Colors and Creativity at the Bambanti Village

The Bamabanti Village was a popular attarction of Isabela's Bambanti Festival (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Beside the agricultural and tourism booth of the town of Alicia was its giant bambanti (scarecrow) installation, made of dry rice stalks and grains, depicting a farmer holding a bigao, a woven winnowing pan. It wore a hat and skirt in rainbow colors. 

“The municipality of Alicia boasts of gender sensitivity. This shows that Alicia wants to include the LGBTQ+ in its ascension to progress. Let us not belittle the economic contributions of this group in the town,” its statement said. 

For the first time, representation of the LGBTIQ+ community was clearly expressed in a giant bambanti installation, as the Bambanti Festival 2025 highlighted inclusion. The bambanti as well as the booth highlighted the town being as the “rice granary” of lsabela. 

            Alicia’s booth was one of the 34 agricultural and tourism booths with giant bambanti installations that participated in the trade and tourism fair at the Bambanti Village. The fair was one of the most attended attractions of the Bambanti Festival of the province of Isabela in northern Luzon.

Inspired by the scarecrow, called bambanti in Ilocano, and said to pay homage to agriculture and workers, the festival was created in 1997 and has grown to be the biggest touristic and cultural event in the Cagayan Valley Region with a series of events and activities including the fair.  

            Most modern and local government-organized festivals in the Philippines featured trade fairs, where local products and cultures are showcased. Many feature booths of different barangays or towns, and over time, these booths become more spectacular and attractions themselves. Competitions among the best booths are also held.     

            The Bambanti Village is a prominent example. Aside from the booths, which mostly made of local materials, the village also sports giant installations of the bambanti or interpretations of the bambanti. 

In this year’s Bambanti festival, which was held from 19 to 25 January, the Bambanti Village was again set up at Isabela Provincial Capitol Compound, serving as a one-stop destination of the province’s best offerings and drawing crowds. At night, the booths lit up, delighting visitors who took endless selfies. 

            The fair also became a venue for artists, designers and craftsmen to showcase their creativity in making the booths that best highlight local produce, heritage and cultures.   

            The booth of San Pablo featured its heritage structures— the casa real and the

Ruins of Saint Paul the Apostle Parish Church—as well as a local product, chicharong baka, which covered the booth and bambanti installation. 

            The colorful booth of Roxas sported a crown that depicted the vegetables and other ingredients used in making the Ilocano dish pinakbet, as the town regularly holds the Pinakbet Festival. Its bambanti installation was in the form of the wasay-wasay or praying mantis to symbolize “the resilience, industriousness and solidarity of our people to build a stronger and

More progressive Isabela sa Bagong Pilipinas” and their thanksgiving to God. 

            Another insect was the inspiration behind the booth of Tumauini, described as “abaling head-shaped structure crafted from banig (palm),” explaining that the “abaling or tateg (salagubang in Tagalog) is the grub or larva of the abal-abal or sibbaweng. They come out from the soil in the month of May after the early rains have softened the ground. These are usually found and gathered near or on river banks in the rainy seasons which only lasts for two weeks. It is considered as exotic food in Cagayan Valley.” 

            On the other hand, its bambanti installation showed how abaling is an agricultural pest, explaining that it “highlights the locals’ appreciation for nature's duality. The abaling insect, though considered a pest, is also a sought-after exotic delicacy among the Ibanags. Deep fried abaling is a flavorful and beloved dish, symbolizing the community's ability to turn adversity into opportunity.”

The Maconacon booth’s design was “inspired by the ruins of industrial buildings and the long stretch of the rain forest of Sierra Madre,” explaining that the “remnants of the company named Acme, owned by Filipino and Chinese businessmen, can still be found in the barangay of Malasin” and that the town was called a “city in the jungle” because of “Acme Group of Firms' presence in the 1960s as a producer of plywood and other wood by-products, a significant economic driver and providing thousands of jobs in the area.”

            “Apart from the economic and employment contribution from 1965 to 1992, Sierra Madre mountain range was exploited due to the volume of trees cut down to the processed and converted into products. A group of rebels or NPA assaulted and destroyed the entire factory in December 1992, leaving behind ashes, coals, and smoldering equipment,” the booth’s information sheet said.  “Years after the destruction, nature began its quiet yet determined healing process. As the once-bustling remnants of the logging company were slowly reclaimed by the land, with vines, trees, and shrubs weaving through the decaying structures as if nature was rewriting the story.”

            Maconacon’s bambanti installation depicted the Philippine eagle, explaining that the eagle’s “presence in the municipality is an indication that the forest is still a healthy environment and a haven for various wildlife species,” and that it “represents courage, strength and greatness of the Maconaconian people despite the natural disasters…”

The booth of the provincial capital, Ilagan, promoted as the “Corn Capital of the Philippines,” was described to be “in its ultra-modern, minimalist design,” while the bambanti installation was said to be a “work of art in its amazing stylized body-form of twirled wires—truly an image of modernization in the tradition of the old, amidst the vast farm lands, corn fields and grazelands.”

            The rest of the booths all also had their own stories to tells about their towns, making the village also a venue for learning.

