Pahiyas Festival
Every May, houses along the old streets of Lucban are decorated with bright and colorful wafers of rice called kiping. The Pahiyas Festival is an annual competition between Lucbanins and it is also an agricultural thanksgiving festival in honor of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers. The festival never fails to surprise and amaze locals and tourists as the humble kiping is transformed into grand chandeliers and even floral veranda decorations.
Obando Fertility Rites Festival
Filipino belief or hearsay claims that people who wish to have a child should pay homage at the Obando Fertility Rites festival, a three-day fiesta honoring St. Paschal, St. Claire, and Our Lady of Salambao, the town’s patron saints. It highlights a street “fertility” dance participated by both locals and visitors in hopes that the spirit of life would enter through their womb.
Flores de Mayo
Flores de Mayo, which means “flowers of May”is a month-long Catholic festival held in different regions of the Philippines. Its main highlight is the Santacruzan, a parade held on the last day of Flores de Mayo which commemorates Reyna Elena’s (Queen Elena) search for the Holy Cross with young and new emperor Constantine. The festival is a heritage passed on by the Spanish during the Philippines’ early colonial period.
Pulilan Carabao Festival
Because the Philippines is a highly agricultural country, it is not surprising that among the many festivals of the archipelago is the Carabao Festival. This fiesta pays tribute to water buffalos known as carabaos as these animals are very important to the farmers. The hardworking animals experience two days of special attention which is highlighted by an animal blessing procession, a friendly carabao race, and a demonstration of “kneeling” carabaos.
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Tags: carabao festival, carabaos, colonial period, emperor constantine, obando fertility rites, pahiyas festival, reyna elena, san isidro labrador, santacruzan