The Feast of the Ascencion at Villa Escudero

 
The Feast of the Ascencion at the Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort in Tiaong, Quezon is a grand and solemn affair. A bit of rustic flair, a bit of rural pageantry, with music and dancing, all in honor of Jesus Christ's ascent into heaven, after the completion of His earthly life and mission.

Select guests and visitors get to join in the celebration, which include a solemn mass, a street procession and fluvial parade, barrio style, complete with marching band and dancers in fiesta attire. This is followed by a festive lunch with top notch guest performers serenading, regulars of which include dame Dulce, the Fortenors, the UST Coro Tomasino, to name a few. Guests are also required to be in their best Filipiniana attire in keeping with Villa Escudero's rural yet fine character.

Regular guests can still enjoy the fine amenities and entertainment offered by the resort, which include tastefully decorated cottages and kubos in the local traditional style, swimming pool, water activities like rafting, fishing and swimming, and the irresistible charm of its cultural show, perfected under the tutelage and inspiration of artist Ramon Obusan, National Artist in dance and cultural works.

At the end of the day, the image of the Christ ascending is paraded one last time back to the ancestral house of the family Escudero. The family manages to preside cheerily all throughout the day's celebration in true gracious tradition.

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Scenic and Generous Tanay, Rizal

To get to the town of Tanay in the provice of Rizal, one may take the scenic but winding Manila East Road, past Antipolo, Taytay, Morong, Binangonan, Angono, all of which offering diverse and rich attractions to the intrepid rural explorer.

But Tanay offers a unique perspective of rural life, as you can touch base with a virtual universe of rural life just in one town, from the rustic lowlands of the Poblacion, to the fluvial shore of the Laguna de Bai, to the upland coolness of Barangay Sampaloc. First stop in any adventure trip is its parish church, in this case, the Parish Church of San Ildefonso, which is well known for its sculpted wood tableaus of the Stations of the Cross, where you can pray for a safe and fruitful journey. A sculpture of Our Lady of Guadalupe appearing to Juan Diego, carved out of a deceased acacia tree in the church patio will also surely catch your attention.

 

Just a few steps from shore is the original Kainan sa Tabing Lawa, which is as near to the shore of the Laguna de Bai as you would want to be while partaking of your lunch without getting your feet wet. My favorite fare here is their piniritong dalag (fried mudfish) and sinigang na kanduli sa miso (catfish in sour tamarind soup).

Head eastward through steep and winding Tanay-Sampaloc Road, and you can drop by famous Daranak and Batlag Falls, both of which to this day, offer a cool dip in clear river water despite their proximity to urbanization. Continue on and you’ll find more satisfaction for your (catholic) soul, as the lady of Regina Rica (Rosarii Institute for Contemplation in Asia) overseen by the Dominican Sisters awaits for you atop the mountain road, which forms part of the local Sierra Madre mountain range. 

 

Tanay is also home to the scenic Daraitan River which is one more attraction this traveler still hopes to see.







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The Surprise that Awaits in Orani, Bataan

A visit to the Municipality of Orani in the Province of Bataan, just a hundred or so kilometers northwest of Manila yields a treasure not commonly known.

The Parish Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary lying central in the town just beside the Municipal Hall, strikes you at first glance, as simply, old. But after being welcomed by the parish priest, the very kind Fr. Tony Bernardo, you'll find inside the centuries old church unique pieces of religious art, that while showing definite signs of age will surely enthrall for the very same reason. The very halls of the old kumbento, with its hardwood floors, high ceilings and whitewashed walls harken to an age when churches were the centerpiece of culture and richness in any town worth its salt. Not may know that this Parish Church was declared a pilgrim church by a 1959 Papal Decree or Bull.

On the way to Bataan's tourist havens of Balanga, Bagac or Morong, one would easily miss smallish and simple Orani. But to do so would be a great loss, a crying shame, if only for the richness of this old church, hidden behind its unassuming facade and simple looking town square.

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Creative and Industrious Betis, Pampanga

The Town of Betis in Guagua, Pampanga is famous for its woodworking community. Whether it be for trade, commerce or art, the creations of the wood workers and carvers of Betis will surely enthrall the visitor for the unmistakable creativity that goes into every wood carving or piece of furniture. Most craftsmen of Betis are trained at a young age, and this accounts for the rich tradition of woodworking that has been handed down through generations of Betis residents.

Betis is also known for its grand church dedicated to St. James, the Apostle. From the exterior buttresses to the gilded innards, each nook and cranny of this centuries old church is lovingly crafted, carved and hand painted in the tradition of Betis' grand artistry

A short walk around the town will also reveal a delightful surprise of generations old ancestral houses that are remarkably crafted in classic style and well kept despite their obvious age.

Getting to and departing from Betis will get you through the provincial capital of San Fernando, and you can drop by there as well for a taste of the famously rich Pampanga cuisine. But that's another art and story in itself...




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The Feast of Santa Marta in Pateros, Philippines

Every second Sunday of the month of February, the town of Pateros, a suburb of the greater metropolitan area of Manila, erupts in euphoric celebration on the occasion of the yearly feast day of its Patron and Champion, Saint Martha, or Santa Marta, better known in biblical anthology as the elder sister of Lazarus and Mary. The local Church which stands at the very center of the town is dedicated to Santa Marta, and dubbed as the Dambana ng Mahal na Santa Marta. This shows how endeared Santa Marta is to Pateros residents, although the local parish itself is known historically and officially as the Parish of San Roque.

The town of Pateros is distinct from most municipalities in the country, in that it celebrates the feast days of two catholic saints, the first being Santa Marta, while, the second, San Roque, who is venerated on his feast day on the month of August. In the year 2015, Pateros will celebrate the 200th year of the establishment of the Parish of San Roque, and this promises to be an even bigger celebration due to the bicentennial jubilee. Local Parish Priest Fr. Roy Rosales and local Mayor Jose Medina will lead the Festivities, now eagerly awaited by townspeople and observers alike.

 

For the length of the second February weekend, however, residents will revere Santa Marta with masses, floral offerings, and an unaccountable number of parades of street dancing revelers. Capping the celebrations are the two decades old Pandangguhan Festival, and the traditional Pasubo. The Pandangguhan is a celebration of various choreographies and interpretations of the localized Pandanggo dance, joined in by a good number of dance groups all vying for the bragging rights as the year's Pandangguhan Champion. The Pasubo on the other hand is an activity of gift giving, to court warm tidings and good will, where the revelers and devotees of Santa Marta are showered literally by gifts of food and goodies, which include suman (glutinous rice sweetly cooked in leaves of coconut or banana), fruits, and the local delicacy, balut (duck embryo cooked inside its own shell), by the spectators and townspeople. At once the scene looks quite chaotic, and harkens to a period when local peasants look up to their masters and hacienderos for food, support and providence. However, the Pasubo now is celebrated in good fun, and part of the festive reverence for the town's beloved Pintakasi.

Pateros is the smallest municipality of the Metropolitan Manila area, although residents proudly claim its residents have the biggest heart. It was formerly a town of the province of Rizal, before the gerrymandering antics of a former Philippine President. It lies at the junction of the cities of Pasig, Taguig and Makati, even as it manages to preserve its small town charm amidst the bustling modernity of it neighbor cities.



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