The best booths and giant bambanti installations were recognized on 24 January, during the finale of the Bambanti Festival street dancing competition. Two set of winners were revealed for the booths and installations—in Category A (for cities and first-class municipalities) and in Category B (for second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-class municipalities).

Ilagan City clinched the first place in Category A of the Best Agri-Tourism Booth, followed by Cauayan City (second place), Alicia (third), Tumauini (fourth) and Palanan (fifth). In Category B, Cordon emerged victorious. Also recognized were San Pablo (second place), Quezon (third), Divilacan (fourth) and Maconacon (fifth).

In the Best Giant Bambanti Installation, Ilagan City again bagged the first place in Category A while Gamu topped Category B. Other winners were Alicia (second place), Tumauini (third), Cauayan City (fourth) and Jones (fifth) in Category A, and Cordon (second), Luna (third), San Agustin (fourth) and Quezon (fifth) in Category B.

The Bambanti Village came alive at night with lights (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The giant bambanti installation of Alicia expressing inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ community (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The booth of Roxas depicted ingredients of the pinakbet and its bambanti installation was in the form of the praying mantis (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The San Pablo booth covered in chicharong baka (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The booths of San Guillermo and Luna (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The giant bambanti installation of Gamu was in thr form of a horse (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The booths of Alicia and Palanan with its revolving door (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

In the booth of Burgos, a map of the grains produced in Isabela (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Local kakanins, inatata and binallay, offered in the Ilagan City booth (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Read the article published in the Daily Tribune:  https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/03/colors-and-creativity-at-the-bambanti-village

Bambanti Festival’s Creative Costumes Articulate Touristic Festivals and Local Cultures

Bambanti Festival 2025 King and Queen Creative Attire Exhibit at a mall in Ilagan City

    Elaborate and spectacular costumes have increasingly become anticipated attractions in many touristic and cultural festivals in the Philippines. Usually worn by contestants in beauty pageants and street dancing competitions, these costumes make manifest the creativity of local designers, interpreting local cultures and cultural icons through textiles and other materials. 

            Costumes have earned themselves a separate event at the Bambanti Festival of the province of Isabela in northern Luzon. Inspired by the local scarecrow and said to pay homage to agriculture workers, the festival was created in 1997 and has grown to be the biggest touristic and cultural event in the Cagayan Valley Region with a fat slate of different events. One of these events is the Bambanti Festival King and Queen Presentation. 

            The festival king and queen are the lead performers or symbolic leaders of a contingent in the street dancing parade and competition. Most likely, this practice of having a festival king and queen started with the Sinulog Festival of Cebu, and was adopted in several festivals.   

            In the Bambanti Festival, a separate competition was created for the festival kings and queens and another for their costumes, the Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costume Competition. This year’s festival, which was held from January 19 to 25, 2025, featured entries from thirteen municipalities and cities.

The Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costume exhibit, together with the Queen Isabela Creative Attire exhibit, was mounted and was on view at the Northstar Mall in Alibagu, Ilagan City, from January 20 to 22 for the public to see the costumes up close. The Bambanti 2025 Festival King and Queen Presentation was held at the Queen Isabela Park on January 23. 

The participating municipalities and cities were Roxas, Jones, Cauayan City, Palanan, Echague, Alicia, Ilagan City, Santo Tomas, San Manuel, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Luna, and San Isidro. Most of the costumes represented their recently created touristic festivals.

Ilagan City’s costumes were designed by Mark Anthony B. Baliao and paid tribute to the mammangi, the corn farmers, while San Isidro’s costumes, called Luntian, were designed by Ryan Malagayo Español from San Jose, Nueva Ecija, who is frequently commissioned to create costumes. Made of different materials such as rattan and palay (unhusked rice and rice stalks), San Isidro’s costumes were meant to symbolize rich harvest and pay homage to agriculture and other sources of livelihood.

Español also designed the costumes of Roxas. Called Siklab ng Roxas, they depicted the native hut and vegetable ingredients of the Ilocano dish pinakbet as the municipal government annually holds the Pinakbet Festival. 

Designed by Mark Anthony S. Pimentel, Luna’s costumes, called Piedra Artistica, showed the town’s Bato Art Festival. “Here in Luna, where stones are symbols of strength and art brings life to dreams, resilience and creativity shine brighter than ever,” their statement enthused.

San Pablo’s entry, called The Majestic and Magical Baka Warriors and designed by Juan Clarra from Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, depicted the municipality’s Baka (cow) Festival, which started in 2004 and promotes the cow’s milk industry. The festival king and queen costumes were described as “futuristic and magical baka warrior[s]” 

“The three-dimensional and life-size cow warrior costume is a celebration of the wonderful magic that cow gives to the people of San Pablo. The ensemble was made out of environmental-friendly materials, diamond mats, mirror carpets and fabric. Giving emphasis to the costume are crystal and wooden beads which are individually laid together that aims to portray hope and illuminate faith in every Isabelinos heart,” their statement said.

            The costumes were also meant to symbolize “the interrelatedness of the cow and human being,” with the headdress symbolizing “the importance of the circle of life which means that everything humans have needed to survive and thrive was provided by the natural world.” 

