Museo sa Nayon Sariaya 1

03/12/2023

29/11/2023

https://fb.watch/oCSr166Bo8/?mibextid=Nif5oz

29/11/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b0p-GJTIIs

23/11/2023

𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠-𝐚𝐧𝐠 - a culinary masterpiece from Quezon province, a blend of Alangan ng Niyog, shrimps, and spices. It is not just a dish but a celebration of the tradition, culture, and lively spirit of Quezonians.

Mam Carlyn Abellanida

23/11/2023

💬🗣 Cultural Sensitivity starts with words.

Here are some examples of appropriate words to use in conversations to avoid causing misunderstandings and miscommunication among cultures.







Courtesy of Anthrowatch and Ms. Miks Padilla, Makatao faculty of the Nayong Pilipino Cultural Leadership Institute.

23/11/2023

22/11/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122108248988115438&id=61553463159271&mibextid=Nif5oz

“𝐁𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐠-𝐚𝐬𝐚, 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐨 𝐚𝐲 𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐚”

🎄Halina’t sumali sa 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Para sa mga Sasali:
• maximum of 3*3 ft
• must be recycled materials
• pwedeng gumamit ng ilaw na de baterya
• bawal na pong gamitin ang parol na nagamit na sa ibang competition

Criteria for Judging:

Creativity : 40%
Originality/ uniqueness: 35%
Concept of parol : 25 %

Ang layunin ng Proyektong ito ay maipakita ang pagiging malikhain ng mga kabataan sa Brgy. Poblacion 4 at maipadama ang diwa ng pasko sa bawat sulok ng ating Barangay 🎄

Sa mga gustong sumali maaring makipagsangguni sa mga myembro ng Sangguniang Kabataan

Charlene Catapang
Jhamvee Ilao
Kim santos
Xyrus Durain Corpuz
Cyrill Kirsten Aguilar
Jc Javid
Laurence Marcuap
Gian awa



We will announce the winner on December 20, 2023

🏆Champion : 5,000 pesos
🥇1st placer : 3,000 pesos
🥈2nd placer: 2,000 pesos
🥉3rd placer: 1,000 pesos

Goodluck mga kapoblacion ❤️

17/11/2023

PALABAS AT PAMANA - PAGPAPALAB

Dalawang araw na lang at mapapanood na ang dalawa sa pinakamasiglang anyo ng teatro sa Pilipinas.

16/11/2023

In Memory of a very Important friend in Cultural Advocacy for Sariaya, allow me to share his memorable writings about Agawan Festival of Sariaya.

May 16,2019 cc Eric Dedace

MY AGAWAN FESTIVAL 2019 PREOCCUPATIONS

By Eric J. Dedace

I had a very hectic Agawan Festival celebration today, Wednesday, May 15, 2019, which started very early at about 5 AM when I had to prepare my 92 year old Tatay's medicines for the whole day, a daily routine. Good thing that my sister Tina is here so she can look after him while I'm preoccupied with things, being a PRO of the Sariaya Tourism Council and the Secretary of the Sariaya Heritage Council. Afterwards, I hurriedly prepared myself and by about 5:54 AM, I was already on the streets, heading towards the Sariaya Tourist Information Center at the park to get my Sariaya Tourism Council t shirt and thus participate in the early morning parade. The area was already a bee hive of people and routines for the day's festivities, with Sariayahins from different barangays as well as LGU employees milling around, having their attendance documented for by their respective leaders, and herding together in groups for an orderly conduct of the activity. I met office staff Ms. Renaliz Miguel who handed to me my medium sized white collared t shirt which I readily wore for convenience. Soon, our indefatigable Municipal Executive Assistant cm Tourism Officer Designate Randy Tronilla arrived and he immediately was handed a megaphone for convenience and coordination. I likewise met and conversed with my oher STC colleagues like W***y Galera and Ofelia Arpia, who were likewise waiting for the parade to start, Thereafter, we headed for Mabini street in front of the Municipio and were asked to position ourselves upfront, together with the two giant mascots provided by Buddy's Pizza Sariaya Branch and the lyre band. Soon, it was all systems go and the parade started heading southwards to Mabini street, with some of the house owners still rendered busy with their decoration schemes, and a lot of them stopped momentarily to look and ogle at the parade. The route continued on to Kasadya Street, turned left to Bonifacio then right to de la Cruz street, northwards to Rizal street, eastwards to Gomez and southwards to Quezon Avenue. It turned to de la Cruz and on to Magdami where it moved north then right to Gomez street left to Rodriguez street before heading northwards straight to the busy General Luna street. It proceeded eastwards to Pablo street and moved northwards up to Donya Co**ha Subdivision and headed westwards to Quezon Avenue. It then turned southwards to General Luna Street then traversed the busy General Luna once again until it returned to Mabini Street thereafter.

