A Day For Love

Valentine's Day is a celebration of love. We've all heard that love doesn't need a special day to be celebrated. Yet, Valentine's Day is intended to commemorate our closeness and bonds with our loved ones. It is celebrated every year on February 14. Valentine's Day is believed to have originated in Rome. The day holds strong and exciting historical importance. Aside from that, we celebrate this day every year by showing the people around us how much we love and care about them. It is a day when we all express our love for those we care about and who are very dear to us.

Valentine's Day is largely viewed as an international holiday commemorating the emotion of love. The day is significant for reasons other than being a day for lovers. It is a day to show and express our love to anyone and everyone. We sometimes neglect to express how much we adore our parents. Hence, the day is an opportunity to demonstrate our affection for our parents, family members, friends, and loved ones.

Well, if you're wondering how my Valentine's Day went, it was smooth and lovely. I wished everyone I cared about a happy Valentine's Day. I celebrated this occasion with my classmates and friends. Together with my classmates, we made a simple surprise for our teachers. We gave them a simple flower with chocolate in it. We made a letter for each of them, and we read it out loud. We also sang a lot of songs like Love Story, Perfect, Night Changes, Buko, 2002, and more. We also did a tiktok trend in which there are two papers with different choices and we let them pick one; the choices are picture or gift. If the teacher picks the choice gift, we will let them pick one of the earrings we bought for them. And if the teacher picks the picture, we will take a picture, but we will still give them the gift (kayat mi la madismaya da umuna hehe).

After school, me and my best friend, Karylle, went to McDonald's. For me, it's not a good date because we waited almost an hour for our order, and when we got our order, the chicken and fries were already cold, and the ice in the coke had already melted. While eating, we talk a lot about things like how our lives are, what's new, and more. 

After eating, we stayed at Plaza Burgos to wait for Karylle's mother. While we were waiting, two girls came to us and gave us flowers. They wished us a happy Valentine's Day. After that, they introduced themselves, and they told us what their agenda was or why they came to us. They say that they talk to people, give them flowers, and ask them if there is something they want to pray for, and they will pray for that something. We told them what we wanted to pray for, and we prayed for that. For me, that's a very wholesome moment, a very fantastic experience. For me, that's the highlight of my day.

Overall, Valentine’s Day celebrates the bond and relationship between people. Valentine's Day is all about spending time with the person you love. It is a day that teaches us how to express our love, care, and respect for everyone in our lives. It helps us feel happy about our loved ones. It also shows us the importance of the happiness we feel when we are around the ones who matter to us. The most important thing to remember is that simply expressing your love for them with heartfelt and meaningful expressions will make their day very special.

Kannawidan Ylocos Festival: Pride of the Ilocanos

Ilocos Sur is a lovely province in the northern section of the island of Luzon. It is a culturally rich province that represents ancient Spanish and Filipino ancestors. The Ylocos Region is quite unique. It is rich with amazing historical events that have distinguished the region from others. This comprises meals, delicacies, literary works, tradition, ethnic music, handcrafted items, and so forth. To demonstrate and share their treasures with the rest of the world, the locals created the "Kannadiwan Festival," which promotes these traditional practices.

Kannawidan is an annual festival celebrated by the city of Vigan. The Ilocanos promote their cultural shows, native products, and abilities at this festival. Kannawidan Ylocos Festival has evolved into an annual event with the goal of raising awareness about the preservation of the province's rich cultural history, practices, and traditions, as well as showcasing the province's many agricultural and industrial products.

The Kannawidan Ylocos event commemorates the foundation of the province of Ilocos Sur. It is a month-long festival that begins the last week of January and finishes the first week of February. It is the Ilocanos' way of thanking the Almighty not only for the many bounties but also for the province's rich tradition, which includes deep family relationships among the Ilocanos.

One of the festival's goals is to devote more attention to youngsters. It is due to the observation that many traditions, songs, dances, and other aspects of Ilocano culture are not recognized by the province's younger generations. Instead of traditional dances, youngsters are more interested in modern and novelty dances they see on television. It is one of the reasons for the Kannadiwan Festival.

Our rich legacy and distinct culture must be preserved. With this in mind, the provincial government of Ilocos Sur has devised a festival that will celebrate these cultures and customs while also attracting both local and foreign tourists

"Kannawidan sangsangkamaysatay a rambakan!"

Reference:

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur. "[Facebook Page]". Facebook. Retrieved February 16, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/ThePGIS1818/

There's no time for a siesta; it's time to fiesta!

Festivals are a major aspect of Filipino culture and are celebrated in every town. Festivals are an expressive way to celebrate glorious heritage, culture, and traditions. They are meant to celebrate special moments and emotions in our lives with our loved ones. They play an important role in adding structure to our social lives and connecting us with our families and backgrounds. They give us a distraction from our day-to-day, exhausting routine of life and give us some inspiration to remember the important things and moments in life. Festivals were started to pass the legends, knowledge, and traditions onto the next generation. One of the most well-known is the Vigan Town Fiesta, which takes place on January 25 in honor of St. Paul the Apostle.

The Vigan Town Fiesta is commemorated in the northernmost part of the Philippines, in the Ilocos region. Currently, a large number of tourists attend the festival to see the performances they put on for the event. The Vigan Town Fiesta features street dancing performances, carnivals, arts and crafts displays, and other colorful events that honor Vigan's cityhood. The whole celebration is in honor of St. Paul the Apostle. The saint is considered the patron saint of the town. Following that, there are some establishments dedicated to him that are found elsewhere in the city.

To launch the festival, the city held a fitness activity, Zumba Night, in Plaza Burgos.

Agri Float Parade and Competition

Kuliglig and Kariton Race

A couple of days ahead of the Vigan Town Fiesta, another celebration kicks off the start of the whole town fiesta. The Longganisa Festival is held every January 22, where there is a Longganisa Cookfest, a Street Dancing Competition, a Longganisa Showdown, and other events as well. Vigan longganisa, a native version of Mexican salami, has a distinct garlicky flavor that has become a favorite of the Filipino palate, and the festival has grown in popularity. Other manufacturers have attempted but failed to replicate the Vigan longganisa flavor. Biguenos credit this to the fact that producing Vigan longganisa is a centuries-old tradition of the local makers, with all, if not most, of the components derived from Vigan. The garlic and sugarcane vinegar from Vigan are thought to be highly delicious. It is an excellent take-home gift after attending a Vigan City Fiesta.

Longgania Cookfest

Longganisa Street Dancing

Longganisa Showdown

Search for Miss Vigan

The event was a one-of-a-kind experience since it brought together Vigan City's ancient Spanish architecture with the Philippines' rich cultural heritage. As they cheered and danced alongside the artists, the audience was likewise totally engaged in the event. During this celebration, the entire city seemed to come to life, and it was simply amazing to see. I wholeheartedly advise checking it out if you've ever been to the Philippines. The music, the dancing, and the intensity were all unforgettable. Simply put, I just hope that this festival will continue over the years because I know that many people would love to have experiences like this.

Reference:

Vigan City PH. "[Facebook Page]". Facebook. Retrieved February 02, 2023, from https://www.facebook.com/vigancityph