Every year on August 31 is a cause for celebration to Macabebe natives wherever they are in the
world.
The ‘higantes’ or ‘Giants of Macabebe’ perform in front of the municipal hall and parish church. The last day of the month ushers in the start of preparations for the town fiesta on September 10.
10.
At the center of all the activity is Macabebe’s patron saint — SanNicolas de Tolentino or ‘Apung Kulas,’ an Augustinian friar known for his tremendous love and dedicated service to the poor and the suffering.
“Macabebe natives who are living in the United States also honor ‘Apung Kulas’ on August 31. There are events in key cities in California, New Jersey and other states,” said Macabebe Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan, a devout Catholic and an advocate of quality education for her people in the coastal Pampanga town.
On the morning of August 31, Apung Kulas was brought out of his home at the residence of the Natividad-Hernandez family in Palengkeng Luma, Barangay Santo Rosario, in Macabebe.
Thousands of devotees bring the statue to the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in the town plaza where a Holy Mass is held before the statue is paraded on the streets of the town proper.
Municipal Tourism Officer Catherine Flores said the statue was a gift of the Augustinian friars to the people of Macabebe.
Devotees gathered in front of the Macabebe parish church and the holy image of San Nicolas de Tolentino.
Captains Alvin
manansala of
San Francisco
Jefferson Suing
of San Esteban,
Nelson San
Anghel of Caduang
Tete
Ruben garcia of
Saplad David
and Marcos Tolentino
of Candelaria express full support to
the antiillegal
drug campaign of
the Macabebe
government.
“During the Spanish conquest of the Philippines, the priests admired the loyalty of the Macabebe folk to them and the Roman Catholic Church,” said Flores. She added that the statue is about 200 years old, based on the researches of Frandie Lacanlale, parochial secretary.
“The Macabebes were well-known for their ‘tested loyalty’ to Spain. According to a source, these people gave Spain, during the time of the revolution, the greatest example of loyalty registered in the history of any colonial empire,” said Flores, quoting a line lifted from an article about their town. Spain colonized the country for more than three centuries beginning in 1565.
Balgan said, “It has been the trademark of the Macabebe folk to stick it out with someone through thick and thin.”
“We do not abandon. We dearly value friendship and hold on to it regardless of the situation,” she said.
Gang Flores (center) visits his sister, Mayor
Balgan, at the municipal
hall on August 31.
Con Macalino, head of the municipal general services office, said, “Many of our townmates based in other places come home for August 31 to attend Mass or the procession for our patron saint.”
Municipal administrator Jomel Cruz said that on September 10, a well-attended religious procession will be done for ‘Apung Kulas.’
The holy image, which is holding a crucifix and a bird, is brought back to the house of Natty Natividad after the fiesta. She is the head of the family given the honor of taking care of the statue of ‘Apung Kulas’ for many decades.
Arlaine V. Alfonso is fiesta committee overall chairperson for the 2016 celebration.