EA Randy started the program and requested Tita Ofel Arpia to lead the prayers., followed by the welcome remarks of Municipal Administrator Ronan Nantes, who welcomed everyone on behalf of Mayor Marcelo Gayeta. The lyre band placed lively music and thereafter, and I saw fellow STC PRO colleague Danny de Luna behind me so we immediately started our usual local heritage conversations and were soon lost in our advocacy works. Meanwhile, EA Tronila began the games and called on various groups to participate. The lively proceedings went on and then followed the Minindalang Bayan of Pansit Habhab, bread and drinks, the food being distributed to the various groups so everything was orderly. Danny and I then headed to the Organic Market area and immediately bought "Saging na Lakatan" before having the habhab snacks with the very friendly members of the Sariaya Organic Producers Association (SOPA), punctuated by conversations with good friend Rizza Obnial who was selling religious items nearby. By 9 AM, I was heading home to check on my Tatay, to likewise get updates on my article postings on FB and to cook lunch thereafter.

As such, my sister Tina had a good idea . . . that she would assist me in looking at our cabinets for slightly used clothes to give to the serious grab fest revelers who would join the Agawan Festival afternoon procession and position themselves at the back of the San Isidro's image. These are the very people who really join the procession not merely to have fun like those at the front of the "Santo", but are really that motivated to get those bountiful blessings for their own family's use, welfare. and survival. With that, we lost no time in doing so and were able to gather two big bags of them...oversized shirts, polo shirts and shorts , some being gifts from abroad not having even been used at all, since they were just too large for comfort. Tina bundled and tied up each clothing article with a straw and piled them up for throwing. Since my father has nerve pain problems, we were not able to prepare any decorations for this year's Agawan Festival , so this idea of my sister in a way is some form of making up for it.
Before long is was lunchtime so we had our meal, right after Tatay had his and while I was eating, the phone rang and it was a female office staff of the Gala - Rodriguez NHI Heritage House asking me if I can do curator work for Royce Cabunyag, the son of the house owners Ma'am Glady and Sir Roger since they have guests. As such, the tour would be by 1:30 PM and since it was only 12:15 PM, I still have available free time, so I accepted the task since it will add fanfare to my afternoon, rather than just laze my time waiting for the 3 PM start of the Agawan Festival procession.

Before long, I was leaving home for the appointed Art Deco style ancestral house, which is likewise along the procession route. As I entered the lawn of the mansion, I saw a waiter at the first floor veranda, so I caught his attention and informed him about my business in coming to the house, thus requesting him to inform Royce that I can start doing the curator work if they are ready. As such, Royce came out and invited me inside, where Ma;am Glady offered me to have lunch. I politely refused saying that I just had lunch likewise, yet she persuaded me to have a little despite of, so I got a plate and helped myself. Royce invited me to sit at the other table with his two younger brothers and we engaged in conversation. their lovely circa 1935 house and my curatorship tasks there being the topic of interest. Suddenly, a hired lyre band played music outside, so they excused themselves and went out to the canopied veranda to watch and enjoy the proceedings, just as I settled down with my light meal. Before long, I was through with it, settled for a glass of water and sat down listening to the band playing their piece. Thereafter, Royce entered the house once again, asked if I'm already okay and said that they were now ready for the tour. Thus I followed him outside with everyone still listening to the band and looking at the choreographed routines being done by the majorettes. Royce told me that aside from the tour, he would like to video document it for a promotion project for his planned heritage tour package for his ancestral house, and I said to him that I am so glad to be of assistance. Soon enough, the band stopped playing and .we started on the tour. with Royce introducing myself to his guests as the house curator.. I began the story telling with how Sariaya became famous for its ancestral houses through the advent of the coconut industry boom years starting 1914, when the dinitroglycerin content of copra oil was discovered to be an important ingredient in the manufacture of explosives. It was the start of World War 1 in Europe and Germany wanted all the copra oil it can hold its hands into to feed its war machine. The rise in the importation of copra oil further fuelled the establishment of coconut plantations in the Philippines, Sariaya included, further encouraged by the good soil of the town's farmlands accordingly well suited to its propagation. With so much money brought about by coconut propagation in Sariaya, the landed gentry had so much money to spare that they turned to the renovation of their traditional "Bahay na Bato" residences into the fabulous Art Deco and other architectural style masterpieces in vogue in Europe and the Americas, designed by the leading Filipino and foreign architects of those times. This was likewise an offshoot of their exposure to such care of their capacity to travel abroad during those days when going to Manila from Sariaya was very difficult, confounded by bad roads and por transportation facilities.

