Marian
Procession
Date: December 8 Location: Intramuros, Manila
A revival of religious tradition with more than 60 images of the
Blessed Virgin Mary from various parishes and provinces paraded.
Pagdidiwata
Date: December 8 Location: Puerto Princessa, Palawan
A thanks giving celebration by the Tagbanua natives of Palawan
in ritual dances and food offerings to their deities and souls
of departed kin
Feast
of the Immaculate Concepcion
Date: December 8 Location: Intramuros, Manila
An Eucharistic celebrabration of the Feast Day of the La Immaculada,
patroness of Intramuros, capped by a grand procession of more
than 50 Marian images from all over the country and participated
in by thousands of devotees.
Bikol
Pastores
Date: December 18 Location: Legazpi City, Albay
A unique Christmas celebration believed to have originated in
the province where "pastores" - young men and women dressed in
colorful shepherd costumes - joyfully dance and sing "Pastores
a Belen" through the city streets.
San
Fernando Giant Lantern Festival
Date: December Location: Ermita, Manila
A fiesta in honor of one of the oldest Marian images in the country
(it was found by Legazpi's soldiers amidst the foliage of a pandan
shrub on the shores of Ermita in 1571) - the La Nuestra Señora
de Guia, patroness of seafarers and also known as Our Lady of
Expectations. The main event of the fiesta is the Bota de Flores,
a reenactment of a select group of young ladies and their escorts
in sailor costumes of the procession returning the La Nuestra
Señora de Guia to its reconstructed shrine in 1918.
Binirayan
Festival
Date: December 28-30 Location: San Jose, Antique
A festive commemoration of an episode in the history of the Filipino
race through colorful pageants acted on the beaches of Maybato
in San Jose and Malandog in Hamtik. Particularly interesting is
the drama of the first Malay settlement at malandog which runs
for several days and nights. Binirayan is also an occasion of
reunion with families, relatives and friends of homecoming Antiqueno
expatriates.
