may 2006 - working copyzbk.qxp - Filipino Star

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
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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.
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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