September 13, 2007, Thursday
The “Bisperas ng Fiesta” was a very hectic day for the townspeople who had to clean their houses even days before so that they can concentrate on the food preparations, a time honored tradition for Sariayahins. The market was full of people out to put up with this very Sariayahin sumptuous tradition. Those who do have the resources do it the practical way nowadays, by hiring the services of the established caterers in town like Mr. Larry Baylen, Mrs. Esper Tesoro, Casa Plaza and the Plaza de Shalom, among others.

The Calle Mayor was a very festive place care of the colorful non – commercial buntings that crisscross it from above, for the very first time in Sariaya’s history. On every post hangs a tarpaulin scene depicting Sariaya’s unique distinction of being the only Mount Banahaw town with a seacoast, along with those showing the church, the Municipio and the ancestral houses. The trees at the park, the fence separating the patio from the house of Governor Natalio Enriquez and even the wall below each of the fourteen stations of the cross inside the church feature tarpaulin profiles of the Santo Cristo de Burgos.The whole church complex was a beehive of preparations for the concelebrated mass to be officiated by His Eminence Ricardo cardinal Vidal and Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo.

The fence at the north side of the park feature banners in various colors with the names of the organizations and the schools actively involved with the festivities, aside from those greeting Sariaya on the occasion of the town fiesta. Moreover, a sound system blared contemporary music while inside the Sariaya Sports Complex, students from the Sariaya East Central School, the Sariaya Institute and the Computer Systems Technological Center, College Inc. (CSTC) were doing their final rehearsals for the evening’s cultural presentation, under the supervision of overall artistic diretor Mr. Federico Ceribo.

Onstage,members of the Sariaya Tourism Council and the Sariaya Quadricentennial Foundation Inc. (SQFI) were putting up the props for the performances, two intricate panels full of glitter encrusted capiz shells that served as the backdrop for the Angelicum Choir concert of September 8, 2007. “Banig” was then plastered on the side gaps of the embellished contraptions as well as the rest of the wall of the stage. A wooden likeness of the Santo Cristo de Burgos from the fallen half of the centuries old Acacia tree at the church patio was placed in between the capiz panels. A fixture of the “Museo ng Debosyon at Buhay”, Sariaya’s Franciscan Museum, it is owned by Dr. Ma. Paz C. Carandang and was borrowed for the purpose. Two spotlights were trained on the image with aluminum foil rays following its torso, glued on the banig backdrop to maximize the light effects. Ferns and Chrysanthemum flowers were placed on top of the capiz panels as well as at the foot of the icon. As a final touch, red colored Styrofoam letters that read “Gabi ng Kultura at Debosyon” were placed at the topmost part of the stage, while green “Parangal Kay” and red “Sto. Cristo de Burgos” Styrofoam letters were attached to the left and the right capiz panels respectively. All the while, traditional Filipino songs by the Mabuhay Singers and the like were being played on the sound system to add a folksy air to the proceedings.

At 5 pm, the last mass for the Novenario was officiated by parish priest Msgr. Melecio V. Verastigue, followed by the procession of the Santo Cristo de Burgos image owned by the Buendia Family, that started and ended with the explosion of firecrackers.

People then flocked to the Sariaya Sports Complex to watch the “Gabi ng Kultura at Debosyon” evening program. The script called for an arena type of presentation wherein half of the center of the complex served as the stage. Rows of chairs were then provided for the spectators, the front rowns reserved for the Mayor, local officials, Comite de festejos and guests like the University of the Philippines Sariaya Research Team. This multi disciplinary group led by Dean Corazon Rodriguez of the Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT), is here on a two-year study to help and facilitate the establishment of a local culture - based workable and beneficial tourism plan for Sariaya. The place was cordoned off to prevent crowding on the performance area, where the bleachers near the stage were occupied by the performers. Before the program started, band master Mr. Dick Maranan and his group called the “Dream Corps” in red uniform played standard and contemporary band music for everybody, promptly acknowledged by emcee Mr. Ricardo M. Sumague of the Sariaya Tourism Council. Aside from him, a voice over provided the necessary links read from the script, to facilitate a comprehensive flow for all the program numbers.