Ma'am Glady Cabunyag was truly very helpful in adding even more facts to the documentation of his son as she supplied more pertinent information which she was able to obtain from her mother, the lovely Carmen Rodriguez Arguelles. oNE of the new inputs that I was able to add to the documentations was about the comparison between the original; San Isidro Labrador festival being held on the same date in Madrid Spain, as well as that being held here in Sariaya and the other Quezon towns, which I obtained care of my other sister Millie Dedace Scherpenberg who is based in the Netherlands, and who happened to be in Madrid at that time, some years ago. It just showed how Filipinos who borrow influences from other countries have the capacity to adopt, reinvent and then claim the experience as our very own. As such, the family owned the San Isidro Labrador image which is being used during the afternoon procession, so it was already in the church and being honored with a holy mass starting at 2 PM..I asked Royce a question as to whether his maternal great grandfather Dr. Isidro Rodriguez was named after the "santo" and if his birthday was May 15th , true to old Catholic tradition and he confirmed it as such.

Another new input that I was able to share in the documentation is the presence of a Chinese inspired suit case found at the master's bed room upstairs, the nuance of which was explained to me by a French artist FB friend whom I had the fortune of touring in the house some years ago, and who explained to me the novelty and prestige accorded to it by Europeans in the old days. At the last part of the tour, I facilitated the going down to the secret cellar that sheltered Carmen Gala Rodriguez from the amorous advances of General Ashima, the head of the local Japanese high command in Sariaya in World War 2, who fell in love with her when the Japanese occupied the second floor of the house. With the tour finally over, I said my leave takings to Ma'am Glady and Royce, since I have to go back to the house and help with the throwing of the clothes that we prepared to the revelers during the procession. Moreover, I had to change into a new shirt as it was so fearfully hot and I was drenched with sweat. By then, Tatay wanted to have a bath because of the heat and so, I facilitated it and helped him out since Tina my sister was getting ready with the cloth goodies for the afternoon procession which was due to start soon. I was already through with giving him a bath while outside, the people were milling about in excitement over the traditional "Halbutan ni San Isidro Labrador" or the bountiful grab fest after the image of the santo has passed by, and the sound fo the approaching procession as betrayed by the marching band music being played which is faast approaching. Ergo, I settled Tatay on a chair thereafter and joined Tina upstairs together with my two elder paternal cousins Ate Vinya and Ate Girlie Alcala, as well as their /'kasambahay" Luz Quinones for the fun filled ritual of the "Agawan Festival". Soon enough, the image of the santo passed by the house and we started throwing the cloth gifts and other edible goodies at the unsuspecting revelers since they did not think that there would be anything that they can get from a house that was not decorated for the festival like the others! It was a very happy surprise for them, as the clothes are great and some of them are even imported, so the predominantly male revellers suddenly shifted their attention to us, calling us "Kuya" and "Ate" to single them out for the throwing, with some of them even trying to climb the concrete fence but to no avail. Before long, we have thrown everything to the revelers with some of them still hoping for left over goodies remaining to be thrown to them but we politely told them that there was nothing more.

Fired up with excitement and the adrenalin rush, I hurriedly went downstairs and dressed up to join whatever is left of the fast paced procession. Walking at a very fast pace with an eye for the procession proceedings at every street corner, I finally caught up with the procession near the Buddy's Pizza branch along General Luna corner Pablo streets. As I rounded up Pablo Street just past the Police outpost, I suddenly saw my erstwhile Southern Luzon Association of Museums (SLAM) colleague and good friend Dr. Raddy Villoso who was like me all sweaty and fired up with adrenalin, and toting his trusted companion, the camera. Accordingly, he is still at his traditional May 15 routines, leaving early for Lucban at about 5 AM to catch on with the early morning procession. Thereafter, after having his fill of photo documenting the Pahiyas artistry, he hurried back to Sariaya , arriving by early afternoon just to have lunch.

