Fiesta at Town and Country Executive Village

The Philippines boasts an abundance of culture which were passed on to us by many influences (East and West colonization). It also encompasses a wide range of topics like food, language, values, fashion, and festival, to name a few.

Last month, our community had a weeklong fiesta celebration. Fiesta is defined by Merriam-Webster as: festival, a saint's day celebrated in Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines with processions and dances. The Pahiyas Festival I witnessed years ago in Lucban, Quezon is altogether a unique manner of the townsfolk thanking their patron saint for a bountiful harvest (you can view the story from here and here).

I am not a Catholic. Neither did I join in the procession . However, as a member of the adhoc committee of the TCEV PWD group, I had to be present for the picture taking. This is quite necessary, as explained by our Chairman, to show that we exist, especially after being recognized by our local government last December 2024. 

The festival was well attended. I was happy to witness the labor of those individuals who brainstormed, organized, and exerted so much effort to make the event successful. There were kind and generous souls too who donated food. These were served for breakfast after the early procession. 

The palaro or traditional games is the most awaited event. These are traditional games played and enjoyed many decades ago, when life was simpler, minus the presence of gadgets. I enjoyed watching the video, "Huliin ang Biik ni Tonio" the most. The mechanics is to simple - catch the piglet. It seems like an easy game but tedious for the participants who were blindfolded. I'm sure the piglet was stressed too from the manipulative hands who wanted to win. 

There were many other traditional games too like the Pabitin. Here, the contestant, while blindfolded tries to hit the pot with a wooden long stick. Inside the pot are coins and candies. Akyat, Tonyo, Akyat is a bamboo pole where one attempts to  climb to the top. Limbo rock aims the player to pass through a stick without falling. I'm sure the kids of this generation, even the kids-at-heart were delighted to witness such games again.

Video of Huliin ang Biik ni Tonio

Fun Run

More than the fun, excitement, and camaraderie it brought to the entire community, I realized that being involved is vital. It promotes belongingness and togetherness. It also means that the serious problems the community poses (like problems on unpaid dues and utilities) can be resolved if the majority cooperates and participates. 

Videos and photos from the FB Page of TCEV PWD Association