A Tinagba weekend in Iriga

Here’s an entry in my diary covering the second weekend of February:

Feb. 10, Thursday: Arrived at 7:30 a.m. at the Naga City via Cebu Pacific after a one-hour flight from Manila with media friends that included Mario Bautista, Raoul Tidalgo, Bulletin’s Malou Rosal and Jojo Panaligan, and Backroom girls Maryann Sta. Ana and Almed Garcia. Took a van to Iriga City and, by 9:30 we were booked at a newly-opened motel located in the outskirts of the city while other members of the Manila entourage were billeted at a three-star Iriga Plaza Hotel in the heart of the city.

Free day, Maryann told us. So Raoul and I took a mini-bus to Legaspi City where we toured the newly-opened Embarcadero mall by the sea and from where we had a full view of Mayon Volcano. After praying at the church and quick lunch of pinangat and other Bicol delicacies, we planned to take a nap inside the Bichara Theater which was showing Chito Roño’s Bulong. The movie didn’t put us to sleep, all right, and we went out confused what it was trying to be, which was neither a comedy nor drama nor action nor horror, making Raoul and I wonder, “Ano ba ang nangyari kay Chito? May nakapag-bulong kaya sa kanya that his movie is confusing?”

Back in Iriga, again by mini-bus, at 9:30 p.m.

We were there upon the invitation of the indefatigable and amiable Iriga City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen (“The People’s Mayor on the Go,” in green shirt, above left ) purposely to witness the annual Tinagba Festival which is, like the Pahiyas of Lucban in Quezon, a glorious way of thanking God for the year’s harvest. The city’s patron saint is St. Anthony while that of Lucban is San. Isidro.

Feb. 11, Friday: We were up early for a breakfast of sinangag, one hard-boiled egg and a few pieces of danggit put together on a plate cover by cellophane, like the way food is served in any motel.

The whole city was alive. From the grandstand, we watched and took pictures of the parade of bullcarts and colorful floats adorned with fruits and vegetables, more than two dozens of them. Everything seemed like a beautiful movie being replayed. After all, it was our second time to be witnessing the Tinagba which was graced last year by entries from other Bicol provinces.

In the afternoon, there was a parade of more floats and the street-dancing contest. The pictures on this spread show the spectacle that Mayor Madelaine (take a bow!) has spearheaded not only for the locals and guests from Manila but also for US-based Iriganons who came home for Tinagba.

Instead of taking Cebu Pacific back to Manila Saturday morning, Feb. 12, Raoul and I took an Isarog aircon bus in Naga City. We left at 8:30 p.m., Feb. 11. The eight-hour trip was smooth. We’ll try it again on our next trip to Bicol, during the day next time.

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