Now eyes are turned to Lupad Capiznon Festival

Despite the hoopla of the 67th charter anniversary of Bacolod City last Wednesday, everyone was all ears on the implementation of the EVAT. But Sen. Richard Gordon, the guest speaker, somewhat allayed public apprehensions when he declared that he is pushing for the suspension of the value-added tax on fuel and power.

Instead, Gordon proposed imposing a P1 tax on text messages that could generate an estimated P80 billion to P90 billion a year. Besides, Gordon added that the text tax would hurt people less because they can do without texting all the time. Fuel and electricity are different since these are basic necessities.

He also said the money earned from cellular phone calls could even be larger.

Gordon pointed out that the P80 billion to P90 billion that could be generated from text messages could be used to build 36,000 school rooms, train teachers, feed children and fund ethanol refineries needed to address the rising prices of imported fossil fuel.

He advocated setting aside P100 billion for the national bioethanol program. That, he said, could help alleviate the plight of farmers who told Gordon last Tuesday that the fuel price hike also increased the cost of farm inputs as well as transport and commodities.

Confederation of Sugar Producers Association president Rey Bantug said the federation is backing the Gordon initiative to exempt fuel and power from EVAT and instead tax text messages.

Also present were Enrico Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP), and Manuel Lamata of the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (UNIFED).

Both echoed the observations of Sugar Administrator James Ledesma that the rise in fuel prices also affects the prices of farm inputs. Rojas pointed out that traders will also be affected and they will pass on the cost to the producers.

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra also reiterated that he finds the EVAT oppressive. He appealed to the President and the Supreme Court to consider the plight of the people, especially the common tao.

One thing sure, though, is that there will be troubling days ahead as predictions of increasing street marches were rife following the nod given by the High Court to the implementation of EVAT.

But City Mayor Evelio Leonardia stressed the need for unity among Bacoleños and public officials, saying that their "enthusiastic unity will enable the city to move forward."

"I am not afraid of any crisis that may come because we have proven over and over in the past that Bacolod will not just survive, but it will exceed the expectations of the people outside," Leonardia said in his Charter Day address.

Manny Pacquiao received last Tuesday his formal adoption as an adopted son of Bacolod. The Filipino boxer also attended the countdown to the Charter Day celebration on Tuesday evening.

In response to the accolade given him by Bacolod City, Pacquiao said he would extend financial help to Bacolod and Negrense boxers to help them develop their career. He said the amount would be coursed through Mayor Leonardia.

Rep. Monico Puentevella also thanked Pacquiao for being a role model to the youth.

Capiz’s ‘Aswang Festival’

Dugo Capiznon has officially renamed the Aswang Festival into the Lupad Capiznon Festival. Lupad means "fly." And that to a certain extent is a double entendre, not as obtuse as aswang (witch) but still implies the flying Capiznon.

But despite the hullabaloo it has stirred, Roxas City Mayor Antonio del Rosario said he has no authority to stop the festival since it is not violating any law.

Various groups had opposed the festival. These include the Catholic Women’s League, Mother Butler Guild, Kapwa ni Kristo, and Medalla Milagrosa. They pointed out that the festival is an insult to God.

Even Capiz Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo issued a pastoral letter during the weekend reiterating the Catholic Church’s position opposing the festival.

Gordoncillo reportedly posed no objection to the festival as long as the word aswang is not included in the official name of the festivity.

But he pointed out that in the festival’s new name, the idea of aswang still lingers.

Lupad, as I earlier noted, means fly, alluding to the central figure of the festival — the aswang.

Gordoncillo pointed out that the logo of the festival — a bird flying across the moon — reinforces the idea of the aswang.

He also thumbed down the awarding of a Capiceño overseas worker in a festival program called Lipad Kapiznon which he said is not proper.

Philippine folklore considers the aswang a visceral suckling creature that flies at night looking for infants, babies, and fetuses. They reportedly feast on the internal organs of humans.

Dugo Capiznon (DCI) will definitely pursue its efforts to demystify the aswang and improve the image of Capiz as a haven of witches.

A local historian, Dr. Leothiny Clavel, claimed to have discovered that the first historical records showing that the colonizers had used aswang to tag Capiceños who resisted Spanish domination in the 16th century. In short, it was a form of psychological warfare.

Until today, aswang stories keep children at home instead of wandering outside at night.

Arnel Estiaga, DCI spokesman, said the festival will feature symposia on the aswang, which will help demolish the notoriety of Capiz as the principal site of aswangs.

In short, DCI wants to turn the negative notion of aswang into an advantage and instead enable the festival to promote primarily the culture, talents, resources and the progress of Capiz.

The Roxas Sangguniang Panlungsod passed last week a resolution urging the DCI to use the word "kauswagan (progress)" in the festival’s official name to make it more acceptable.

The provincial board, on the other hand, asked the organizers to change the concept of the festival, citing the same reasons presented by the religious groups opposed to the festival.

But the Capiz chapter of the Philippine Councilors’ League, led by its president Noemi Dumpaig, favored the holding of the festival.

But all the 16 Capiz mayors thumbed it down.

The controversy over the festival, however, is the best guarantee of heightened public interest in Lupad Capiznon. So, if you want to watch what many consider a bizarre festival, Oct. 28-30 is the date. You may call it by any other name, but it will remain the same — the Aswang Festival.

* * *

ADDENDA: Well, as noted earlier, the penchant of Filipinos to do their own thing may have accounted for the elimination of the Motorada from the Guinness Book of World Records. The Buglasan organizers said it established last Sunday the longest parade of motorcycles but that it may have missed the Guinness Book of Records. As reported by Visayan Daily Star’s Juancho Gallarde, the lack of discipline in forming a single line, some motorcyclists overtaking the others, breaking the numbering system, and lack of adequate accounting might have affected the record-breaking performance. Well, one can only hope that better discipline could be displayed the next time by the participants… Sometimes, the good deed of a group or person can get lost in the celebration. But the Aishin Koksai Korya of Japan doled out eight million yen or about P1.6 million to the Bacolod City government to build a day care center in Barangay 35. Aishin Kaksai Koryu president Yujiro Pukuda led the big delegation from Japan who also turned over to Mayor Leonardia reflectorized traffic enforcers’ vests, which Jojo Horii donated to the city government. Others in the group were Noriko Miyauchi, Masataka Saito, Philippine Tokyo Embassy PRO Grace Horii, and Japanese interpreter Takashi Fukuda. An applause for the Japanese donors.