Philippine National Flag Day -May 28th

Today is the Philippine National Flag Day. It is being celebrated every  28^th of May to commemorate the date when the Philippine Flag was first unfolded and raised after the Philippine Revolutionary Army defeated the Spanish forces in the Battle of Alapan in Imus, Cavite in 1989.

Philippine Flag is the only known flag to indicate a state of war or peace. When in time of peace, the blue field is on top while in time of war, the red field is on top.

The Celebration starts from May 28^th until June 30^th, all Filipinos are encouraged to display the Philippine flag. All are expected to abide the law governing its proper use and display accordingly as mandated by 

The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8491.

Visita Iglesia 2014

This Holy Week we spend it in the metro. We didn't plan of going somewhere else because our trips are already planned for the year. But when Maynilad, a water company, announced a water interruptions we crammed to look for where we could spend the four days. We couldn't find the best place for us so we opted to save water instead. The good thing the water restored less than 24 hours. Maynilad suspended the water interruptions in some areas.

Usually on Maundy Thursday we do the visitation of churches or Visita Iglesia. It's our way of saying thank you for all the things that came our way in the past years. This year we did it on Good Friday because we thought that after the Visita Iglesia we would attend the mass at 3:00pm. Some visited 14 churches, which stands for 14 stations of the cross but for us we opted for 7 churches only because every church we did two stations of the cross. We arrived in the first stop around 10:00pm

Our first stop was the Manila Cathedral located in Intramuros, the walled city. It was loaded with pilgrims. I noticed there are white people in there taking pictures and scrutinizing the details of the church.

Along the way there were bazaar, selling memorabilia, souvenir items, food etc., we bought green mango and suman sa ibos, a glutinous rice delicacy.

Second stop was the Saint Augustine church, it is inside the Intramuros too. One of baroque churches in the Philippines it’s also part of the UNESCO heritage.

Before we proceed to our third stop we dropped by at the Luneta Park to rest. We ate the food we bought from the bazaar. At this time there were a lot people having their picnics.

Third stop was supposedly the one in the skirt of Luneta Park, but we didn't notice it was a Protestant church and it was closed. Sorry we didn't notice the sign. lol

The third church was the one still near, the malate shrine also known as Nuestra Senora de Guia. It is a small church but too many pilgrims too. When we arrived there the 7 last words was already starting. Although even there was an activity inside the church, pilgrims were still allowed to the station of the cross because they set up the 14 station of the cross outside the church.

Malate church was our fourth stop. We walked from Manila cathedral till this church. It is under renovations. The 14th station of the cross was set on the right side of the church too.



We were hungry already, all the restaurants around this area were full, some were waiting. We opted to have our lunch in a fast food instead.



From bay walk area we rode a van going to Baclaran church, our fifth stop. It is a pilgrim church that's why more people were there. When we arrived the 7 last words is being held. The church was full packed. And it was almost 2:00pm.

From Baclaran church we walked few meters and we reached our sixth stop, the St. Rita De Cascia Church. It's a small church and at that time the pilgrims were just few. Some were waiting for the 3:00pm mass.



After our sixth stop we rode a jeep going to St. Andrews Cathedral in Paranaque City. And this was our last stop and where we attended the 3:00pm mass.

It was a loaded day, refreshing and it was like we had a tour too. Different churches and it has its own history. Exploring Philippines includes visiting the historical churches too to understand better the culture and its people.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone

 

Valentine is so commercialized. Wherever I go there are reminders of the heart’s day. Shopping malls are decorated with red hearts and ornaments, while playing romantic songs in the background, which made the atmosphere more romantic. It is a celebration for lovers but for family and friends too.

Sweet goodies, stuff toys and flower shops are mostly on the hallway, making them visible for those who need something to give. Restaurants are mostly full packed of diners. Most of the restaurants have good package deals to choose from.

When I checked the price of the flowers with stuff toys and chocolate; I was stunned ohh my too expensive. For me it’s overpricing specially flower would just dry, not my thing unpractical, I want long and lasting remembrance. Although when I love what I do, price doesn’t matter. What matters most for me are the strong connection, meeting of the mind and being present not just physically but emotionally and psychologically.

Celebrate Valentine according to what suits you! Have fun and enjoy Heart’s day.

My Unusual Valentine Bouquet

Valentine’s Day is a celebration for lovers, but in the Philippines it becomes part of the family and friends affair too. As time goes on the celebration is becoming so materialistic although that’s good for the economy. More expenditures more earnings.

I usually celebrate Valentine ’s Day with my family, for me it’s a family affair. Before when I was in our hometown I would take time to wrap sweets with a stem of flower for give aways to aunties and cousins. But now that I am living in the city it’s like an ordinary day except for receiving and sending valentine’s greetings through texts messaging.

My coworker teased me that since my hubby is not around, he told her to bring a bouquet for me. Lol she gave me a bouquet of Moringa (a green leafy vegetable also known as malunggay) and a chocolate. I and my hubby don’t really celebrate Valentine ’s Day, for us everyday is valentine, corny or cliché but that’s how we are.

This bouquet of mornga brings laughter to me; I told her I could cook later sautéed sardines with morninga leaves. Why not it’s healthy, right?

What a funny valentine I have today! How about u?

