Feast on fiestas this holiday season

MANILA, Philippines - Fiestas form a colorful chunk in our country. Always a celebration of faith, Filipino fiestas are unlike no other, encouraging people to spill out of their homes and revel in the streets with painted faces and colorful costumes, relishing the sumptuous local cuisine. Street dancing is a must and against the beating of the drums and the sway of the music, the streets come alive.

Fiestas occur on any given day and the holiday season is not left out. Sprinkled with merrymaking festivities, the holiday season is the perfect time to explore the country.

Victory Liner, Filipinos’ favorite travel companion, lists some of the coveted festivals in Luzon to visit this holiday season.

Undoubtedly the Christmas capital of the Philippines, San Fernando in Pampanga is home to glittering giant parol. Big, bursting with a kaleidoscope of colors, mesmerizing everyone and showcasing the ingenuity and dedication of Kapampangans, San Fernando’s giant lanterns merit a visit come December.

The lanterns symbolize the star of Bethlehem that night Jesus was born, guiding the three Wise Men to the manger where baby Jesus was born.  Pampanga’s giant parol also seem to guide everyone who sets sight on it, as people flock to the province not only to get their Christmas lanterns but also to watch the yearly Ligligan Parol or Giant Lantern Festival. 

Started in 1904, the festival features parol of immense sizes, colors and lightings. The festival is a sight to behold as the entire province literally twinkles with thousands of lights.

San Fernando’s Giant Lantern Festival is a must-visit, attracting not only visitors from around the county but foreign travelers, too.  The colorful ornaments are already festive but throw in the Kapampangan brand of hospitality and you are guaranteed to extend your stay and savor the sumptuous cuisine Kapampangans are famous for.

Gazing at the giant parol is best experienced while munching on boboto (Pampanga tamales) and suman bulagta, and traditional Kapampangan Christmas goodies.

This year’s Giant Lantern Festival will be held on Dec. 15, 6 p.m., at the Rear Alfresco of Robinsons Starmills in San Fernando and will be participated in by 12 barangays.  If case you miss the festival, fret not. There will be a Giant Lantern Display from Dec. 16 to Jan. 2,  2013 (except Dec. 24 and 31).

Also not to be missed out in Pampanga is the Sinukwan Festival. A weeklong celebration, the festival commemorates Aring Sinukwan, the god of ancient Kapampangans. It celebrates the province’s culture, showcasing unique furniture, artworks, sculptures, clothing, and food, among others.   

The revelry is capped with street dance parades (similar to Sinulog of Cebu, Ati-Atihan of Aklan, Dinagyang of Iloilo, Kadayawan of Davao, and MassKara of the Bacolod) with towns outshining each other to the tune of the famed Kapampangan folk song “Ati Cu Pung Singsing.”

This year’s Sinukwan Festival will be held on Dec. 1-8. Robinson Starmillls will be the venue for the festival’s opening, where booths featuring Pampanga’s famed products will be available.

An exhibit of Pampanga’s famous churches is also included. The grand street parade is on Dec. 8, starting at 7 a.m.  at the provincial capitol grounds before culminating in Robinsons Starmills.

If colorful lanterns and street dances make you dizzy but you still want larger than life experiences, head to Tarlac where the annual Belenismo (belen making) is held.

If Pampanga is the lantern capital of the country, Tarlas is the “belen capital” of the Philippines. Belenismo was started by the Church in 2007 as a reminder on the meaning of meaning of Christmas — the birth of Jesus — and has since gained prominence. Like the parol of Pampanga, the belen created in the festival are made of indigenous materials like abaca, corn and banana stalks.

Belenismo is held from November to January.

Further up north is perhaps every Filipino’s favorite Christmas spot — Baguio City. While Baguio’s Panagbenga Festival is still in February, Baguio’s festive mood is already a reason to visit it this holiday season.

With the fog so thick and the scent of pine trees lingering, the city is the closest we could get to the nippy air associated with Western Christmases.

Aside from the holiday ambience that Baguio affords its visitors, the city is also an ideal place to attend Simbang Gabi. There are different churches in the city but what makes it extra special is attending the daily Masses blanketed in thick jackets, scarves and bonnets. The unique Baguio chill is perfectly complemented with the warm chocolate de batirol best sipped after hearing the Mass.

This year, Baguio is also creating is tallest Christmas tree on Session Road. A little sightseeing, some shopping, and treating yourself to mouthwatering food as only our northern kababayan can enjoy, Baguio is definitely the perfect place to spoil your family this Christmas.

Think of fiestas and the Philippines automatically come to mind. This holiday season, experience some of the best fiestas in Pampanga, Tarlac and Baguio. To make the most of your holiday travels, trust only everyone’s favorite travel companion — Victory Liner.

Victory Liner has it all pat down. Armed with 67 years of experience, it has become every Filipino’s favorite bus companion. With the introduction of its online ticket order system last year, passengers can purchase online tickets from the comfort of their own homes or offices.  Just log on to www.victoryliner.com, click on the reservation tab, and start buying bus tickets.

Payments can be made via Paypal, Bancnet ATM debit or over-the-counter at any Metrobank branch. There is also no need to pick up the tickets as Victory Liner will deliver them to the passenger’s selected address.

Tickets purchased online can be reserved no more than two weeks before the holiday season, giving seasoned travelers and impulsive trekkers plenty of time to do the reservation.

Visit www.victoryliner.com for more details.