Dance Festival and Handicrafts Showcase at the 14th Waterlily Festival

Colorful street dancers participated by different school in Las Piñas ,agricultural products and items made from water hyacinth were showcased at the 14th Waterlily festival.

The festival was well-attended by thousands of residents of the city, guests and foreigners. Senator Cynthia Villar, who started the holding of the festivities in 2006, said the festival through the years, has served the purpose of being the show window for the city’s most talented performers and the most beautiful and creative people.

“We are very proud of this festival which we also hold to express our commitment for a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature and the environment, ” Villar said.

14th Water lily ( Water Hyacinth festival)

Unang Hirit of GMA channel 7

Unang Hirit of GMA channel 7 went to cover the festivities and dozens of media correspondents , bloggers and vloggers were present during the event.

different handicrafts made from water hyacinth

The yearly festivity is participated in by more than 2,000 attendees,tourists and spectators coming from nearby areas like Cavite, Parañaque, Metro Manila and as far as Tanay ( Rizal), Bulacan and Laguna provinces.

coin holder, tissue holder for sale

Villar Sipag booth

baskets, bags, plate holder from water hyacinth

Although the water plant is popularly called waterlily . It is known as water hyacinth or ( Eichhornia crassipes ) which was introduced to the country during the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade in the mid-16th century.

slippers, bags made from stalks of water hyacinth

The water hyacinth became naturalized in waterways and tend to clogged the system during rainy season. When floral foam was not yet popular, water hyacinth stalks are also used by florists for their floral wreath.

Prizes

Inter-school street dancing competition was held from 6:00am to past 9:00 am. Groups composed of junior highschool students enrolled in the city competed for the following prizes : Champion :Php 50,000, First runner-up, Php 30,000 and Second runner-up for Php 20,000.

high school students in colorful native costumes made from water hyacinth stalks

Winners of the competition was judged according to their water hyacinth costume, props, choreography and technicality.

Mood was festive and people are anticipating next year’s 15th water lily festival 2020.

Highlights of the 6th Las Piñas Food Food Festival

Re-elected Senator Cynthia Villar, Congresswoman elect Camille Villar, Las Piñas city councilor, barangay chairmans, partner organizations and thousand of people from all walks of life participated at the 6th Las Piñas Food Festival held on May 24, 2019 at the Villar Sipag hall in Barangay Pulang Lupa Uno to join the festivities.

Senator Cynthia Villar, managing director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance ( Villar Sipag ), Welcomed visitors and participants to the yearly event which showcase the city’s culinary heritage and Las Piñeros’ world-class cooking skills.”

The Cooking festival was held in the city’s 20 barangays. Each team presented 1 viand ( ulam) and 1 dessert ( pang himagas) expressing the theme ” Cook Healthy , Eat Happy.”

Highlights

Winners of the competition got Php 20,000 as grand prize; Php 15,000 as first prize and Php 10,000 as second prize.

A contest for urban gardening was also held with three categories- Barangay Homeowners Association, Public Elementary Schools -one winner per category which got Php 50,000 per team.

urban gardening vegetable products

Magic 5 Soy Sauce, Vinegar

There were also about 30 stalls which sell different home made products, canned foods, kakanins, delicacies, process foods, vegetables, fruits and potted plants.

These represents the backyard growers, micro, small , medium and large scale enterprises.

Among this year’s partner enterprises includes San Miguel Beer, Giligan Ilsand, Mama Sita’s, Masflex, Dowell Cook Ware, Kitchen Pro, Lucky 3R Trading,PCAP, CIK among others.

( l-r Chef Neth Madrona, Mr. Noel Paguia, Chef Lea Besana) judges for this year’s cook -off challenge

Big Winners

Urban Gardening Winners Inter Barangay – BF International CAA (Php 50,000) Special Award got (Php 20,000) Brgy. Talon 4 Inter Homeowners Association – Castellan Classic Talon 2 (Php 50,000) Inter School Champion – Las Pinas East National High School (Php 50,000) Inter Brgy. Cooking Competition Winners 2nd Place (Php10,000) Brgy Daniel Fajardo 1st Place (Php 15,000) Talon 4 Champion (Php20,000) Brgy. Pamplona Uno.

7 Fun Activities at La Loma Lechon Festival

La Loma district is known for her cockpit, rows of restaurants, pares house, mid-century houses , Our Lady of Lourdes shrine, schools and lechon parade.

Aling Nelia lechon

The festival started with on- the spot cooking challenge using parts of lechon ( roasted pig) as the main ingredient.

