RAIN OF FIRE

Guling-guling Festival
CESAR G. BONILLA

LAOAG CITY -- Former math teacher of Saint Louis University Laboratory High School in Baguio City Fatima B. Gabat is offering a one-week math training program to 30 high school math teachers of secondary level in the Ilocos Region. She signed up for participation in the Teachers Exchange Program under the United States Department of State through Commission on Filipinos Overseas in the Philippines. In her three years in the United States, she had the opportunity to experience a new methods which contributed greatly to her knowledge and expertise in her own field of interest. Mathematics is one academic endeavor and this training program could help competence of math teachers. This is endeavor would be held on March 17-21.
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The Kalayaan Philippines –Hawaii International night was considered one of the most memorable affairs during the celebration of the Pamulinawen Festival in Laoag City because three muses were crowned: Dee Bucasas, Ms Maharlika Asia-Pacific 2008-2009; Kris Remolacio Hernandez, Miss Young Maharlika Asia-Pacific 2008-2009 and Desiree Marie Bucasas, Miss Young Maharlika Aloha Filipina 2008-2009. Joseph Sicco, President of Data Center College of the Philippines handed the bouquet together with Mrs. Isabel Sison-Sandi to Miss Young Maharlika Asia Pacific 2008-2009 in the person of Miss Kris Remolacio Hernandez.

The guest of honor and speaker was former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. In line with the city fiesta, prominent personalities in the field of politics attended this momentous and significant event like Liberal Party president Sen. Mar Roxas, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and many more. Artists and entertainers had been added to give an aura of historical and cultural splendor to the majestic pageantry featuring the noble of traditions of the Ilocanos or Laoaguenos.

Laoag was discovered by the Spanish conquistador and grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, Don Juan de Salcedo on June 13, 1572. It was called Laoag because of its bright atmosphere and beautiful sky. A hall of fame awardee being the cleanest and greenest component city in the country, Laoag was converted into city on Jan. 1, 1966. Its first chief executive as a city was then Mayor Eulalio Sizon. The Laoagenos are known for their industry, loyalty and hospitality to visitors and friends. Their code of life is discipline. ***
The municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte meanwhile also celebrated its Guling-Guling Festival. In a book, entitled “A Glimpse of the Ilocano Soul” authored by Dr. Vicente A. Bonoan, vice-president for academic affairs at Data Center College of the Philippines, guling-guling is an ethnic term which means a designated day that separates the regular days from the onset of the Lenten Season. This day is always observed on Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (Mierkoles-Kurkuros).

On this day, people pause from their daily chores, go out into the streets to celebrate by participating in street dancing, singing and later drinking basi and eating the nutritious dudol because the next day would mark the beginning of the Lenten Season where the observance of the religious rites would be done in full swing. For so many years, the guling-guling of Paoay was celebrated just like the Moriones style in Marinduque” where participants dressed in Roman soldiers garb and enacted the walk on the “via cruces” or the way of the cross down to the crucifixion. Selected participants acted the role of the Christ while some of His companions in sorrow were followed by Roman soldiers.

This parade was purely a religious scene that re-enacted the last walk of Jesus Christ. The drama had a very insightful effect on the young and adults, because then, people were more religious, peaceful and more disciplined members of the faith. Traditionally, townsfolk danced their way to the place where binugbog, a native delicacy cooked from rice flour and sugar cane juice on a slow fire was made. There you found anawang, a makeshift oven made from the fried sugar cane pulp. They were then met by the town mayor who imprinted the sign of the cross (guling) on their forehead.

The locals believe it is a sign of bad luck not to have guling. After this ritual, the crowd partakes of binugbog and basi. The parade continues to the church, the streets and, finally, to the town plaza where the merrymaking reaches its peak. Anybody danced with anybody and the evening was filled with music, laughter, and gaiety.
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Sta. Rosa Academy Alumni Association Inc. of San Nicholas, Ilocos Norte will celebrate the alumni homecoming of well-respected products of this institution of learning. Rosans from different parts of the globe will come and join this momentous affair. SRA Alumni Association Inc. of San Nicholas, Ilocos Norte headed by its president Dr. Visitacion Manuad had inspired the Rosans with her active leadership in uniting graduates of this institution through the help of officers and members of the organization. The door of SRA is open to our beloved alumni for them to bring back the episodes of the past wherein harmony and religious upbringing molded their dreams in becoming better Christians.