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Page 10 The North American Filipino Star May 2006 TOURISM Aliwan Fiesta 2006 The national festival championship takes flight Sparks flying at this year’s Aliwan Fiesta as once again some of the Philippines. Grandest, loudest, and most colorful regional festivals compete in a national championship on the 27 up to 29 of April 2006. Aliwan Fiesta 2006 brings together 30 dance contingents from around the country in a major happening on the Manila bay area. The main features are costumed street dancing native to the participating regions, a street parade with a float competition, a bazaar with stalls selling handicrafts and food from around the country, and the Reyna ng Aliwan beauty pageant. The event also includes a fireworks display, three nights of entertainment with concerts by bands and popular entertainers, and on April 29 grand street parade along Roxas Boulevard from Quirino Grandstand to Aliwan / Star City in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex. Aliwan Fiesta 2006, dubbed by organizers as a "cultural extravaganza," brings to one venue the festivals of the regions of the country, making it possible for local and foreign tourists to watch and appreciate ethnic and cultural presentations without having to leave Manila. The grand fiesta, which reels off April 27 to 29’ 2006, gathers more than 4,500 of the country’s most talented artists, artisans, street dancers and muses to compete in various contests pitting cultures, traditions and beauties. ALIWAN Fiesta 2006, which brings together all the country’s grandest festivals, from Baguio in the north to down south in Maguindanao, will feature street dancers, craftsmen and musicians?all decked out in colorful costumes’ vying for the Php 1 million grand prize in the street dance and Php .5 million on float competitions. It will feature the most popular fiestas from all over the country such as he Marikina Festival (Marakina City), Panagbenga Festival (Baguio City); Pamulinawen Festival (Laoag City); Sabutan Festival; Kasilonawan Obando Fertility Ritual (Bulacan); Region IV’s Sumakah Festival (Antipolo); Himag- Ulaw Festival (Masbate); Dinagyang Festival (Iloilo City); Sinulog Festival (Cebu City); Padul-Ong Festival (Borongan, Eastern Samar); Pasalamat Festival (Pagadian City); and Padang- Padang Festival (Parang, Maguindanao). Over 4,500 participants will join the grand parade, on April 29. Organized by the Manila Broadcasting Co. (MBC), in partnership with the cities of Manila and Pasay and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Aliwan Fiesta gathers the brightest, biggest and most colorful festivities in the unprecedented grandest fiesta in Philippine history. By Joey de Leon Photojournalist Manila, Philippines www.filipinostar.org
May 2006 Flores De Mayo (Flowers of May) Filipinos love fiestas. They are celebrated all-year round all over the country. The colorful celebration commemorates a piece of history in the place. One fiesta that is celebrated nationwide in the summer is Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan. Santacruzan is held annually in the warm month of May and is considered to be the "Queen of Filipino Festivals". Beautiful town belles are selected to participate in this colorful pageant parade. The stars are selected not for their looks alone, but for their embodiment of traditional feminine qualities. It is a week-long street pageant in almost every town, from the dirt road barrio to the metropolis honoring beautiful Philippine maidens and their handsome escorts under the hand-carried bamboo archs adorned by fragrant native flowers. May is also the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. Filipinos turn each of the 31 days in May into a charming tribute to the virginal virtues in Flores de Mayo. Spiritual virtue seeks to reach even the young. Every day in May, children, with cutflowers and baskets of petals in hand, march down the church center aisle. As the children march down the aisle they sprinkle the fragrant petals for Mama Mary. This custom is called alay sa Birhen . Because it is an offering ( alay ) to the virgin ( birhen ), at the main altar, the youngsters sing hymns to Lady Immaculate, and leave their bouquet of flowers loose and bethroned. In many towns the community will congregate in the afternoons to pray the rosary, offer flowers to the Virgin Mary, and share homemade delicacies and snacks. Children and adults wearing their Sunday best, sing and dance to welcome the rains that will water the new crops. In many parishes, these afternoon festivities culminate in an elaborate procession to the Church where an evening mass is celebrated. The procession is called "Santacruzan" (Festival of the Holy Cross), a commemoration of the finding of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. The townfolk choose pretty young ladies to represent the various characters of the commemoration: the "Accolades of Our Lady". Each one is dressed in an exquisite, colorful gown, looking as regal as the Reina (Queen) she portrays. Reina Fe (Faith), Reina Esperanza (Hope), Reina Caridad (Charity), Reina Mora (Muslim), Reina Banderada (Flag), and Reina Justicia (Justice) walk with their consorts under hand-carried bamboo arches decked with color-themed native flowers. The highlight of the procession is the magestic Reina Elena (Queen Helena) who walks with her consort, Prinsipe Constantino, under a huge canopy of May flowers. Immediately behind her is a float carrying the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by a brass band that lends the festive sounds to the procession. One of many beautiful Reinas parading during Flores de Mayo Santacruzan MORTGAGE LOAN Guaranteed approval Call 514-244-8717 The North American Filipino Star www.filipinostar.org A new look for Metro Manila’s jeepneys The so-called “King of the Road” will soon be getting a makeover, courtesy of the government. Tourism and transportation officials yesterday launched in Malacañang the “Makisaya, Biyahe Na,” Jeepney Wrap Stickers project, which aims to draw more tourists to the country, while at the same time getting rid of “colorum” or illegal public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in Metro Manila. The launching was attended by President Macapagal-Arroyo. Under the project, over 1,000 “Kings of the Road” will get a fresh coat of paint, as well as stickers that promote top tourist destinations in the country. Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said that in line with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board project, public jeepneys will be “color coded.” For example, jeepneys plying routes in Makati will be painted blue while those in Manila will be yellow. Quezon City, on the other hand, will have red jeepneys. So far, Durano said the Department of Tourism had made over 180 jeepneys plying the Makati-Taguig route. Next on the list are Manila-bound jeepneys. Page 11 There was also a plan to include other public utility jeepneys in “major tourist destinations” outside of Metro Manila, he added. “We’re just making sure our jeepneys are good to look at because in our source markets in Korea and Europe, the jeepneys are regarded as tourism icons,” Durano said. “When you say Philippines, they think about the Philippine jeepney. It will be an incentive for jeepney drivers if you want us to put stickers and make over your jeepney,” he told reporters. But before they can take part in the program, the jeepneys would have to be accredited by the LTFRB so that those operating illegally could be weeded out of the ranks of registered public utility jeepneys Drivers will also get a vest that matches the color of their jeepney. “We will also give them uniforms so they’ll look nice,” Durano said. Join us in a sightseeing tour of Quebec City Organized by Laging Handa Scouts Group 0592 on the occasion of the “Great Urban Race” When: Saturday, May 27, 2006 Assembly time: 7:45 am Place: Plamondon Metro (Van Horne Exit) Return to Montreal: 10:00 pm Donation: $45 Bring your picnic basket Pilgrimage to the St. Anne de Beaupré shrine Picnic on the Plains of Abraham, visit museums, park, lake, etc. as time permits. Contact: any Scout Volunteer Leader or Tel.514-485-7861, Mary Joy - 514-501-7275 Nida - 962-2688, Claro - 576-0906, Richard - 341-8246, Romeo - 733-2897
Page 1 and 2: May 2006, Vol. XXIV, No. 5 www.fili
Page 3 and 4: May 2006 The North American Filipin
Page 5 and 6: May 2006 Reflections on beauty page
Page 9: The North American Filipino Star Ma
Page 13 and 14: May 2006 Mercan Mercan Capital Ltd.
Page 19 and 20: May 2006 times due to pressing fami

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