            The costumes of San Manuel were also designed by Clarra. The Kalabajuan: A Salute to the Carabao and Farmers of San Manuel costumes promoted the Cariada Festival, “a celebration of bountiful harvest because of rice farming” that “showcases the tradition of carrying cavans of rice from fields going to the kamalig, which was made possible with a carabao-pulled sled or kariton,” after which a “feast was usually prepared and tendered by the landowners to the kargadores and tenants, their humblest way of celebrating and thanking the Lord for a bountiful harvest,” their statement narrated.

The costumes were “a tribute to the golden harvest of our farmers and it pays homage to the carabao which is of great help and company of our dearest farmers in the fields.” The design aimed to show “how our diligent, resilient and vigilant farmers meticulously transport their harvest.” They were “embellished with green and gold shimmer fabric and details representing the green fields of San Manuel and the golden grains and recognitions that the municipality had through the years,” and “also detailed with scarecrows which symbolizes protection and embodying the farmer's effort to safeguard their livelihood.”

“Lastly, the bold, solid and structural masterpiece implies the strength, patience and hard work of the carabao being the backbone of our farmers who are among the pillars of the town's dynamic economy,” the statement emphasized. 

The costumes of Santa Maria highlighted the Mabbanga Festival, with the headdress and headpiece, “showcasing elements of Santa Maria's pottery craftsmanship,” featuring “vibrant colors, mimicking the hues of local pottery and agricultural produce, with embellishments resembling clay pots, traditional patterns, and recyclable materials.” The worn backdrop “captures the essence of Santa Maria's agricultural landscape, celebrating its bountiful harvests and fertile lands,” incorporating “flowing fabrics that represent the movement of crops swaying in the wind, with appliqué details mimicking corn husks and bundles of harvested produce.”

Designer Alvin Floralde Pasion described the costumes for Santo Tomas: “When worn, this attire transforms the wearer into a living emblem of the Inatata Festival's spirit. The flowing fabrics, tactile elements, and interactive features invite others to celebrate, connect, and share in the joy. It's not just clothing—it's a moving story, a wearable tribute to heritage and innovation.”

Designed by Danny Ross Trinidad, Jones’ costumes, called Alay, highlighted the local rice variety, the pinilisa. 

“The boy's attire features a deer, symbolizing a significant offering made in thanksgiving for the abundant yield, while the girl holds a chicken, a traditional token of gratitude for prosperity and sustenance,” he described.

Other features of the design were the “kariton traditionally used by farmers to transport rice, emphasizing the agricultural roots of the Pinilisa Festival and paying tribute to the hard work and dedication of the farmers of Jones, Isabela,” and the rice mill, “symbolizing progress and the crucial role of rice processing in the community's livelihood.”

“The ensemble is adorned with representations of the heads of four elders (Gaddang, Ibanag, Yogad, and Itawes) highlighting the deep ties to the cultural heritage and ancestral wisdom of Jones, Isabela,” he further said.

Cauayan City's costumes were inspired by indigenous culture and guided by sustainability. Their statement said, “At the core of the design is the recurring circle motif, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all living things and the cyclical nature of existence. This motif reflects indigenous values of sustainability while aligning with global aspirations, as outlined by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Geometric patterns rooted in indigenous heritage are interwoven with accents that showcase Cauayan City's initiatives in responsible consumption, climate action, and sustainable development.”

The name of the pair of costumes of the coastal town of Palanan, Ibay, is a Paranan term for the Agta people, who are indigenous to the area. Made mostly of sabutan or pandan, the attire “is a testament to the Agta people's deep connection with nature, as then have thrived for generations amidst Palanan’s majestic mountains, lush forests, and pristine shorelines.” Other Agta accessories were also added. 

The culture of the indigenous Yogad people, particularly their hunting and weaving practices, thus the name, Manganup annu Manannun (The Hunter and the Weaver), was the inspiration behind Echague’s costume entries, designed by Harold S. Dela Cruz for the festival queen and Kennedy Jhon T. Gasper for the festival king.

Designed by Michael Barassi, Alicia’s costumed symbolized “the town's success in achieving a bountiful harvest particularly as the top rice producer in the province. It also emphasizes the pride and unity of the local community in their shared achievements, showcasing Alicia as a beacon of progress and prosperity within Isabela giving birth to Pagay Festival.”

            The winners for the Best Festival King, Best Festival Queen, Best Festival King Costume, Best Festival Queen Costume, in Category A (for cities and first-class municipalities) and Category B (for second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-class municipalities), were revealed at the finale of the Bambanti Festival street dancing competition on January 24.

Ilagan City bagged the first place in Category A of both the Best Festival King and Best Festival Queen contests. It was followed by Cauayan City (second), Jones (third), Alicia (fourth) and Echague (fifth). On the other hand, Luna emerged as the first-place winner in Category B in both the Best Festival King and Best Festival Queen contests. It was followed by Santa Maria (second), San Manuel (third), San Pablo (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth) in the Best Festival King contest, and Santa Maria (second), San Pablo (third), San Manuel (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth) in the Best Festival Queen contest

In the Best Festival King Costume contest, Category A, the winners are Palanan (first), Echague (second), Ilagan (third), Alicia (fourth) and Jones (fifth). In the Best Festival Queen Costume contest, Category A, the winners are Palanan (first), Ilagan (second), Echague (third), Alicia (fourth), and Jones (fifth).