Quezon City tourism officers and judges

trophies were given to the cooking challenge winners

roasted pig

La Loma Lechon Capital arch

free sample energy drinks

7 Fun Activities at La Loma Lechon Festival

tarpaulin poster

7.) Street Boodle Flights ( Salu-salo sa Kalye) – tickets are given to the participants who wish to participate at the street boodle fights. Some residents would allow visitors to eat with them.

buffet lunch meal

street children , residents of La Loma and North Cemetery were given some stubs.

residents cooked viands and meals in front of their houses

Monchie’s Lechon

6.) FREE Buffet meal – Some of the establishments would allot between 50 to 120 tickets to the residents of La Laloma, nearby North Cemetery and visitors were invited to partake at their lunch or afternoon buffet.  It is a form of “Thanksgiving” and celebration of the feast of our lady of salvacion.

Mr. Ramon Ferreros standing in front of his lechon stall

Mr. Ramon Ferreros of Monchie’s Lechon and ( Laloma Lechoneros Association -president) His staff gave away 100 food stubs during the event. Most of the stubs were given to the residents of La Loma, Santa Cruz , North Cemetery and participants of the festival.

Mila’s Lechon

JCI-Quezon City chapter

5.) Performance of Quezon City Symphonic band – One can watch the live performances of the famed symphonic band.

Quezon City symphony band

street dancers

street dancers in colorful costumes

large costumes

band from Angono, Rizal province

4.) Street Dancers from different schools within Quezon City – Lively street dancers with interesting costumes and lively music.

Aling Nelia and Mang Tony’s Lechon Hauz

Ping Ping lechon

Monchie’s Lechon

lechon dress as a fireman

3.) Lechon Parade– several floats bedeck trucks and firetruck with lechon dress in native Filipino costumes.

2.) Religious Procession – Several processional carriages with religious icons and Nuestra Señora de Salvacion are paraded on the streets within Laloma.

1.) Firework Display– A fiesta is incomplete without its lively fireworks display.

Mr. Ramon Ferroros ( president of La Loma Lechoneros Association )

Note: The author would like to ” Thank” Mr. Ramon Ferreros of Monchie’s Lechon for the warm accommodation and sumptuous lunch buffet.

40th Feast of Parokya ng Pagkabuhay Parish in Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches

Parokya ng Pagkabuhay (Parish of Living) is also known as The Resurrection of Our Lord’s Parish. It was then a small chapel dedicated to Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help and Jesus, the Divine Mercy.

Pagkbuhay road corner Quirino Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City

However some older residents that there are plans to create a parish in early 1970’s. The church was turned over to the Achdiocese of Manila when it was established as the Pagkabuhay Parish on November 15, 1978 by the late Jaime L. Cardinal Sin.

Easter vigil mass attendees

The parish is located along Pagkabukay Road just beside Bagbag cemetery within Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches,Quezon City.

Origin and Etymology

Jesus Christ and Blessed Mary

Barangay Bagbag was then called Sitio Binagbagbag/ Sitio Binagbag when it was established around mid-1850’s. The terrain is hilly and uneven landscape which required some pounding of grounds, crushing of rocks, leveling in several places, clearing of cogon grasses and cutting of trees. Eventually, it was elevated to Barrio Bagbag by the late 1860’s due to the increase local migration and settlement by people coming from Polo, Meycauayan, San Mateo and even from Manila. The name was then shorten it to Barrio Bagbag for easier pronunciation and recall.

This is one of the first barrios of Novaliches and old residents would recall that, the place also had a high density settlement. Most of the residents are low and middle income families.

Black Nazarene statue in front of Barangay Bagbag hall

grotto area

There is also Bagbag reservoir which was built by the Americans which the water flows coming from La Mesa Dam and impounded in the reservoir. Older residents would recall that they would play and even take a bath at the spillway during the dry season.

Establishment of the Parish

band from Nueva Ecija province

grotto area

The friars came from the nearby Our Lady of the Angels Seminary (OLAS), founded 1962), which is located at the western part of Barangay Bagbag. In 1979, the community was able to purchase the land near the Campo Santo de Bagbag or Bagbag cemetery.

crowd

The construction commenced a bit slower phase due to lack of funds and relying on private contributions coming from the parishioners.

statue of the risen Christ

The first church was completed in 1983 in modern style architecture with its belfry built on the center. The establishment of the Pagkabuhay Parochial School in 1983, which would eventually evolve into the Resurrection Catholic School in 1998.

The first fiesta was celebrated on Easter of 1979. This year’s marked the 40th anniversary of the parish. The celebration started with a vigil then followed by the traditional “salubong” rite between blessed virgin mary in black veil and statue of the risen Christ.

festive arch with buntings and colorful lights greeted parishioners and visitors

The program also included children singing on top of the grotto and showering rose petals on the images.

fireworks display

Colorful fireworks and firecracker display is never complete at the fiesta and easter festivities.

Jesus Christ

Before the elevation of Christ the King of the Universe parish in Kingspoint subdivision. Priests from Parokya ng Pagkabuhay, San Bartolome would celebrate mass within Kingspoint,San Pedro IX and Goodwill Homes 1 chapels before the establishment of a separate parish.

