Most Spectacular Festivals in Quezon Province Every Month of May [Filipino Fiesta and Traditions]

The Season of Festivals is celebrated on the merry month of May in Quezon Province. This Province is an ideal destination for quick out of town trip  due to its close proximity from Metro Manila. Locals and tourists from all over the world visit the Philippines not just to see its beautiful beaches and breathtaking sights, but also to experience the country’s grand festivals that, without a doubt, makes it more fun in the Philippines. 

The month of May is celebrated as National Heritage Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 439 s. 2003 which aims to actively foster consciousness, respect, and love for the nation’s culture and history among Filipinos. 

On this article, we feature three amazing Festivals from the Province of Quezon usually as thanksgiving or pasasalamat for a bountiful harvest.  

1. Araña’t Baluarte Festival - Municipality of Gumaca

The parade of San Isidro Labrador passes through the Baluarte near Lamon Bay. The Kutang San Diego can be seen in the distance. Gumaca, Quezon | MYR Frias 2016

The Municipality of Gumaca celebrates the Araña’t Baluarte Festival held annually every 15th of May. Baluartes, or “fortresses” in Spanish, are built on the streets of Gumaca using bamboo set up in an arc, where people can pass through. Fruits and vegetables arranged like arañas, or “chandeliers” in Spanish, are hung from the baluartes. 

Details of baluarte decorations. Gumaca, Quezon | MYR Frias 2016

The baluarte structures made of bamboo are prepared first before decorating it with the araña. Gumaca, Quezon. MYR Frias | 2016

All 59 barangays in Gumaca participate in the festival. Every barangay can make their own baluarte, or they can team up with other nearby barangays to construct one. Preparation of the baluartes start as early as the first week of May, when bamboos are gathered and allowed to dry before its actual construction. Members of the barangay facilitate in putting up the baluartes, while the families help in the construction and decoration. They also provide fruits and vegetables as decorations for the arañas, which are usually assembled a few days before the actual festival. 

The preparation of the arañas is a combined effort of families and neighbors belonging to the same barangay. Gumaca, Quezon | PD Frias 2016

The agawan is the most anticipated part of the festival. Gumaca, Quezon | PD Frias 2010

The most anticipated moment in the festival is the “agawan,” when the image of San Isidro Labrador passes through the baluarte, and the suspended goods are cut loose for the awaiting festival-goers. Some would climb the platforms or jump to reach the most-prized fruits or vegetables. In every baluarte, there are also people assigned to throw goods from the top of the structure into the crowd and for those who cannot participate in the scramble beneath the baluarte. 

Richly decorated baluartes line the streets. Gumaca, Quezon | PD Frias 2016

Guests may ask baluarte climbers to reserve specific arañas of their choice. The baluarte climbers eagerly comply, even with requests from the yelling crowd, asking for a portion of the goods. In a way, the ones on top of the structure ensure that everyone gets a share. People of all ages participate in this free-for-all festival. Family members can also team up—the father jumps and aims for the arañas, the mother collects the thrown fruits and vegetables, and the children sneak either atop the baluarte or underneath it, picking up the goods ignored by the crowd. Since the procession of the image of San Isidro Labrador moves slowly, some locals tend to take this opportunity by running from one baluarte to another to ‘harvest’ more goods. Sacks of fruits and vegetables are carried home after the festival. The ‘harvest’ is paraded on the way home, earning approving looks and recognition from friends, neighbors, and family members. 

2. Pahiyas Festival of the Municipality of Lucban

Kiping decorations at the facade of the houses in Lucban, Quezon during the Pahiyas Festival.

This festival is celebrated annually every 15th of May, as thanksgiving or pasasalamat for a bountiful harvest, and in honor of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers. Pahiyas is from the word pa’yas, used widely in the Tagalog region, which means ‘to decorate.’ 

Residents decorate their houses in preparation for the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon.

Originally, locals offered their harvest inside the church, but as the number of harvests increased, the church could no longer accommodate their offerings. The parish priest then advised the people to display their produce in front of their houses. The priest would then bless them, their household, and the produce during the procession. Those who participated in the procession would get some of the ornaments and offerings, encouraged by the house owners to partake from the offerings as a way of sharing their blessings.

Colorful kiping arranged like a chandelier.

A chandelier-like décor of palay, kiping, suman, garlic and longganisa.

Lucban Pahiyas is known for their colorful, leaf-shaped, ground rice decorations called kiping, which is the main attraction of the festival, along with a variety of harvested fruits and vegetables. Each household used to make kiping for display, but due to the considerable increase in the price of rice in the market, kiping has become a minor element in their decorations for the past decade. Some households still incorporate kiping in their designs, but not as excessively as before. Aside from these crispy kiping, the festival also showcases other famous local dishes, such as Lucban longganisa (sausage) and pancit habhab (stir fried noodles). 

3. Mayohan Festival in the City of Tayabas

Baliskog (arc) from the different barangays of Tayabas placed around Casa Comunidad.

The last among May festivals in the Province of Quezon is the Mayohan Festival in the City of Tayabas, celebrated every 15th of May, in honor of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers.

Baliskog (arc) from the different barangays of Tayabas placed around Casa Comunidad.

Crowd gathered in the church compound before the libot (procession).

Photographed suman among 10,000 pieces ready to be tossed during the procession of San Isidro, prepared by the City of Tayabas for the 2016 Mayohan Festival, arranged on the veranda of the City Hall.

Hagisan ng suman is the highlight of Mayohan.  Residents would toss suman (rice cakes), fruits, vegetables and other items to the people joining the libot (procession) of the image of San Isidro Labrador. According to locals, it is their form of thanksgiving for abundance and blessings they received, and a way of sharing and redistribution of their bounty. 

Hagisan ng suman in front of the City Hall of Tayabas, the highlight of Mayohan Festival.

The suman associated with San Isidro Labrador is only made during the Mayohan festival, and prepared two to three days before the event. It is different from the suman wrapped in banana or pandan leaves available in the market. The suman of San Isidro is wrapped in young leaves of coconut and is also characterized by a long tail, which serves as its propeller when tossed. There is a technique in tossing the suman to make its tail swirl, one should hold and release the suman one by one like a dart from the veranda or roof of the house. 

In the past, the whole family participated in making suman for the Mayohan. In recent times, residents order them from known makers. Aside from rice cakes, others would also toss their harvested fruits and vegetables or products from their businesses such as t-shirts, school supplies, caps, and packaged snacks. Some of them would even throw monetary bills.   

Aside from the hagisan ng suman, the Tayabasin also decorate their houses in style called pa’yas para kay San Isidro.  Each barangay also creates a baliskog or an arc, a structure that signifies festivity and welcome for guests. 

The fiestas on the 15th day of May in the four towns of the Province of Quezon, namely Gumaca, Tayabas, Lucban and Sariaya commence after the three o’clock mass in the afternoon. It is said that the angel normally helps San Isidro Labrador in farming at three in the afternoon, so the celebration starts at said time.

4. Agawan Festival of Sariaya, