THE month of May is almost over, yet people are still enjoying the merry month of summer here in the Philippines. Most of us look forward to summer because it is at this time that we get to relax, to enjoy nature, to travel with our loved ones, or just to do nothing.
However, I also found out that summer is also a time when parent has to even work more in preparation on for the coming school years’ tuition fees. I, for one, have to make sure that I have enough finances for the coming school year.
At any rate, let’s ponder and recall with much reverence on the things that happen during the month of May which have changed our lives.
First, we have Flores de Mayo which I think is losing its essence and importance because I barely hear people talk about it nowadays. This tradition goes back many, many years ago and as far as I remember, used to be a part of our Catholic lives while growing up in a small community. Having spent several years and countless summers in Mambajao, Camiguin as a child, I saw this custom and practice evolved right before my eyes and in doing so, made my summer more exciting and meaningful.
In the mid or late afternoon, kids dressed up in their best carries fresh flowers (usually roses, bougainvillas, kalachuchi, gumamela, lirio, santan and sometimes, orchids) to offer to the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are also taught how to pray the rosary, and other prayers. Usually, headed by nuns or lay people, catechism is also included in the afternoon “classes”. I believe this to be a very good start and lay a solid foundation for kids to know more about God and religion.
As a grand finale for this month, we would have lovely ladies and gentlemen joining “Santa Cruzan”, which is normally held at the last day of the month (if it falls on a weekend). It is usually an honor to be hailed as “Reyna Elena”. I can’t remember the names and titles of the many other “sagalas” but i surely remember taking part of this during my younger days in Mambajao, as one of the lady’s escort. And if I am not mistaken, that was the first and last. My niece was also the “Rose of May” during the festivities.
Fiestas! Where in the Philippines would celebrate the month of May without fiestas? And I am sure everybody would agree with me that Bohol would be one of the places with the most fiestas during this month. Fiesta is celebrated in honour of the feast day of a particular Catholic saint. And as tradition would have it, we celebrate to give respect to them by attending the Holy Procession & Holy Mass. Aside from the 2 or 3 days non-stop celebration of food! For the past many years, it have dwindled to only one day, instead of a “ante, desperas and fiesta proper” as I recall.
I remember having attended several Holy Masses during my childhood years in Camiguin with my maternal Grandma, Maria Tuante de Sia and my mom, Pacita which is usually held at 9 or 10 in the am or 4 or 5 in the afternoon in the several barrios that we visited. After which, we would be brought to the houses of our friends for a sumptuous lunch or dinner which would include of course, a crispy, tender suckling pig as the main course. There would be other mouth-watering dishes like humba, afritada, hamonada, dinuguan, pancit, lumpia, embotido, sinugba, barbque, macaroni salad, sotanghon, fried chicken, fruit salad, buko salad, suman, puto, bibingka, kutchinta, leche flan, torta and of course, the authentic pastel. Of course, there are variations to the menu, but this is what I have observed to the regular “mainstays”.
And not only that, we also get to bring home more foods which can last for a couple of days! If we don’t get to visit them, they would send us a kilo or more of fresh pork, torta (made the “old” way) and again, pastel which we would enjoy tremendously. How I wish we can bring back the times!
During the month of May, we take pleasure in travelling to nearby towns and barrios. Since I grew up in Manila, I would always look forward to going home to Camiguin during summer. Aside of course from the fiestas that I get to attend when I am there, I also look forward to going and spending time in the unspoiled beaches and virgin forests, waterfalls, hot and cold springs. There I get to eat the freshest catch of the days from the bountiful seas and the freshest vegetables and many tropical fruits that abound. It was a time to really relax and enjoy the fresh sea air or the cool mountain air while sipping freshly picked buko from the trees!
Now, many have changed. We no longer see the things we grew up with except probably in the movies or just plainly reminisce them with family and friends. Kids now attend to summer classes in arts or the like. They travel abroad for further trainings or updates to be competitive. Parents spend so much to make sure their kids are at par or much better than others. Question: when do we stop to become aggressive and just live life to the fullest with simple needs and less stress?
Life has become fast-paced. There’s so much traffic and pollution. There are just so much stressors in our lives. We rarely even see our married family members or friends. We even hardly talk to them. What a shame. Guess this is what we call “globalization”.
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