After a quick rest and freshening up, he was suddenly surprised to hear band music playing already so he hurried to the church, passed by the side door and saw that the holy mass was over and that the procession was already streaming out of the church. So he braced himself for the extreme heat of the midday and followed the procession as it wound its way towards Mabini street and on to its prescribed route. So glad to still follow the precession past the halfway mark, I settled down just before the marching band and negotiated the route, looking in all directions, feeling and observing the excitement of the Agawan Festival unfold. Moving northwards of Pablo street, the procession veered to the left entering Dona Co**ha Subdivision and heading westwards to Quezon Avenue extension. Going southwards once again, the procession headed straight to General Luna main street, turned right and westwards heading for the church patio.

Along the way, we passed by the Sariaya Bread House owned by Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Agnes Lim, which is passed by the end of the procession annually., whether by way of either General Luna or Rizal Street. The place was as always, decorated with big "Pamahiyas" hard bread in various shapes, and thus was a favorite hang out of revelers and even onlookers, some still ogling from the class covered windows of their vehicles, who never cease to be amazed and awed by the sight of big hard bread being thrown and flying from the second floor veranda of the house. For their part, the revelers, still exhibiting high adrenalin try their best to jump very high in order to catch them as highly prized commodities worth the bother and the great effort. We proceeded to enter the church patio and stopped near the circa 1922 church convent, where the church staff and altar boys throw whatever they can at the revelers, which never cease to exhibit their high energy stunts in order to maximize the effectiveness of their grab fest stunts. Meanwhile, the image of the San Isidro Labrador was led inside the church for incensing by the parish priest, just as some iof the Catholic faithful followed suit and coaxed the caretakers of the santo to hand over to them some of the blessed farm produce that were attached at embellishments to the canopied iron covering that was placed there to protect the icon from destructive dents during the grab fest frenzy. After being incensed, the icon was led out of the church and into the church patio led by Royce Cabunyag himself who apparently will continue the legacy of its local tradition apparently started by his maternal great grandfather Dr. Isidro Rodriguez. It was then brought out of the patio onto the General Luna main street, before it was led southwards to Rizal Street and into the lovely confines of the Gala - Rodriguez NHI Heritage House. It was then removed from the silver plated carroza and brought up to the family chapel which will be its shrine until next year's celebration once again.

Meanwhile, the two "Conrados" and I walked out of the church patio and into the busy General Luna street. still so engrossed in our conversations. Finally, we reached its corner with Rizal Street where we parted ways, both of them going home to the north while I am walking towards Magdami street, to the Idea - Vendiola family ancestral house to meet with paternal cousins Gello, and Pete Dedace as well as their mother Tiya Helen, sister in law Rowena Dedace and her two daughters. Also with them were Gello's two guests, Weng Canlas and husband Victor Jun Canlas of San Fernando, Pampanga, whom I first met during last year's wake for Gello's father, Tiyo Arturo Dedace, Tatay's elder brother. As such, I toured them inside the Don Catalino Rodriguez NHI Heritage House, where they even donned hired Filipiniana apparel, the experience of which they enjoyed and found enlightenment with.

For this Agawan Festival 2019 immersion trip. Weng contacted me via FB Messenger where we exchanged pleasantries and did coordination works to effectively facilitate the undertaking. They left their hometown at 3 AM of May 14th and estimated their arrival in Sariaya by 7 AM. I was to be with them to Lucban, Quezon but since I cannot leave the house until 9 AM because of Tatay's predicament, they opted to travel to Lucban via Majayjay and henceforth to Sariaya thereafter, in order to check in at Balay Sadyaya Resort and Hotel in Barangay Balubal. They stayed there until past 4 PM and then headed for the town to meet with us, my cousin Gello rendered busy by the decoration process. Then I toured them from late afternoon to early evening so they were able to see the preparations and appreciate the work being done before everything would be destroyed during the grab fest. Returning to the Idea - Vendiola house in the early evening, the guests were given snacks and then the hanging iof goodies and the raising of the three bagakays gave them an idea about how these were done. After another hour or so of delightful conversations after the bagakay raising, they headed back to Balay Sadyaya for the night. They returned once again late the following morning for lunch and by past 1 PM, they hopped on their car with Gello and Pete and rode the whole length of the Agawan Festival route...checking on the outcome of the preparations that they saw on the eve of the festivities with me. it was not long thereafter that they returned to Magdami Street, to await the afternoon procession. When finally it arrived, they were treated to hospitality and grab fest Sariaya styke which they truly appreciated tremendously, which they aptly capture on video and in photos. Then my cousins accordingly accompanied them to the Sariaya Bread House to see their flying "Pamahiyas" attraction, that never fail to mesmerize and entertain visitors and locals alike. They would have loved having obtained just one of the big bread being thrown but were not able to do so on account of the overwhelming physicality of it all. They went back to the house and that was when I met them and learned about their enjoyable moments of the Agawan Festival. Finally, they were given tokens by my cousin like a big bunch of unripe saba bananas, a bunch of coconuts, walis tingting, woven abanikos, and others.It is very heartening on our part to hear how the visitors expressed their appreciation and enjoyment of it all. Finally, it was time to say goodbye as they expressed their great and appreciative leave takings, they likewise invited us to visit San Fernando whenever possible. . It was getting late and they have to travel back straight to Pampanga so they loaded the take home goodies as bountiful souvenirs of their San Iisidro Labrador fiesta visit.