The cultural presentation started with four young ladies from the St. Joseph’s Academy doing a ballet inspired doxology number, followed by a Philippine flag inspired dance interpretation of the National Anthem by twenty students of the Canda National High School prior to the actual singing of the “Lupang Hinirang”. After this was an audio visual presentation about Sariaya, touching on its historical, religious and socio-cultural heritage, and the town’s stride at a collective effort to progress under the leadership of Mayor Rosauro V. Masilang.

Ethnic music gave the appropriate introductory atmosphere to the next sequence, a choreography number on the pagan beginnings of Sariaya on the shores of Castanyas. Appropriate music set the mood for the next sequence, the arrival of the Spanish Franciscan Friars who converted them to Catholicism wherein they established their very first church in 1599. This was followed by natural and man - made disasters in the form of Muslim pirates sacking the new Christian community that prompted transfer to Bucal and then to Lumangbayan. Thirty seven students of the St. Francis High School took part in this dance - song interpretation about the history of the Santo Cristo de Burgos, and how the icon arrived at Lumangbayan. This early 18th century town site, now reduced to the ruins of its church at Tumbaga, was destroyed by flooding from Mt. Banahaw and the said burning pillage of Muslim pirates, depicted in the play by a momentary flaming of the concrete floor of the complex. Eventually, oral history had it that the Sto. Cristo de Burgos was found unscathed, wrapped with a white cloth and carried by the people to a new and much safer site. Accordingly, after stopping to rest, the men folk could not lift the icon anymore at that very location which they perceived to be the rightful place of their new home, the present day Sariaya.

Another audio visual presentation was then made, a touching testimony by Mr. and Mrs. Vic Armamento recorded on video about two years ago on how their eldest daughter was healed from cancer by the grace and miracles of the Santo Cristo de Burgos. This was followed by a very lively “Piyestahan sa Nayon” costumed sequence by thirty teachers from the Sariaya West Elementary School, complete with folk songs and dances, native games like sack race, hitting the pot, “Pabitin”, and the “Palo Sebo”. Also included were a religious procession and a simple “Tagayan” over a real lechon, under a large Maypole with native “Banderitas” for a true festive atmosphere.

The twenty six cute and agile little dancers of the Sariaya East Central School provided a very refreshing touch to the program. Graceful and ever smiling, they performed the “Subli”, a dance for the Holy Cross that originated from Batangas Province, where a lot of present day Sariayahins hailed from. This was followed by a rendition of a song composed for the “Mahal na Senyor” entitled “Sa Krus Ni Hesus” by Jocelyn Marie Reyes – Flores that won the “Likha – Awit ng Debosyon sa Sto. Cristo de Burgos” song writing contest last September 11, 2007. This song henceforth would be sung at the regular Friday masses to be held for the devotees and pilgrims of our “Mahal na Senyor”.

A lively procession – like production called the “Estampita Dance” was presented by the thirty students from the Lutucan National High School. Dressed in appropriate Filipiniana attire, where the girls wore veils and the boys carried gaily decorated bamboo poles with the tarpaulin image of the Sto. Cristo de Burgos, they sashayed to the beautiful inspiration of “Humayo’t Ihayag”.

After this was a more electrifying number from the twenty eight students of the Computer Systems Training Center, College Inc. (CSTC) called the “Candle Dance”. Wearing an all black shirt and pants ensemble with white waist bands, they did a modern version of the traditional “Pandanggo sa Ilaw” to a contemporary Hossana song with lighted candles in glasses wrapped in big yellow kerchiefs, which they swung from one direction to the other care of their pure energy choreography. Lights were put off at some point for visual emphasis to the choreography as guided by the yellow glow dangling from the dancers’ dexterous hands.