In Category B, winners of the Best Festival King Costume contest are San Manuel (first), San Pablo (second), Luna (third), San Isidro (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth), while the winners of Best Festival Queen Costume contests are San Manuel (first), Luna (second), San Pablo (third), San Isidro (fourth) and Santo Tomas (fifth).

Costumes from Ilagan City were a nod to its main produce, the corn (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

San Manuel's festival king and queen depicting carabaos, which are important to agriculture (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

San Pablo's festival king as a 'cow warrior' (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The elaborate costume of the festival king of San Isidro, depicting agriculture and other products (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festival king and queen costumes of Santo Tomas (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festival king and queen from Santa Maria in costumes highlighting pottery (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festival king and queen of Luna wearing costumes promoting their Bato Art Festival (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

*Published in the Daily Tribune. Read at https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/02/creative-costumes-articulate-tourist-festivals-and-local-cultures.

Calendar Features UNESCO-Inscribed Piña Weaving

 

The NCCA 2025 wall calendar celebrating Aklan's piña weaving (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The heritage practice of weaving the piña of Aklan is featured in the 2025 wall calendar of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), an annual tradition cherished for being informative and promoting Philippine culture and heritage. 

The handloom weaving of the pineapple textile, estimated to be about two centuries old, is now being practiced by the Akeanon people in northwestern Panay Island in the Visayas using a process remains largely unchanged through time. The piña is highly prized because of its elegant beauty and tedious process involved in making it, used as prime material in formal attire such as the terno and the barong Tagalog as well as in finery and other objects.

Being an epitome of traditional craftsmanship, articulation of native aesthetics and the nation’s cultural marker for the nation, it was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 5, 2023, affirming its importance in demonstrating the diversity of cultures and creative expressions of the country as well as of the world.

The calendar features the different steps and stages in making the textile—from cultivating the pineapples and extracting the fibers to weaving the fine threads using the handloom and transmitting the knowledge and skills within the community—through photographs by Gerald Marcfred Dillera and texts by journalist, cultural researcher and publication designer Roel Hoang Manipon, who was involved in the UNESCO nomination process and who also conceptualized and designed the calendar.  

The NCCA hopes that the calendar serves not only as a tool to remember or mark dates but also as a way to learn more about and appreciate traditional weaving and Philippine culture. 

More Than Eight Million Join the Jesus Nazareno Feast and Traslacion, the Philippines’ Largest Devotional Ritual

 

Devotees trying to climp up the andas (Photo by John Carlo Magallon)

In the afternoon of January 8, 2025, groups of devotees starting arriving at one of the Philippines’ largest public park, Rizal Park, in heart of the capital, Manila, many came walking barefoot from different parts of Metro Manila and vicinities. By evening, devotees came in droves for the vigil and other activities on the eve of the Feast of Jesús Nazareno, popularly called the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which is marked by the Traslacion, the Philippines’ biggest devotional ritual.  

By 12:30 A.M., the crowd was estimated to have reach about 70,000, scattered on streets at the southern part of Rizal Park—Roxas Boulevard, Kalaw Avenue and Padre Burgos Avenue—near the Quirino Grandstand, where the Traslacion procession would start. A large number of devotees were young men but there were also women, toddlers and old persons. Several groups came carrying their standards and in group uniforms. Some have also brought their own images of Jesus the Nazarene, big and small. The large ones were mounted on karosas (carriages), furnished with lights and bedecked with flowers, which they stationed on the sides of the streets. A few even mounted a station or altar, complete with sound systems, blaring with “Himno del Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno,” composed by the late National Artist for music Lucio San Pedro. People would stop to have their towels wiped on the images and to pray. 

 The vigil participants had filled the Quirino Grandstand grounds, which was surrounded by bands of people, queuing for the Pahalik, the touching of the feet of the church’s Jesus Nazareno image. Many have camped out on the streets, where vendors wove their way among the crowd and couple of brass bands went around, performing the hymn. Many people tried to sleep among the growing piles of garbage. 

At the grandstand, the Misa Mayor (High Mass) was celebrated at midnight, led by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal José F. Advincula. The program continued, which included testimonies from celebrity devotees such as Dimples Romana, Angeline Quinto, McCoy de Leon, and Coco Martin.

At 4:41 A.M., the Traslacion procession began as the andas, the carriage bearing the centuries-old image of Jesus the Nazarene or a replica, was pulled with ropes by devotees, amidst waving of towels and handkerchiefs and lights from mobile phones.  

The Traslacion, Spanish for “transfer,” is an annual commemoration and ritual reenactment of the transfer of the wooden image of Jesus the Nazarene, popularly called Itim na Nazareno (Black Nazarene) because of its dark color, from Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park) and Intramuros to Quiapo Church on January 9. 

Made by Mexican artisans, the image was brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian Recollects believed to be on May 31, 1606. It was first enshrined at the Church of San Juan Bautista in Bagumbayan in Manila and then transferred to San Nicolas de Tolentino Church in nearby Intramuros in 1608. In 1787, it was again transferred to its current home, Quiapo Church, which is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and would later be called Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. 

