Celebrating festivals here in the Philippines offer people a chance to exhibit their rich culture and pay homepage to the history and patron saints. Tourists around the world would visit the Philippines to experience our country’s grand festivals that without a doubt, makes it more fun in the Philippines. For many decades, celebrating festivals has been a part of the Filipinos’ culture, and each city has its very own fiestas that they are very proud of. As such, Vigan City has its own fiestas that every Bigueños celebrate. Vigan City is known for its grand festival celebrations; the city comes to life as people gather to watch street dances and other festivities made especially for the festival celebration. Among the grand festivals of Vigan is the Vigan City Fiesta, a festival held on the twenty-fifth of January. This special day commemorates the feast day of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, the city’s patron saint. Bigueños make an effort in making the fiesta memorable for locals and tourists. The Vigan City Fiesta is composed of magnificent street dance and parades, cultural shows, arts and crafts exhibits, carnivals, and food bazaars that represent the spirit of Vigan’s cityhood.
Sadly, with a pandemic roaming around, the vibrance of this festival is shattered into pieces. The continuous traditional way of celebrating the Vigan City Fiesta has been postponed and scrapped, and the usual cheering and loud streets around the city have disappeared. People are saddened and disappointed to hear that the festival celebration will no longer be the same as it used to be. On the bright side, the city government has planned to celebrate at least a low-key festival to ensure the safety of every Bigueños. The city government emphasized on celebrating the festival without mass gatherings to avoid the risk of spreading the virus. The competitions were the same, but of course in a different environment which is online platforms. There were no mass gatherings or parades, just citizens showcasing their talents. There were also no big food bazaars, carnivals, or arts and crafts exhibits, just Bigueños rejoicing in their barangays, singing, drinking, eating tasty foods, and enjoying the moment. But there’s this one thing that stayed even after the pandemic struck, the holding of holy mass. The city government still allowed the church to hold a mass to honor the city’s patron, but with an exception which is following the health protocols set by the government. There is no denying that these are all the things that we can only do in the pandemic, but it should not stop us from celebrating traditions and embracing our rich culture.
The pandemic has changed our old way of living, and it is no surprise that life isn’t as fun as it used to be. Even the events and fiestas we used to celebrate aren’t as thrilling as they used to be. Celebrating festivals amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic is very challenging indeed, but it should not stop us from celebrating it in its true essence. Celebrations, be it big or small, give us something to look forward to, lifts up our spirits, and help us recognize the good things in life. Instead of grieving about it, you may make it more enjoyable by having a positive attitude towards it. As the city motto suggests, Viva Vigan! Be happy and have hope in life. We are living the pages that will be in history books, so we might as well make it more interesting.
Online Sources:
Anonymous, Primer, Retrieved on January 23, 2022
https://primer.com.ph/tips-guides/2016/01/18/vigan-town-fiesta/
Danny Pata, GMA Network, Retrieved on January 23, 2022
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/travel/276110/vigan-vies-for-new-7-wonders-of-the-world/story/
Hi Randel! I was saddened to see that the Vigan City Fiesta this year also is restricted or is not the same as it was in the past before the pandemic happened. Hopefully by next year, the Festivals will continue normally so that we can all see the events that will happen.
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