Pahiyas Blog

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The Pahiyas Festival is a religious festivity, first and foremost and a community event at the same time. Since the very beginning, only the church and the townspeople are involve and the government are just mere expectators and guest to some of the events leading to the celebration. The expenses for the festival and its activities are solicited and donated by the townspeople and generous donors. The money that comes in are just enough to spend for the prizes, tokens for the guest and judges of a competition, props, sound system and lighting equipment.

Our website, is also a private undertaking, supported by some kind Lucbanins who are generous enough to lend their talents, resources and anything they can contribute for the development and upkeep of the website. The local government of Lucban particularly the Pahiyas Committee who oversees the finances and activities of the Pahiyas, since the inception of the website (which was formerly registered as pahiyas.com), has never contributed financially or otherwise to its existence. Never it occured to them that a website, specially these days, is very important as it can promote Lucban and the Pahiyas all over the globe, inform our kababayans abroad of news and current events or sell Lucban products to the world market. One would wonder why the government officials are overly complacent and boastful that the Pahiyas is already popular so there’s no need even to spend money for advertisements on newspapers. (What about the Panagbenga, Sinulog and other festivals which are equally or more popular than the Pahiyas and yet thousands of pesos are spent for a full or half page newspaper ad? Your guess is as good as mine and the rest of the Lucbanins.)

So to keep our website online and updated with news, information and other features we have implemented the paid subscription service for premium articles and features such as video and current news. Your subscription and donation can help sustain the increasing costs of web hosting, writer’s fees, hardware maintenance and internet access. You also help in the promotion of Lucban and the Pahiyas Festival which the government fails to do.

For only Php100, you can gain a one month full, unlimited access to premium content of the Pahiyas website. Php1000 subscription will allow you to access the site for the whole year. And if you are more generous enough, you can shell out any amount as donation to make our website not just accessible to you, but also to many of our kababayans around the world.

To subscribe and more info, please visit the Pahiyas website at http://www.pahiyasfestival.com

The Making of Kiping

The Pahiyas is not Pahiyas without the kiping, the colorful leaf-like wafers hung in every houses along the route of the procession. It is the kiping that makes the Pahiyas so colorful making every visitors gaze in awe at the scene of the long line of houses decorated with kiping in all sorts of shapes, sizes and style.

But have you even wonder how and what it is made of? Kiping is made of rice, thus it is edible when fried or grilled. Food coloring is mixed to produce different colors. It seems so simple but it’s a long, tedious process and takes months to prepare.

Watch the video at http://www.pahiyasfestival.com on how kiping is made.

Why a Well-off Lucbanin Shoulders the Php 100,000 Grand Prize

House owners who compete for the Timpalak Pahiyas, the yearly competition for the best Pahiyas decoration, are already weary and tired of putting up kiping and agricultural produce the best way they can. Aside from the increasing price of rice and other commodities, many have pointed out to the very meager financial gains they get. Even if they bag the grand prize, the prize money is not enough to cover all nor even half of what they spent.

Though millions of pesos are collected by the Lucban Municipal Government through the Pahiyas Executive Committee from the sponsors, it is mind-boggling why they can not put up a bigger prize, or at least increase it year after year. Some officials say they can not put that much as the money collected is not enough to cover all the expenses for the festival – the same reason they have been declaring everytime there is the Pahiyas Festival. FYI, the committee maintains a separate bank account for the Pahiyas, different from the town’s coffer.

This is the rationale for shouldering the grand prize by a private citizen, owners of a well-known restaurant in Lucban. The catch – a whooping one hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000) is double than what the organizers, the government of Lucban headed by its current mayor, Moises “Bonbon” Villasenor which only gives away Php 50,000 for the grand prize. It is a relief for many Lucbanins who are the ones beautifying the Pahiyas but only a few, particularly only those in the local government enjoy the rewards.

The modern Pahiyas Festival was started by private individuals and civic organizations whose objectives and mind-set are for the benefit of Lucban and its people. Events, prizes, competitions and activities are all run and donated by private individuals and groups The local government are just mere expectators and guests.  But as years go by, and sponsors money come pouring in, the government seize the opportunity to run the Pahiyas all by themselves, as what the current municipal officials are doing since they started occupying their positions in the government, putting the people of Lucban into the sidelines.

It is high time that the Pahiyas is brought back again to the people of Lucban to bring back its real essence and glory. When this happens, the people of Lucban and visitors will get more fun in Lucban during the Pahiyas.