As for me, I lingered for almost an hour, more talking about the day's enjoyable events with my cousins, and we hoped for better things to come in the future. Meanwhile, the people on the street have already cleaned up the debris of the festivities and everything was rendered orderly and nice, as if nothing of the grab fest happened at all, with the able assistance of
Barangay 5 Poblacion Captain Tony White Enriquez and his ever cooperative Barangay colleagues. When I went back home, I was almost like the visitors to Agawan Festival 2019, with take out mementos of the celebration. And as such, that was how I called it a day. So tiring and yet so fulfilling!In Memory of a very Important friend in Cultural Advocacy for Sariaya, allow me to share his memorable writings about Agawan Festival of Sariaya.

May 16,2019. Cc Eric J. Dedace

MY AGAWAN FESTIVAL 2019 PREOCCUPATIONS

By Eric J. Dedace

I had a very hectic Agawan Festival celebration today, Wednesday, May 15, 2019, which started very early at about 5 AM when I had to prepare my 92 year old Tatay's medicines for the whole day, a daily routine. Good thing that my sister Tina is here so she can look after him while I'm preoccupied with things, being a PRO of the Sariaya Tourism Council and the Secretary of the Sariaya Heritage Council. Afterwards, I hurriedly prepared myself and by about 5:54 AM, I was already on the streets, heading towards the Sariaya Tourist Information Center at the park to get my Sariaya Tourism Council t shirt and thus participate in the early morning parade. The area was already a bee hive of people and routines for the day's festivities, with Sariayahins from different barangays as well as LGU employees milling around, having their attendance documented for by their respective leaders, and herding together in groups for an orderly conduct of the activity. I met office staff Ms. Renaliz Miguel who handed to me my medium sized white collared t shirt which I readily wore for convenience. Soon, our indefatigable Municipal Executive Assistant cm Tourism Officer Designate Randy Tronilla arrived and he immediately was handed a megaphone for convenience and coordination. I likewise met and conversed with my oher STC colleagues like W***y Galera and Ofelia Arpia, who were likewise waiting for the parade to start, Thereafter, we headed for Mabini street in front of the Municipio and were asked to position ourselves upfront, together with the two giant mascots provided by Buddy's Pizza Sariaya Branch and the lyre band. Soon, it was all systems go and the parade started heading southwards to Mabini street, with some of the house owners still rendered busy with their decoration schemes, and a lot of them stopped momentarily to look and ogle at the parade. The route continued on to Kasadya Street, turned left to Bonifacio then right to de la Cruz street, northwards to Rizal street, eastwards to Gomez and southwards to Quezon Avenue. It turned to de la Cruz and on to Magdami where it moved north then right to Gomez street left to Rodriguez street before heading northwards straight to the busy General Luna street. It proceeded eastwards to Pablo street and moved northwards up to Donya Co**ha Subdivision and headed westwards to Quezon Avenue. It then turned southwards to General Luna Street then traversed the busy General Luna once again until it returned to Mabini Street thereafter.

EA Randy started the program and requested Tita Ofel Arpia to lead the prayers., followed by the welcome remarks of Municipal Administrator Ronan Nantes, who welcomed everyone on behalf of Mayor Marcelo Gayeta. The lyre band placed lively music and thereafter, and I saw fellow STC PRO colleague Danny de Luna behind me so we immediately started our usual local heritage conversations and were soon lost in our advocacy works. Meanwhile, EA Tronila began the games and called on various groups to participate. The lively proceedings went on and then followed the Minindalang Bayan of Pansit Habhab, bread and drinks, the food being distributed to the various groups so everything was orderly. Danny and I then headed to the Organic Market area and immediately bought "Saging na Lakatan" before having the habhab snacks with the very friendly members of the Sariaya Organic Producers Association (SOPA), punctuated by conversations with good friend Rizza Obnial who was selling religious items nearby. By 9 AM, I was heading home to check on my Tatay, to likewise get updates on my article postings on FB and to cook lunch thereafter.