Over the years, devotion to the image of Jesús Nazareno has prospered, extending from the district of Quiapo to the whole country, and the procession has grown to involve millions of participants. The practice has also seen the melding of Filipino folk beliefs and practices with Roman Catholic faith. 

There have been several developments since the time I have written and directed a short documentary, “Poong Nazareno: The Feast and Traslacion of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Manila” (2021), for the project of International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO, in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, in 2018 and 2019.  

            By that time, the procession has become unwieldy, lasting many hours, as many participants jostle to get near the andas, take hold of the ropes used in pulling it and participate in carrying the image, and climb up the andas to touch the image, which are seen as acts of devotion. Devotees who participant in pulling the ropes or carrying the andas are called “mamamasan,” one who carries or bear on the shoulder.

The vicinities of the procession would be inundated by deluge of devotees, mostly men, dressed in maroon and gold, the colors of the garments of the image. The longest recorded procession is in 2012 with 22 hours and 14 minutes.

            In 2018, the event and procession drew more than two million participants, according to the National Capital Region Police Office, and lasted for 21 hours, 54 minutes, while the 2019 procession clocked up 21 hours and 13 minutes, with about four million participants in the Traslacion as well as in preceding events starting on 31 December 2018. Others estimate the number to be both six million in 2018 and 2019. 

The 2020 Traslacion lasted for 16 hours and 36 minutes, with about 2,300,500 devotees joining the procession, according to the Manila Public Information Office. A total of 3.2 million participants was estimated. 

            Traslacion activities were halted in 2021, 2022 and 2023 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2023, instead of the Traslacion, the church organized a procession called Walk of Faith on January 8, following a route similar to the Traslacion’s, but without the iconic statue; drawing about 88,000 participants, according to Quiapo Church; and lasting for more than two hours.

            In 2024, the Traslacion was held again, attracting 6,113,598 devotees to its several activities and lasting for 14 hours and 59 minutes. It was also notable for the use of a bulletproof glass case, made by Filipino automotive manufacturer Sarao Motors, Inc., to protect the image from damage and zealous devotees. The lower portion of cross is left exposed for those still wanting to touch a part of the image. 

            The year also saw several milestones for Quiapo Church and Traslacion. The church was declared a national shrine on January 29, 2024, and Cardinal Advincula decreed that the official title of the church is the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno on October 3, 2024. Quiapo remains to be Saint John the Baptist Parish.

            Many refer to the January 9 commemoration as a pista (feast), although the feast day of Jesus the Nazarene is every Good Friday. But on September 6, 2024, during the 38th National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy of the Philippines, January 9 was formally declared as a liturgical feast, to be observed in all the dioceses throughout the country and paving the way for the 2025 observance to be a significant one. 

“Makasaysayan ang ating piyesta sa taong ito sapagkat sa unang pagkakataon, ito ay hindi na lang piyesta ng Quiapo o ng Maynila, kundi ng buong Filipinas (Our fiesta this year will be historic because for the first time, this is not only a fiesta of Quiapo or Manila, but of the whole Philippines). We call it a liturgical feast.Sa bawat diocese, sa bawat parokya, ito ay kanilang ipagdiriwang (In every diocese, in every parish, it will be celebrated),” said Bishop Rufino Sescon, Jr., rector of Quiapo Church, during a press conference on January 3, 2025. 

             For the 2025 feast and Traslacion, the theme, “Mas mabuti ang pagsunod kaysa paghahandog sa mga umaasa kay Jesus” (Obedience is better than offering for those who depends on Jesus), was adopted. A novena was held prior to the Traslacion, beginning on 31 December 2024 and including a series of activities and events aside from regular Masses such as the Walk of Thanksgiving, visitation to barangays in Quiapo, the blessing of replicas and standards, and the pahalik, the practice of kissing parts of Jesus Nazareno image. Kissing is now discouraged and is instead replaced by touching or wiping with towel or handkerchief. 

            While the Feast of Jesus Nazareno is observed in other parts of the country and even in a few Filipino communities abroad in the past, 2025 saw more places and bigger observations. Among the biggest were celebrations in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; and Cagayan de Oro City.  In Bacolod, hundreds of devotees joined a procession that started at the San Sebastian Cathedral and ended at the Queen of Peace Parish-Redemptorist Church, where a replica of the Black Nazarene image, a gift of the Quiapo Church, is enshrined. On the other hand, thousands were reported to join the procession that started at Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral and ended at the Jesus Nazareno Church. Other areas that observed the feast included Cawayan, Solano in Nueva Vizcaya; Alfonso and Magallanes in Cavite; Capalonga in Camarines Norte; Catarman in Northern Samar; Dumlog, Talisay City in Cebu; Tagum City in Davao del Norte; Davao City; and Amor Cruz, Laak in Davao de Oro.

            The biggest observation remained to be in Manila. When the andas left Quirino Grandstand to tackle the 5.8-kilometer route, there were about 230,000 people in the area, while about 16,700 were at the Quiapo Church, where Masses were held hourly. 

