The feast of the Black Nazarene is being held on January 9. Devotees gather by the thousands and they’re all there hoping to touch the Black Nazarene and be cured of their sickness or be blessed with good luck.

Photo by Dudzmtorres of Pbase.com

During the month of May, the whole Philippines celebrate Flores de Mayo “Flowers of May”. It is a festival in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Santacruzan is a festivity to commemorate Queen Helena’s search of the Holy Cross. The legend tells us that Queen Helena at the old age of 75 and around 300 years after Christ had died on the cross had come in search of the Holy Cross at Calvary. She was able to discover three crosses and so she instructed one of her sick servants to lay on all three crosses and the one where the servant was miraculously healed was believed to be the Holy Cross. The anniversary of Queen Helena’s discovery of the cross is on May 3.

Honoring a saint is one of the principal reasons why Filipinos celebrate numerous fiestas. This is the reason why the people in Pulilan, Bulacan never fail to commemorate and pay tribute to San Isidro Labrador, who is the patron saint for farmers. Although the festival officially begins on May 15 every year, there are traditions which the locals need to observe prior to this day. For 24 days, they must perform the Paseo or the procession of the image of San Isidro to the different towns comprising Bulacan. They ought to complete the Novena for nine consecutive days.

Almost everyone desires to register a world record. This feat will be remembered and known for the years to come. The Filipinos are no exception to this challenge in attempting to establish a record. Nothing could make this experience more fun and entertaining than doing such feat during a festivity. This is what the people in Sta. Cruz, Laguna has managed to combine in celebrating the annual Anilag Festival. Although this fiesta has been observed for only a few years, it has become an important occasion for most of the people living in Laguna.

Tagbilaran City in Bohol is a significant site in the annals of Philippine history. It is therefore fitting that it celebrates a fiesta that commemorates what is deemed a historical event that occurred on March 16, 1565. On this day, a blood compact took place between Datu Sikatuna and Captain Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The former is a brave Filipino chieftain while the latter was a Spanish colonizer. Although you might expect animosity to spring up between the two, given their conflicting positions, what occurred was simply the opposite.

The month of May ushers in a different kind of celebration for the residents of the town of Calbiga, Samar. From an outsider’s point of view, the festivity that is known as Pahoy Pahoy Farmers’ Festival may be considered as simply one of the numerous fiestas that the Filipinos are famous in observing. However, an important legend with valuable lessons is the source of why this occasion needs to be remembered. It is a story of triumph, which is a cause for merriment for the townspeople.

One of the more interesting fiestas in the Philippines is the Tuna Festival in General Santos City. Most probably, this celebration was inspired by the fact that this particular city is referred to as the country’s Tuna Capital. The city’s contribution to the overall revenues of the government deserves to be honored as it operates a prosperous tuna industry. The tuna trade is responsible for generating at least 100,000 employment opportunities, either direct or indirect for its local populace including the nearby vicinities.