As such, my sister Tina had a good idea . . . that she would assist me in looking at our cabinets for slightly used clothes to give to the serious grab fest revelers who would join the Agawan Festival afternoon procession and position themselves at the back of the San Isidro's image. These are the very people who really join the procession not merely to have fun like those at the front of the "Santo", but are really that motivated to get those bountiful blessings for their own family's use, welfare. and survival. With that, we lost no time in doing so and were able to gather two big bags of them...oversized shirts, polo shirts and shorts , some being gifts from abroad not having even been used at all, since they were just too large for comfort. Tina bundled and tied up each clothing article with a straw and piled them up for throwing. Since my father has nerve pain problems, we were not able to prepare any decorations for this year's Agawan Festival , so this idea of my sister in a way is some form of making up for it.
Before long is was lunchtime so we had our meal, right after Tatay had his and while I was eating, the phone rang and it was a female office staff of the Gala - Rodriguez NHI Heritage House asking me if I can do curator work for Royce Cabunyag, the son of the house owners Ma'am Glady and Sir Roger since they have guests. As such, the tour would be by 1:30 PM and since it was only 12:15 PM, I still have available free time, so I accepted the task since it will add fanfare to my afternoon, rather than just laze my time waiting for the 3 PM start of the Agawan Festival procession.

Before long, I was leaving home for the appointed Art Deco style ancestral house, which is likewise along the procession route. As I entered the lawn of the mansion, I saw a waiter at the first floor veranda, so I caught his attention and informed him about my business in coming to the house, thus requesting him to inform Royce that I can start doing the curator work if they are ready. As such, Royce came out and invited me inside, where Ma;am Glady offered me to have lunch. I politely refused saying that I just had lunch likewise, yet she persuaded me to have a little despite of, so I got a plate and helped myself. Royce invited me to sit at the other table with his two younger brothers and we engaged in conversation. their lovely circa 1935 house and my curatorship tasks there being the topic of interest. Suddenly, a hired lyre band played music outside, so they excused themselves and went out to the canopied veranda to watch and enjoy the proceedings, just as I settled down with my light meal. Before long, I was through with it, settled for a glass of water and sat down listening to the band playing their piece. Thereafter, Royce entered the house once again, asked if I'm already okay and said that they were now ready for the tour. Thus I followed him outside with everyone still listening to the band and looking at the choreographed routines being done by the majorettes. Royce told me that aside from the tour, he would like to video document it for a promotion project for his planned heritage tour package for his ancestral house, and I said to him that I am so glad to be of assistance. Soon enough, the band stopped playing and .we started on the tour. with Royce introducing myself to his guests as the house curator.. I began the story telling with how Sariaya became famous for its ancestral houses through the advent of the coconut industry boom years starting 1914, when the dinitroglycerin content of copra oil was discovered to be an important ingredient in the manufacture of explosives. It was the start of World War 1 in Europe and Germany wanted all the copra oil it can hold its hands into to feed its war machine. The rise in the importation of copra oil further fuelled the establishment of coconut plantations in the Philippines, Sariaya included, further encouraged by the good soil of the town's farmlands accordingly well suited to its propagation. With so much money brought about by coconut propagation in Sariaya, the landed gentry had so much money to spare that they turned to the renovation of their traditional "Bahay na Bato" residences into the fabulous Art Deco and other architectural style masterpieces in vogue in Europe and the Americas, designed by the leading Filipino and foreign architects of those times. This was likewise an offshoot of their exposure to such care of their capacity to travel abroad during those days when going to Manila from Sariaya was very difficult, confounded by bad roads and por transportation facilities.

Ma'am Glady Cabunyag was truly very helpful in adding even more facts to the documentation of his son as she supplied more pertinent information which she was able to obtain from her mother, the lovely Carmen Rodriguez Arguelles. oNE of the new inputs that I was able to add to the documentations was about the comparison between the original; San Isidro Labrador festival being held on the same date in Madrid Spain, as well as that being held here in Sariaya and the other Quezon towns, which I obtained care of my other sister Millie Dedace Scherpenberg who is based in the Netherlands, and who happened to be in Madrid at that time, some years ago. It just showed how Filipinos who borrow influences from other countries have the capacity to adopt, reinvent and then claim the experience as our very own. As such, the family owned the San Isidro Labrador image which is being used during the afternoon procession, so it was already in the church and being honored with a holy mass starting at 2 PM..I asked Royce a question as to whether his maternal great grandfather Dr. Isidro Rodriguez was named after the "santo" and if his birthday was May 15th , true to old Catholic tradition and he confirmed it as such.