The procession proceeded to Katigbak Drive, Padre Burgos Street and Finance Road. It reached Ayala Bridge at 10:10 A.M. By noon, it was on Quezon Boulevard, where participants reached over 1.7 million, according to the Nazareno Operations Center. It proceeded to Arlegui Street, Fraternal Street, Vergara Street, Duque de Alba Street, Castillejos Street and Farnecio Street but was delayed because the andas tilted and devotees tried to climb up the andas. 

 At 5:57 P.M., the andas finally reached Plaza del Carmen and the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian and Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for an important part of the procession, the Dungaw, literally meaning “gaze” or “looking out of the window.” The image of Nuestra Señora del Carmen was brought out into a balcony to “meet” the image of Jesus Nazareno. 

By six in the evening, people praying and waiting at Quiapo Church was estimated to be at around 713,600, according to the Manila Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office. At 6:40 P.M., a second rope pulling the andas snapped, delaying the procession. The first one has snapped earlier. The andas was now being pushed by participants. 

People at Quiapo Church swelled to about 802,600 at 7 P.M., according to the Multi-Agency Coordination Center. It reached 950,600 at 8 P.M.

From 9 P.M. to 1 A.M., the procession was around the vicinity of the church, and finally arrived at 1:26 A.M. after 20 hours and 45 minutes. Quiapo Church tallied a total of 8,124,050 participants.

            The Feast of Jesus Nazareno and the Traslacion of the image are a compelling demonstration of Filipino religiosity but it also earned notoriety in several ways. Criticisms, which are valid, point out fanaticism and idolatry, violations of rules such as liquor ban, damage to private and public properties, injuries sustained by participants, belligerent behavior, clashes with police, other participants and residents, concern on self’s devotion more than the wellbeing of others, and the amount of waste produced in its aftermath. 

Moreover, a group of devotees, the Hijos del Nazareno Central, filed a case against drag queen Pura Luka Vega, for what was perceived as “religious offense,” a performance and self-expression of their own experience and interpretation of religion and not even an attack, leading to the drag performer's arrest in 2023. The group has participated in already widespread condemnation and active persecution, together with politicians, of a member of a community that has been long been persecuted and marginalized by the church and society, even going against the advice of several priests of showing love and focusing on more pressing social problems. 

            As the practice grow in magnitude, it is hoped that next phase of evolution for this tradition would be more transformative and edifying, emphasizing the way we live and treat others more than the way we worship, and the Christian values of selflessness, concern for others and love. 

People flock to Rizal Park for the vigil on the eve of the Feast of Jesus Nazareno (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Replicas of image of the Jesus Nazareno brought by devotees on the eve of the Traslacion  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Start of the Traslacion procession (Photo by Aram Jan Lascano)

The andas leaves Quirino Grandstand for the hours-long Traslacion procession (Photo by Aram Jan Lascano)

Thousands hold their hands up as the andas passes by (Photo by Yummie Dingding)

The andas carrying the image of Jesus Nazareno among the sea of devotees (Photo by Yummie Dingding

Devotees strive to reach the ropes to help pull the andas (Photo by Yummie Dingding)

Devotees, mostly men, jostled each other to get near the andas (Photo by John Carlo Magallon)

Faintings and injuries among participants have always been occuring (Photo by John Carlo Magallon)

For the article published in the Daily Tribune: https://tribune.net.ph/2025/01/12/the-philippines-largest-devotional-ritual 

Physicality of Piety: The Traslacion of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo

The Traslacion is famous for the   intensity of the devotees, some of which try to get near and touch the   image

The Black Nazarene is one of the images of Jesus Christ that inspires intense veneration among the dominantly Catholic Filipinos. It is the image of Jesus of Nazareth with dark complexion, carrying the cross on the way to His crucifixion. 

Every year on January 9, the image is brought out for the commemoration of its transfer or traslacion or arrival at Quiapo Church, also known now as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

Held in Quiapo, a densely populated district of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, the annual traslacion procession has caught the attention of and fascinated the whole nation as well as the world for its fervent devotion and massive number of participants.

A Quiapo resident, Fernando “Butch” Zialcita, who is an anthropologist and a professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University, where he heads the Cultural Heritage Studies Program and specializes in heritage and identity, art and its cultural context and the interface between the foreign and the indigenous, shared his thoughts on this Filipino Catholic tradition in an interview in December 2018, parts of which was featured in the short documentary “Poong Nazareno: The Feast and Traslacion of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Manila” (International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2021).

 

Roel Hoang Manipon (RHM): What is the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene? 

Fernando N. Zialcita (FNZ): Traslacion in Spanish simply means “to transfer.” So, it’s an important event that takes place [where] one image is transferred to another place, or one image is brought into procession around the district and brought back to the church. Maybe, the idea is to have people participate in a procession because it’s an act of piety. It also dramatizes their belief. So, basically, traslacion is that. It creates an occasion for pageantry and celebration.

 

RHM: What is the background and history of the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene?