Pahiyasfestival.com Sports a New Look

After a couple of years, Pahiyasfestival.com has finally undergone a major facelift.  The CMS platform we have been using to run the Pahiyas website has already evolved into many major changes and releases but  Pahiyasfestival.com still uses the very old, antiquated version.

More features have also been added.  News and articles are now presented in a more sleek presentation and is engaging to readers as registered users may post comments.  The FAQs page contains questions about the Pahiyas Festival that lingers to every visitors mind but has now given a concrete answer to understand the Pahiyas fully.

The previous Pahiyas website was also vulnerable to spam attacks and other security threats.  As a precaution, we have deleted and cleaned our user database and starting a clean slate.

As there is more fun in Lucban during the Pahiyas Festival, we hope to find your visit to pahiyasfestival.com as enjoyable as the real one as well.

Get 5% Early Bird Discount for the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012

Tour rate for the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012 is still discounted for participants who book early.  From March 1-31, 2012, you can still enjoy 5% discount (or Php 90 off) from the regular tour package rate of Php 1800.

And if you book early, you can choose the seat you will be most comfortable with.

So what are you waiting for?  Book now for the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012 at http://www.pahiyasfestival.com.

10% Early Bird discount for the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012 ends in 9 days!

Yes, in 9 days the 10% Early Bird discount for the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012 we are giving will come to an end. Have you reserved your seat already? Visit http://www.pahiyasfestival.com/  for more info and reservation.

Car Park Available in the Pahiyas Tour Assembly Area

The parking area at the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues is available for tour participants who plan to leave their cars to join the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012. The parking area, beside the Filipinas Heritage Library is secured as it is fenced and guarded by a security guard 24-hours a day. Tour participants may leave their car in the morning prior to boarding the bus and may be taken back upon drop off in the evening of May 15. Parking fee is pegged at a flat rate of Php150.00 for up to 24 hours and may be paid upon entering the car park.

Please note however that the organizers of the Pahiyas Day Tour 2012 has no responsibility and liability to any vehicles parked in the said parking area.

Higantes join Adamson University in their 80th Foundation Anniversary Parade

Congratulations to the Adamson University on their 80th Foundation Anniversary. Held on February 9, 2012, part of the celebration is the institutional parade where the Higantes/ADgiants, in Greek costumes added excitement to the affair.

From Intramuros, the parade of administrators, faculties and students, some in their street dancing costumes passed through the Rizal Park, the Manila City Hall, Taft Avenue and into the main campus in San Marcelino St. in Manila. The event culminated in a street dancing competition where students and faculties from different colleges vie for the best street dancing performance.

15% Early Bird Discount Promo ends on January 31

Save 15% for the the Pahiyas Festival Day Tour 2012 Package rate.  Reserve now and confirm your reservation until January 31 and pay only Php 1,530.00.

You can even choose your desired seat, guaranteed.

So what are you waiting for?  Join the Pahiyas Day Tour and witness the Philippines’ most colorful summer festival for only Php 1,530.

Visit Pahiyasfestival.com to reserve and for more details.

Join the Pahiyas Festival Day Tour 2012

Now on its 3rd year, pahiyasfestival.com once again offers a tour of the Philippines most colorful summer festival, the Lucban San Isidro Pahiyas Festival.

Though the festival on May 15, 2012 falls on a Tuesday, there are so much things to do and see during the Pahiyas:
a.  Roam around Lucban, watched and be amazed by the colorful decorations of kiping and other agricultural product and handicrafts of Lucban.
b.  Shop at the Tiyangge for souvenirs, handicrafts, food and plants.
c.  Dine in our included lunch-buffet of delectable Lucban foods like Pansit Lucban, Lucban longganisa, pinangat, hardinera, embotido and dinner of seafoods and inihaw.
d.  Watch and enjoy the grand parade of floats decorated with fruits, vegetables and other indigenous materials, carabao, native costumes, higantes, street dancing and marching bands.

As early as December, we have been accepting reservations at discounted rates for early birds:
December – 20% discount
January 1-31 – 15% discount
February 1-29 – 10% discount
March 1-31 – 5% discount

And if you confirm your reservation earlier, you can choose the best seat for more comfortable trip to Lucban (which would take about 3-4 hours during the festival day).

Join the Pahiyas Day Tour, make your reservations now and save more!

Visit pahiyasfestival.com for more info and reservation.