With the so-called “Dove dance”, the twenty seven students from the Sariaya Institute, in an all white ensemble, did a jazz and ballet fusion choreography, to the appropriate beat of a gospel number, with a boy representing the dove covered in multi – colored plumage, doing an ala Prima Ballerina Assoluta pirouette sequence among them. More so, the hands and fingers of the young dancers suggested the beautiful ballet of doves in flight. One of the boys even had an actual dove on his shoulder which swooped down to the dance floor after all of them had gone up onstage for a frozen choreographed finale. As if on cue, the dove then flew and alighted on the lap top computer of the Audio Visual gadget where it was picked up by its owner as he came down from the stage.

As a fitting finale, Mr. Ghil P. Catapang sang his guitar accompanied” Awit ng Debosyon sa Sto. Cristo de Burgos” third prize winning song “Magpugay sa Sto. Cristo de Burgos”, with the Parish Children’s Choir serving as his tambourine – playing vocal backdrop. As the program ended an announcement was made on the fireworks display about to be started at the park, so the people went out to watch it being launched from the area of the Municipio that capped the eventful cultural presentation. Then a lot of them went on to buy their late evening snacks from the enterprising “Kababayans” posted at the makeshift stalls so provided.

Calles Rizal and Quezon Avenue between Gomez and Valderas streets were still full of people at that late hour, about ten thirty in the evening because of the feria, as the ferris wheel and caterpillar rides inside the vacant lot of Don Emiliano Gala were full packed, shrieks and laughter competing with the blaring sounds from the “Beto-Betos” and the Bingo booth. People lingered around the church patio as the big fountain still spurted water high into the night sky, while lights gleamed from the Acacia tree, and followed the contours of the 1748 cream colored church. North of the Devotional park, cooks were busy with the food to be served at lunchtime the next day, while at the convent, tables were already in place with the appropriate centerpieces. The church was full of flowers, bouquets of them decorating the nooks of the “Santos” from the “Retablo” to the fourteen stations of the cross. The table below the altar was a bed of red Anthuriums and white Chrysanthemums, with buds of white blooms sticking out from them. Behind the “Retablo”, the “Mahal na Senyor” wore his crimson undergarments embroidered with gold colored flower designs while below its feet was a bouquet of red Anthuriums as well. All was set for the September 14 Fiesta the next day...

September 14, 2007, Friday
At 6: 30 in the morning, the bells rang as four bands roamed around town separately … one from Lucban wearing red uniform, another wore green and yellow, a third likewise wearing red preceeded by three “Gigantes”, and a fourth in combat uniform, presumably of the Military. Truly, old folks knew better because accordingly, at least seven bands from Laguna, Batangas and Cavite provinces roamed around Sariaya at the heels of 12 “Higantes” owned by Don Benito Cadiz in the traditional three – day town fiesta of September 13 – 15 during the pre war years. Whatever, this is the very first time in decades that Sariayahins experienced a different kind of cheer, with more than just the usual two bands rousing the town to a fiesta morning.

At the convent, priests from the different towns and parishes throughout the Diocese of Lucena started arriving and some of them visited the “Pamanang Yaman” photo exhibit to look at the old photographs of Sariaya. Thereafter, they got dressed for the 9 am High Mass and headed for the church which was already filled with people. Red was the color of the day, from the Anthuriums on the bouquets, the carpet laid at the long aisle of the church, the uniforms of the members of the Parish Council on Church Heritage and Devotions to the red and gold vestments of H.E. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo, Diocese of Lucena Bishop Emilio Z. Marquez, Bishop of Boac Reynaldo Villanueva and parish priest Msgr. Melecio V. Verastigue. Mayor and Mrs. Rosauro V. Masilang, Vice Mayor and Mrs. Romualdo Nonato L. Nantes, the Sangguniang Bayan members, Comite de Festejos President and Mrs. Juanito B. Manigbas among others, occupied the front seats facing the Retablo. The Mass promptly started at 9 am with the processional of the priests of the Lucena Diocese in white vestments, and the Concelebrants, while the Anima Christi Choir of Lucena City rendered the appropriate ceremonial religious hymns. The air near the altar was full of incense as H. E. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal performed all the ceremonial rituals befitting the occasion, with the assistance of the Sacristans. The official declaration of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church as the Diocesan Shrine of the Santo Cristo de Burgos was read which was so applauded by everybody.

Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo delivered a well appreciated homily, full of fond memories of his and Cardinal Vidal’s stay in Sariaya during their priesthood days, being erstwhile seminarians and eventually becoming the distinguished alumni of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Seminary at Tumbaga. His recollections on former parish priest Rev. Fr. Eufrocino Lusterio resulted in spontaneous reactions of knowing mirth…indeed, who among the Sariayahins in – the – know by virtue of chronology can ever forget our erstwhile “Cura Parroco” from 1950 – 1973? Obviously, Archbishop Lagdameo visited our “Museo ng Debosyon at Buhay” because he joked about how upon seeing a cross in there, the one being carried by Sacristans during the Lenten “Estacion General”, he said that he thought, it must be reserved for our parish priest, much to the amusement of Msgr. Melecio V. Verastigue and everyone present. Everything he said drove home to the hearts and souls of all Sariayahins, in relation to the “Mahal na Senyor”, and his was a most applauded homily.

It was very, very hot and sweaty inside the church due to the great number of people who witnessed this most historical Holy Mass in tribute to Sariaya’s unique religious heritage affiliated to the revered medieval crucifix of Burgos, Spain. St. Francis High School Principal and active church lay person Mr. Benjamin Ilumin read the citation for the formal declaration of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi as the Diocesan Shrine of the Sto. Cristo de Burgos. Then it was formally signed by H. E. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Lucena Diocese Bishop Emilio Z. Marquez, Boac Bishop Reynaldo Villanueva, Parish Priest Melecio V. Verastigue and Mayor Rosauro V. Masilang. Thereafter, Mayor Masilang was led to the area near the baptistery to sign the marker for this official declaration. Presidente de Festejos Mr. Juanito B. Manigbas read the thanks and appreciation for Bishop Emilio Z. Marquez who espoused and actively supported the cause for the Shrine of the Santo Cristo de Burgos, which was greeted with warm applause.

The Holy Communion took a while because of the great number of people who attended. H. E. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal concluded the historic mass and the whole congregation of priests and Concelebrants, including Mayor and Mrs. Masilang as well as Mr. and Mrs. Manigbas gathered for a group photograph with the Retablo as appropriate backdrop, just as cameras flashed everywhere. Then the people went up to the Concelebrants for the traditional “Pagmamano” to ask for their blessings, and some even had their photos taken in the process. They then queued the long line to kiss the feet of the “Mahal na Senyor”. The proceedings were broadcast live by the Sariaya Cable Network (SCAN) Channel 3, documented for photographs by Prior Suite and covered for the Boletin Lucentino by Mr. Renato M. Vergara.A hearty lunch was served at the beautiful hall of the Residential Museum, at the second floor of the convent. Meanwhile, people flocked to the “Museo ng Debosyon at Buhay”, and much later, to the photo exhibits after the luncheon at the Residential Museum.

People from all over flocked to Sariaya that day to partake of the inherent hospitality, not to mention the sumptuous cuisine that the Sariayahins are well known for. Crowds milled around the church, the plaza, and the feria, while the traffic enforcers tried their very best to keep the flow of motorists and people organized and going along the Banderitas festooned Calle Mayor. The feria people had a field day, most especially the rides until the early afternoon when a very strong rain fell, which was widely seen as a blessing hereabouts. By the late afternoon, everything was back to business and the revelers gathered at the plaza for the final night of festivities.

In the evening, a contemporary band played to the crowd gathered near the big stage put up by the ABS CBN Lucena crew for the “Arya Hagalpakan”, a stand - upcomedy featuring ABS CBN talents Eric and Tuco. This well- recieved production that continued well into the night was sponsored by ABS CBN Lucena, the Comite de Festejos, Sariaya Local Government officials, Gum Jung Korean Spa, Computer Systems Training Center, College Inc. and Aqua Best. And so ended this once – in – a – lifetime undertaking by the Church and the Local Government Unit of our town. As promised by the stand up comics, Sariayahins will definitely tune in to ABS CBN’s “Wowowie” come Monday, September 17 because they will be greeting everyone on the show.