FNZ: Technically, the first transfer, I think, took place in the 1780s. Kasi (Because) originally the Nazareno (the Black Nazarene, as colloquially called in Filipino) was not in Quiapo Church. I think originally it was in the church of the Recoletos in Intramuros. But for some reason or the other, the Recoletos took pity on the people of Quiapo, so they had it transferred. So ‘yun, traslacion (So that’s it, the traslacion). Pero (But) now when you talk about traslacion, it’s really just bringing the image around the district.

 

RHM: What is the history of the Black Nazarene image?

FNZ: Actually, I did research on this but the exact date of the arrival we don't know. We know the exact date of the coming of the Recollects who brought the image with them. I think it’s about 1605 or something like that. So, they propagated the devotion to the Nazareno, through the cofradia, which means “confraternity.” So, it caught on. So very popular with all social classes. It’s not only for the working man but even for the middle class, it’s important. 

 

RHM: What are the practices preceding the Traslacion?

FNZ: I have to admit something. I’ve never really been inside the church during the transfer to the andas. What is andas? There are two kinds of floats in the Philippines. One is you carried on the shoulders. That’s andas. It’s common in Spanish-influenced countries. The other one is more Filipino, the karosa. It’s a carriage on wheels. So, it’s easier. That’s more common the Philippines. I think this one is andas, so it’s pulled along. Now, I don't know exactly what takes place inside the church, the transfer.  Prayers were said and then it’s brought down. There are two images. There's an image that stay in the high altar. Another image is brought from a side chapel and put on the float. And then it’s carried out. As it is carried out, the bells start peeling. So, after several rounds around the district, it finally is brought back to the church. Now, people want the Nazareno to pass their particular street because they feel blessed by the visit.

 

RHM: What are the beliefs associated with the Traslacion or the Nazareno that are particular to the practice? 

FNZ:  Well, I don't think it’s particular to Quiapo. I mean, in general, the belief that when the image of the saint or a holy figure passes in front of your house, it's a blessing. Now, what makes this different is the physicality. Let me explain that. I have to nuance it because throughout the Philippines, physicality is a very important part of processions because Filipinos are very physical in their display of faith, especially the men. The men, many men are not happy with just praying, you know, in silence. They have to show their faith through a masculine way, through in this way competition, struggle with other men. So now, physicality is also shown in other processions throughout the country like the [traslacion of Our Lady of] Peñafrancia. The image is transferred from ah church to church, and men struggle to touch it. Why the touching? Because the belief is the image represents Christ. So, when you touch the image, you get some of the blessings, some of the power of the image, which you can give to others. That’s why they buy a handkerchief like that and then you pass it on to others. So, they can bring them to their homes and use them for curing purposes. It’s very indigenous. It’s both. It is Catholic but also very indigenous.

 

RHM: What makes the Quiapo traslacion Filipino?

FNZ: The physicality. Well, even in Spain, celebrations are quite physical. But this one is different because it’s the men competing with each other to touch the image. It reminds me actually of the Naked Festival in Japan. The Japanese have a festival called Festival of the Naked. Men in their loincloths enter a room that’s dark. First of all, there’s a light. Then a sacred stick is thrown by the Shinto priest in the middle of the men. The lights turn off and the men scramble for the stick. Scary, no? It lasts only for several minutes because finally somebody retrieves the stick and the lights are turned on again. But this is Japan, an advanced country, very technological. It has a similar custom. It’s popular among Japanese. Now, I think both Japan and the Philippines value again the fact that men, to show their masculinity, must exert the effort. 

Now, in the Philippines, I think there’s another thing to remember. In a sense, the image of Christ is treated like an anting-anting, like an amulet. In the Philippines, you cannot get the full strength of the amulet unless you pass through trials. So, the trial is for the men to show that they’re able to withstand all the pulling and pushing. Only then can you get the full power of the image. Because there are beliefs in amulets like, for example, ‘yung on Good Friday, if you bury a cat at the crossing of two streets, you can get it. Leave the cat there until the bones dry. And then, you get the bones again but it has to be done at midnight. See, there’s an element of threat. There’s a belief, for example, of the banana tree as a mutya, an essence. If you stand under the banana tree at midnight of Good Friday and let the mutya enter your mouth, you can get the power of the banana tree. But you have to battle with dangerous spirits. You cannot just get it easy, on easy terms. So, it's the same principle. You get the full strength of an amulet only if you exert power. I think that’s the underlying belief in Quiapo. 

 

RHM: Who are most attracted to the practice? 

FNZ: First of all, men. I think you’d get men of different ages. But I see a lot of young men, from youth to middle-aged. I think also one reason for the attraction is because they go in groups. They go in barkada (friend group). The men come in groups, each with a banner and they call it estandarte. They come in groups. And I think part of the attraction is you’re coming with your friends, and you show off to each other that you’re manly. I think it’s part of it. Now, the women joined only now. Women are joining within the past fifteen years. Now, women feel more liberated so they join in denims and t-shirts. They join to compete with the men. It’s a sign of feminist liberation.

 

RHM: Do you think this is also a kind of rite of passage for the young men? 

FNZ: Yes, I think so. It’s the same principle I notice in the flagellation, which people connect with sin, it’s not. Another thing, Filipinos are obsessed with sin. It’s really a rite of passage for many people. It’s a way to show that you’re strong. Hindi ka takot (You are not afraid). I notice also in Pampanga and Bulacan— I’ve studied the flagellations there—there are people who do it alone but there also young men who do it in barkada. They do it in groups. So, you can infer that this must be a way of showing solidarity with the group. 

