TACLOBAN CITY-Preparations are underway for the month-long Sangyaw Festivities which is due to start this coming Saturday, June 1, 2019, with a motorcade that will pass through the city’s main thoroughfares at around 4 pm.
At least 40 vehicles will join the convoy that will signal the formal opening of the annual celebration in honor of Senor Sto. Niño.
The Grand Opening Program at the Sangyawan Grounds (Balyu-an Grounds) will follow shortly at 6 pm with the concert of popular Rock Band Razorback.
Several programs of activities are being prepared for the festival by the city government of Tacloban through the leadership of Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez in partnership with the different religious and civic sectors in Tacloban.
Among the main events of this year’s festivities themed “Happiest Fiesta” is the Sangyaw Parade of Lights on June 29.
The Parade of Lights features creatively decorated and brightly lighted floats and dance contingents performing ritual dance routines.
Other highlights are the Miss Tacloban Coronation Night on June 22, the Sangyaw Foundation Ball and Balik Tacloban Night on June 26, among others.
Nightly performances at the Sangyawan Music Festival featuring local and Manila-based bands, along with a number of Variety Shows will be starting at 6 pm on June 1.
Cultural shows and a fiesta fair will also be held at Plaza Rizal starting June 14 to June 27. The Sangyawan Han Isla Sinirangan, an Art Show and Festival Costume Competition will be staged on June 22-28.
Among the international, national and regional sports events in this year’s Sangyaw Festival are the 1st Sangyaw Table Tennis National Tournament (June 8-9), 3rd Mayor Cristina National Sepak Takraw (June 20-23), 7th Mr. Sangyaw Tacloban 2019 National Body Building Competition (June 27), Mayor Cristina Regional Open Chess Tournament (June 15-16), the International Jet ski Competition (June 13-15), and 11th Cancabato Sports Competition (June 21).
Religious activities for the 130th Tacloban Fiesta include the pre-Balyuan Rites on June 18 and Balyuan Rites on June 20, and the traditional fluvial and land processions, and Pontifical Mass on Fiesta Day, June 30.
The Sangyaw Festival is the official Festival of the Highly Urbanized City of Tacloban revived by former Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez in 2008.
“Sangyaw” is the local dialect term meaning “to Announce or Herald”. (HENRY JAMES ROCA/CIO)

Amidst their anti-drug war campaign

PALO, Leyte- Marie Pathyma Ilanan, 13, said she loves to attend in the Catholic traditional “Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May)” inside the police regional camp based in Palo, Leyte.
“Since I was small, I joined this this kind of activity. I feel safer here,” said Ilanan who also brought with her siblings in the camp’s chapel on Thursday (May 30).
“I like it here because they also have a nice playground. I learned a lot about religion and children’s rights during the ‘Flores de Mayo,’” added Beitina Therese Maceda, 11, who joined the 250 other children in the religious activity.
“I want to be closer to Mama Mary, and I am enlightened here through their bible class,” said Maceda who has been joining the activity for three years already.
“We want these kids become God-loving, responsible beings, and disciplined. Aside from teaching them how to pray, we also provide lessons on rights awareness and health issues,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ma. Bella Rentuaya, the police regional spokesperson.
Police patrolwoman Florlyn Gapul, who is assisting the children inside the chapel, said the holding of Flores de Mayo inside the camp “is not something new.”
The Santacruzan, a novena procession culminating the Flores de Mayo, is participated by selected beautiful young ladies and children wearing extravagant costumes, bedecked with accessories and escorted by well- chosen fine young men in every neighborhood.
The center of attraction during the Santacruzan are those that will act the role of Reyna Elena, in honor of St. Helena, and Constantine, usually a young man clutching a crucifix to symbolize the finding of the “True Cross in Jerusalem.”
Flores de Mayo in the Philippines, with its long Catholic tradition of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, said to start in 1854 after the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
“Most of the police are Catholics. We really observe tradition, Catholic rites,” she said.
While Gapul admitted that she noticed the apparent “gap” on the perception of the public to the police amid the brutal drug war campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte, she however said that they are doing the Catholic tradition for children every month of May “to bridge the gap.”
Gapul she said that the holding of Flores de Mayo brings out the “soft side” of the police.
“We are also human, we have hearts. Even though we are in the authority, we also believed that Jesus Christ is the real authority. We are led by God. In my case, I feel I cannot really do what other rogue police were doing because I am guided by God,” said Gapul.
Michelle (name withheld to protect her identity), a mother, said she is also sending her children inside the camp to attend the religious activity despite that her husband was caught and imprisoned due to alleged drug activity for two years now.
“I am happy that they are holding Flores de Mayo at the same time, sponsoring snacks to the children. Good thing that they are giving free snacks because I cannot give at all times for my children,” said the 35-year-old mother who is now working alone as dressmaker to support their four children.
“I looked at policemen as good people,” said Michelle.
“The case of my husband is still in the court now,” she said.
The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is waging a controversial and brutal war against illegal drugs which drew strong condemnation from the Church and human rights groups, both here and abroad.
While the police vowed to continue their Catholic tradition for children, Duterte also pledged that his drug war will persist until he will step outside Malacañang in 2022.
“It will be as relentless and chilling as on the day it began,” said the firebrand president during his State of the Nation Address in July 2018.
(RONALD O. REYES)