Quirino Highway early morning

Baragay Bagbag tarpaulin poster

Parokya ng Pagkabuhay Easter Celebrations

Goodwill Homes 2 arch

The author was invited by a friend living in Goodwill Homes 2 to experience the annual fiesta. Some of the houses even prepared a hearty lunch which celebrates both fiesta and Easter.

Bishop Antonio R. Tobias ( diocese of Novaliches ) lead the mass and was special guest of the parish. Special guests also included Congressman Alfred Vargas, Barangay chairman Rex Ambita and councilors of district 5.

Bishop Antonio R. Tobias presided at the mass

He was warmly welcomed by parishioners and celebrated the 9:00am mass. The bishop also celebrated the mass last April 17 Ash Wednesday at 6:00pm.

Parokya ng Pagkabuhay parish with festive buntings

My friend invited me for a breakfast at their house and took sometime walking around the  place. We also ate at the nearby Nak’s Sarap Buffet restaurant in nearby Barangay Talipapa by lunchtime.

Happy Easter and Fiesta to all residents of Parokya ng Pagkabuhay and Barangay Bagbag in Novaliches, Quezon City !

Address: #625 Pagkabuhay Road,Bagbag.,Novaliches, 1116 , Quezon City

Phone:  +63 997 749 7836

Sources and References:

Diocese of Novaliches website

personal communication with residents of Barangay Bagbag, Goodwill Homes 2 and Parokya ng Pagkabuhay

40th anniversary souvenir program,  Parokya ng Pagkabuhay parish

Pagkabuhay Parochial School 1989 year book

local marker

Easter Vigil 2019 at Christ the King of the Universe Parish in Kingspoint, Novaliches

Holy Week is one of the most important event in the Catholic church. One of the most anticipated event at the Christ the King of the Universe parish within Kingspoint subdivision, Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches in Quezon City is the annual Easter vigil.

church historical marker

A small chapel was constructed early in 1980. While several minor renovations were made in the late 1980’s. Portion of the chapel was enlarged in the mid-1990’s because of increasing parishioner from nearby subdivision. The present church facade and structure was enlarged in 2001 and became a full pledge parish of the diocese of Novaliches in 2004.

holy week schedule of activities

The full holy week schedule was posted at several vantage points within the subdivision and FB page of the parish. Easter day celebrations in the mid- 1980’s and 1990’s were simple.

Christ the King of the Universe parish ( vigil rites)

Images inside churches remain draped in purple. The administration of sacraments is severely limited.

facade of the church

The shift from mourning to joy begins at night with the observance of the Easter Vigil, the third and final day of the Paschal Triduum that began on Maundy Thursday. There was also the procession of Santo Entierro during Good Friday.

Someone from the parish invited me to the vigil which led up to the reenactment of the Easter day “Salubong”.

registration area

Easter day salubong was participated by the community of Kingspoint Subdivision, San Pedro IX, Goodwill Homes 1, Grand Monaco Villas, Dupax compound, Oro compound, Alipio compound, Kasiyahan Village up to California Village in nearby Barangay San Bartolome.

The rite is customarily performed in the early hours of Easter before the first Mass, Which is normally held at around past 4:00 am, while some of the parishioners are already inside the church as early as 3:00am.

participants climb the makeshift platform

Unlike in Makati or some places, Easter Vigil and Salubong takes place around midnight. Easter day celebration within Christ the King of the Universe parish usually happen early dawn at around past 3:00 am.

Easter salubong ritual is meant to depict the apocryphal reunion of Christ and his Mother, the Virgin Mary, after the Resurrection. Statues of both are borne in two separate processions that converge at a designated area which is often an open space with a purpose-built scaffolding at the main entrance of the parish.

children in white dress and wings

The high point of the easter day rites is the angel dramatically removes the veil from the Virgin’s icon, signalling the abrupt end to her grieving and the period of mourning. The veil may simply be pulled off the statue, or tied to balloons or doves that are released into early dawn rites. With white balloons released at the church.

Ms. Jhuie Annika P. Delagala from California Village

Ms. Jhuie Annika Delagala is is hoisted at the makeshift entrance and was the one who took the viel from the blessed mary.

Dozens of children in white dress, with angel wings. While 4 children dress as angels threw in flower petals unto the processional carriages.

start of the easter salubong celebration

The celebrations started with an early morning mass by 5:00 am. The regular mass was celebrated by 6:00 am.

Christ the King of the Universe parish entrance

morning mass at past 10:00 am

Christ the King of the Universe parish within Kingspoint subdivision is getting elaborate and more parishioner are joining the annual Easter celebrations.

Address: King Christian Street, Kingspoint Subdivision, Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, 1116 Quezon City, Philippines

 Contact : (02) 937 8941