Christmas is in the air

Wow its Christmas time, didn’t notice that we are already in the mid of November. So far I am not yet finish with my Christmas list. Lol I don’t want to deal with it first too many things to do plus its additional expenses, I have to check the budget for it. Better to give than to receive but it should be within the budget. Right?

I went to the grocery and I saw this giant Christmas tree in SM City Sucat, adorned with Santa Claus dolls, poinsettia, balls, stars, ladder, sugar cane, etc. Well lighted by tiny Christmas lights. It is under the huge staircase beside the Santa Claus' chair, in the middle of building A of the mall.

The ceiling is decorated with red stars and under the handrails of the escalators are decorated too.

Even we are hit by too many calamities but its uplifting to hear Christmas carols in the air while shopping. Some say it’s the work of capitalism. For me its fine just have to deal with it, according to what you perceived about life. Time for merriment but time to see the boundaries of it. Happy Holidays in advance.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Heart’s day usually for lovers but here in the Philippines, it becomes a family affair. It is being celebrated with friends too. Like in our office we give something to our officemates. It’s weird for some but it’s only in the Philippines. The celebrations in here usually become a family affair, which part of the culture.

This year Valentine’s Day I gave a classic chocolate cake for my sisters, which I purchased from Starbucks. They love it, because the moist and the sweetness are just enough for their taste buds. Happy Heart’s day everyone!

Happy Valentine '09

New Year The Filipino Way

Traditionally Filipinos welcome new years with a Bang. Every home has its own way of making it special. They are very optimistic people. They viewed New Year as the time to mend and start once again for a better future.


New Year New Hope

In our family we have to do general cleaning before the New Year. All the entry point should be cleaned so that good luck will come smoothly. Everybody should be in the house before and during the changing of the year. We have 13 kinds of round sweet fruits, gold coins, chocolates, 5 pcs. of 50 pesos (hang in a stick) because this is reddish for good luck, long pastas or noodles (like spaghetti, pancit, sotanghon) for long life, sticky native delicacies (like tikoy, suman, inukay or biko, cassava cake etc.), for solidarity in the family and other sweets for money. We prepare plenty of foods. As much as possible the plate or the container of food should be round.
These are just our way of hoping and praying that the New Year will be different from the rest, the better one.
Before, we have to stay at home for the whole day of the first day of the New Year because it’s not good to spend money. We, the kids then would jump three times so that we would get taller (hahahaha unfortunately I did not).
Our neighbors would spend lots of money for fireworks to drive away bad spirits. But in our family we don’t do that we use incense while praying instead.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Novena Masses-The Filipino Tradition

Belen at St. Andrews Catheral

Filipinos’ Tradition is very colorful and festive. One of the most I love is the Christmas Celebration. We have the longest celebration in the world. Amost everybody is preparing for the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. We have Christmas Novena Masses (nine masses), which is also known as Simbang Gabi (Midnight Mass) or Misa de GAllo.



Before the masses were held early in the morning, it starts on every December 16th till the 24th of the month, which is the Christmas Eve. But now there are Parishes which hold night masses, anticipated masses and even lunchtime masses, just to accommodate those who want to complete the novena masses. There is a belief that if one could complete the novena masses his wishes will be granted. Before I do that too. I would complete the novena masses so that my wishes and dreams would be realized. As time goes by I realized that God knows what I need and He provides and guides me to all my heart’s desires, so now I go to Novena Masses more on to give thanks. Completing the novena masses strengthens my faith more as I traverse life. I love the feeling of anticipating that God will come again.



Today December 15th is the start of the anticipated novena masses in St. Andrews Cathedral, Parañaque City. Hope I can complete the novena masses again. Outside the Church there are vendors of Puto Bumbong, Bibingka and other native delicacies. It’s fun to buy and eat them after each Simbang Gabi.

All Souls’ Day '08 – Irosin Catholic Cemetery

The commemoration of all the faithful departed is celebrated by the Church on 2 November, or, if this be a Sunday or a solemnity, on 3 November. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy and all the Masses are to be of Requiem, except one of the current feast, where this is of obligation.

The theological basis for the feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, are debarred from the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, almsdeeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass. Source...

Filipinos made this commemoration as the time for merriment; this is the time to bond with family and friends. In cemeteries you can see store selling foods. The commemoration starts on the eve, which should be the All Saint’s day.

When I was a kid, I viewed this celebration as the time to meet my cousins, aunties and relatives, we would bring native delicacies, flowers and candles even up to now we do the same. I knew it’s the time to remember and rekindle the memories of our departed love ones. But I was after the fun of making the melted candles into a ball. I remember I couldn’t wait for the rosary to finish so that we could play.

During my teenage years, the All Souls Day, became the time to bond with friends. I couldn’t wait for the rosary to finish so that I could meet my friends. I have a friend, which her house near the cemetery, her parents would prepare food like of those prepared for fiesta celebration. By the way in our own language we call All Souls’ Day as Fiesta sa Gadan (Feast of the Dead). We used to hang-out in this house especially during this celebration.

It’s been half a decade that I didn’t go home for the certain celebration. This year I decided to attend beside the late birthday celebration of my niece was held on that day. The effect of the celebration is the same but I did not look for my friends. I enjoyed more talking to relatives; I didn’t rush to finish the rosary. It’s the first time that I didn’t leave the family’s mausoleum. Our nieces and nephews enjoyed making ball candles. I met my friend in the cemetery but I did not go with her instead I visited her the following day.