 

RHM: Has the Traslacion practice evolved? Has it changed much? 

FNZ: Oh, yeah. My mother tells me that before the war, all this competition was hardly there. I mean, it’s not like what it became in the 1950s, sixties, seventies. Now, it’s really disorderly, and my mother was saying—because she’s from Quiapo—before it was more orderly, before the war. And also, it was a formal occasion for the families living in Quiapo. People were dressed in formal clothes watching the procession. Kasi (Because) what I think, what has happened is this: Manila became very proletarian after World War II. You know, massive migration to the city because this was where the factories were opening up. I don't think everybody had equal chances in Manila. You may get a job but how much does it pay and we didn’t give you housing. I think it was part of these insecurities also. That is why it expanded, it attracted a lot of men who wanted to pray for relief from their sufferings. And it has grown in ever since. In the 1950s and sixties, that was already big but still relatively orderly compared to today. Today, wow, it has grown large.  

I mean the monsignor, who changed the route by having it started at Rizal Park early in the morning, was hoping he would shorten the procession. What happened is this? They started at Rizal Park, passed through MacArthur Bridge, passed through Recto, entered Quiapo. But it attracted more, more people from outside this district. Now, the monsignor also wanted to shorten the route by removing certain streets. Why does it have to pass all these streets? This is just a wooden statue. People didn't want that. Although there were fire trucks that were placed to block the way, the men physically lifted the fire trucks. Imagine. So, now it’s much longer, and probably I don’t want to watch it anymore because I cannot predict anymore when it will pass by such and such a time, because I used to watch it from a friend’s house. I knew more or less by eight o’clock, oh, it’s going to pass. No, I cannot, because it ends the next morning. Ah, forget it. Never mind. So, it became really became long. That’s one evolution. 

Another evolution was in the 1950s and sixties, there was only one image. When I came back from my studies abroad, I realized, wow, so many images. Small images, big images, shamans, ordinary people presenting their own images like toys. In other words, it’s no longer as centralized as before. Before, it was centralized. Church only, one image. Now, many images. Decentralized. In fact, there are even shamans, you know, making this gesture; they’re blessing people on their own. In other words, people don’t have to get the blessing from the priest. The shaman can give you his blessing. So, decentralized now. It's amazing.  

 

RHM: Have folk beliefs seeped into the religion and practice?

FNZ:  That’s normal in any living religious tradition. I am teaching a class on people and culture in Southeast Asia. It’s the same thing in Thailand. They thought that Thai Buddhism would become purer kasi (because) more people are educated. Baliktad (It was the other way around). It has become actually more magical because people migrating from the province bring their own beliefs with them. It is more magical, more belief in amulets now in Bangkok.

 

RHM: The Traslacion has been criticized in many ways. What is your take on that? 

FNZ: Well, let’s put it this way, my approach to their allegiance is different. I'm talking about Christianity. True Christianity should result in concern for other people whether you know them or not. That is true Christianity because the essence of Christianity is love, or specifically agape, sharing. I don't see that in the [Traslacion of the] Nazareno. It’s really sharing only with people you know, your barkada, or people in the procession. But I wonder how many of those who join have concern for their fellow human beings. But you can see the garbage, walang (no) sense of social responsibility. 

 

RHM: What is the common way of transferring this practice? How is it transferred from generation to generation?

FNZ: Well, I think, it is easily transferred because, you know, the father did it, because the father showed the example and the family thinks it is effective so they follow. But I'll give you one example of an actual transfer. This Atenean friend who joins the procession. You would think Ateneans don’t join but some do. He’d join the procession because when he was born, he was a blue baby. No pun intended. His lungs were weak. So, the father promised that if the boy will grow strong, he would join the procession annually. So, the father died. It was passed on to him. By the way, in the Philippines, vows are passed on to children. That’s also the case in the flagellations. They’re passed on. 

 

RHM:  What is the most interesting aspect of this practice for you? 

FNZ:  The most interesting aspect? Well, I guess the immensity of the crowd. Huge crowds. Never seen elsewhere. Huge, immense. 

 

RHM:  Is there an explanation for this popularity? 

FNZ: Well, many things. People need help. As a sign of masculinity. It’s also a way to accept, to get the bisa, the power of the amulet. In this case the amulet is the image of Christ carrying his cross. That’s the amulet.

 

RHM:  Does this practice reflect anything about the Filipino? 

FNZ: It reflects the way many Filipinos approach religion. For the educated, it’s more spiritual. It’s less physical. But for many Filipinos, especially the men, it has to be physical. It has to be. 

Devotees regularly visits the image  in Quiapo Church

The Black Nazarene in new attire after the pabihis on December 29, 2018

On the eve of the Traslacion, devotees hold vigil and bring along their replicas

The procession on narrow Hidalgo Street in Quiapo

The traslacion procession going through Palanca Street in Quiapo

Thousands of people awaited the  image's return to the basilica

The traslacion culminates with the  return of the Black Nazarene to Quiapo Church