Another new input that I was able to share in the documentation is the presence of a Chinese inspired suit case found at the master's bed room upstairs, the nuance of which was explained to me by a French artist FB friend whom I had the fortune of touring in the house some years ago, and who explained to me the novelty and prestige accorded to it by Europeans in the old days. At the last part of the tour, I facilitated the going down to the secret cellar that sheltered Carmen Gala Rodriguez from the amorous advances of General Ashima, the head of the local Japanese high command in Sariaya in World War 2, who fell in love with her when the Japanese occupied the second floor of the house. With the tour finally over, I said my leave takings to Ma'am Glady and Royce, since I have to go back to the house and help with the throwing of the clothes that we prepared to the revelers during the procession. Moreover, I had to change into a new shirt as it was so fearfully hot and I was drenched with sweat. By then, Tatay wanted to have a bath because of the heat and so, I facilitated it and helped him out since Tina my sister was getting ready with the cloth goodies for the afternoon procession which was due to start soon. I was already through with giving him a bath while outside, the people were milling about in excitement over the traditional "Halbutan ni San Isidro Labrador" or the bountiful grab fest after the image of the santo has passed by, and the sound fo the approaching procession as betrayed by the marching band music being played which is faast approaching. Ergo, I settled Tatay on a chair thereafter and joined Tina upstairs together with my two elder paternal cousins Ate Vinya and Ate Girlie Alcala, as well as their /'kasambahay" Luz Quinones for the fun filled ritual of the "Agawan Festival". Soon enough, the image of the santo passed by the house and we started throwing the cloth gifts and other edible goodies at the unsuspecting revelers since they did not think that there would be anything that they can get from a house that was not decorated for the festival like the others! It was a very happy surprise for them, as the clothes are great and some of them are even imported, so the predominantly male revellers suddenly shifted their attention to us, calling us "Kuya" and "Ate" to single them out for the throwing, with some of them even trying to climb the concrete fence but to no avail. Before long, we have thrown everything to the revelers with some of them still hoping for left over goodies remaining to be thrown to them but we politely told them that there was nothing more.

Fired up with excitement and the adrenalin rush, I hurriedly went downstairs and dressed up to join whatever is left of the fast paced procession. Walking at a very fast pace with an eye for the procession proceedings at every street corner, I finally caught up with the procession near the Buddy's Pizza branch along General Luna corner Pablo streets. As I rounded up Pablo Street just past the Police outpost, I suddenly saw my erstwhile Southern Luzon Association of Museums (SLAM) colleague and good friend Dr. Raddy Villoso who was like me all sweaty and fired up with adrenalin, and toting his trusted companion, the camera. Accordingly, he is still at his traditional May 15 routines, leaving early for Lucban at about 5 AM to catch on with the early morning procession. Thereafter, after having his fill of photo documenting the Pahiyas artistry, he hurried back to Sariaya , arriving by early afternoon just to have lunch.

After a quick rest and freshening up, he was suddenly surprised to hear band music playing already so he hurried to the church, passed by the side door and saw that the holy mass was over and that the procession was already streaming out of the church. So he braced himself for the extreme heat of the midday and followed the procession as it wound its way towards Mabini street and on to its prescribed route. So glad to still follow the precession past the halfway mark, I settled down just before the marching band and negotiated the route, looking in all directions, feeling and observing the excitement of the Agawan Festival unfold. Moving northwards of Pablo street, the procession veered to the left entering Dona Co**ha Subdivision and heading westwards to Quezon Avenue extension. Going southwards once again, the procession headed straight to General Luna main street, turned right and westwards heading for the church patio.

