has been
a tree-planting activity simultaneous with the event.
This year, the crowd
turn out is a little bit fewer because of a simultaneous event downtown. But
still, many of the hikers arrived the night before the event itself, and this
has been an issue for over the years. There is nothing wrong about having over-nights
at Mt. Ping-as, but teens mostly turn this into a party that leads to many
drunkards on the event itself. Most of the patients of Pakil Emergency Response
Team (PERTs) are the drunkards who over-night the day before coming to them
with bruises, lacerations and other wounds. The annual event was a cooperation
of religious and socio-civic groups. The visible ones that day are PERTS to
apply first aids and the newly formed 4017 Radio Assistance Group, to monitor
the happenings on different stations for a peaceful day ahead.
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| Palo sebo. (2010) Photo by Mira Celemin |
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| Pagod-buster. The view is always worth the climb. Photo by Son Pacheco. |
SANTA CRUZAN
"Why do we
celebrate Santacruzan?"
I personally don't
even know the answer to this question. I just sort of celebrate it, that's all,
because it is fun. I thought of Googling
about it but then Rev. Fr. Mario P. Rivera explained it more convincingly. We
celebrate the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helen, where our Lord was
crucified. But then he followed up with a question that raised more than a few
eye-brows, "How old was St. Helen when her son, Constantine, was already
an Emperor?"
He explained
further, "The Emperor should be in his 30's or 40's to be considered to
rule. Which makes the mother of the Emperor, the Queen Regent, around 50's or
60's." True enough, upon researching for this article, Queen Helen was
about 60 plus years already when she was converted into Christianity and found
the Holy Cross.And then he added, "Why is it that we represent the
Constantino as a child and the Reyna Elena as a young lady during Santa
Cruzan?"
A moment of thought
dawned on me. Sure Father Mario is right. But I digress because tradition makes
us think about the glamour of the Santacruzan was more directed specifically to
the young men and women of the town. But since the whole reason why we celebrate
Santacruzan has been disclosed, I think, it's time we do things differently for
this celebration.
And with that, a
special and one of a kind Santacruzan commenced in many years, Santacruzan -
Mother version.
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| 2013's Hermana. Reyna Emperatriz, Mrs. Imelda Someros. Photo by Son Pacheco. |
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| Reyna Elena. Photo by Patrick Valiente. |
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| Queen of Angels. Photo by Patrick Valiente |
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| Reyna Elena I Photo by Patrick Valiente |
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| Queens of the night. Photo by Donna Escarcha. |
Apparently, this
decision surprised a lot of people. Mothers? Why? Why not? I say. If we will do a tribute to these
awesome women of history, why not make it accurate as possible, starting with
the age. Right?
It didn't rain that
night even thought it was threatening to pour down any minute, the Queens, all
dolled up in their beautiful gowns, crowns and wonderful assortment of Arkos
decorated and filled the town with excitement.
It was a more fun
Santacruzan that night, in fact, instead of mothers tailing their
daughters for food and retouch, it is
them who are in their mother's position now. Their sons are the ones carrying
the arcs - You could actually see the family effort they did for this version
of the Santacruzan. Also, there wasn't a lot of "Hey, who's that
girl?", but more of the "Wow, si Kumare pala yun! Ang ganda!"
Spearheading the event is Reyna Emperatriz - Mrs. Imelda Someros - the Hermana
of this year's Santacruzan.
It's a different but
wonderful take on the way we do things here in Pakil. It wasn't the norm, but
it was special. It was truly the Queens' night to shine.
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