Along the way, we passed by the Sariaya Bread House owned by Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Agnes Lim, which is passed by the end of the procession annually., whether by way of either General Luna or Rizal Street. The place was as always, decorated with big "Pamahiyas" hard bread in various shapes, and thus was a favorite hang out of revelers and even onlookers, some still ogling from the class covered windows of their vehicles, who never cease to be amazed and awed by the sight of big hard bread being thrown and flying from the second floor veranda of the house. For their part, the revelers, still exhibiting high adrenalin try their best to jump very high in order to catch them as highly prized commodities worth the bother and the great effort. We proceeded to enter the church patio and stopped near the circa 1922 church convent, where the church staff and altar boys throw whatever they can at the revelers, which never cease to exhibit their high energy stunts in order to maximize the effectiveness of their grab fest stunts. Meanwhile, the image of the San Isidro Labrador was led inside the church for incensing by the parish priest, just as some iof the Catholic faithful followed suit and coaxed the caretakers of the santo to hand over to them some of the blessed farm produce that were attached at embellishments to the canopied iron covering that was placed there to protect the icon from destructive dents during the grab fest frenzy. After being incensed, the icon was led out of the church and into the church patio led by Royce Cabunyag himself who apparently will continue the legacy of its local tradition apparently started by his maternal great grandfather Dr. Isidro Rodriguez. It was then brought out of the patio onto the General Luna main street, before it was led southwards to Rizal Street and into the lovely confines of the Gala - Rodriguez NHI Heritage House. It was then removed from the silver plated carroza and brought up to the family chapel which will be its shrine until next year's celebration once again.

Meanwhile, the two "Conrados" and I walked out of the church patio and into the busy General Luna street. still so engrossed in our conversations. Finally, we reached its corner with Rizal Street where we parted ways, both of them going home to the north while I am walking towards Magdami street, to the Idea - Vendiola family ancestral house to meet with paternal cousins Gello, and Pete Dedace as well as their mother Tiya Helen, sister in law Rowena Dedace and her two daughters. Also with them were Gello's two guests, Weng Canlas and husband Victor Jun Canlas of San Fernando, Pampanga, whom I first met during last year's wake for Gello's father, Tiyo Arturo Dedace, Tatay's elder brother. As such, I toured them inside the Don Catalino Rodriguez NHI Heritage House, where they even donned hired Filipiniana apparel, the experience of which they enjoyed and found enlightenment with.

For this Agawan Festival 2019 immersion trip. Weng contacted me via FB Messenger where we exchanged pleasantries and did coordination works to effectively facilitate the undertaking. They left their hometown at 3 AM of May 14th and estimated their arrival in Sariaya by 7 AM. I was to be with them to Lucban, Quezon but since I cannot leave the house until 9 AM because of Tatay's predicament, they opted to travel to Lucban via Majayjay and henceforth to Sariaya thereafter, in order to check in at Balay Sadyaya Resort and Hotel in Barangay Balubal. They stayed there until past 4 PM and then headed for the town to meet with us, my cousin Gello rendered busy by the decoration process. Then I toured them from late afternoon to early evening so they were able to see the preparations and appreciate the work being done before everything would be destroyed during the grab fest. Returning to the Idea - Vendiola house in the early evening, the guests were given snacks and then the hanging iof goodies and the raising of the three bagakays gave them an idea about how these were done. After another hour or so of delightful conversations after the bagakay raising, they headed back to Balay Sadyaya for the night. They returned once again late the following morning for lunch and by past 1 PM, they hopped on their car with Gello and Pete and rode the whole length of the Agawan Festival route...checking on the outcome of the preparations that they saw on the eve of the festivities with me. it was not long thereafter that they returned to Magdami Street, to await the afternoon procession. When finally it arrived, they were treated to hospitality and grab fest Sariaya styke which they truly appreciated tremendously, which they aptly capture on video and in photos. Then my cousins accordingly accompanied them to the Sariaya Bread House to see their flying "Pamahiyas" attraction, that never fail to mesmerize and entertain visitors and locals alike. They would have loved having obtained just one of the big bread being thrown but were not able to do so on account of the overwhelming physicality of it all. They went back to the house and that was when I met them and learned about their enjoyable moments of the Agawan Festival. Finally, they were given tokens by my cousin like a big bunch of unripe saba bananas, a bunch of coconuts, walis tingting, woven abanikos, and others.It is very heartening on our part to hear how the visitors expressed their appreciation and enjoyment of it all. Finally, it was time to say goodbye as they expressed their great and appreciative leave takings, they likewise invited us to visit San Fernando whenever possible. . It was getting late and they have to travel back straight to Pampanga so they loaded the take home goodies as bountiful souvenirs of their San Iisidro Labrador fiesta visit.

As for me, I lingered for almost an hour, more talking about the day's enjoyable events with my cousins, and we hoped for better things to come in the future. Meanwhile, the people on the street have already cleaned up the debris of the festivities and everything was rendered orderly and nice, as if nothing of the grab fest happened at all, with the able assistance of
Barangay 5 Poblacion Captain Tony White Enriquez and his ever cooperative Barangay colleagues. When I went back home, I was almost like the visitors to Agawan Festival 2019, with take out mementos of the celebration. And as such, that was how I called it a day. So tiring and yet so fulfilling!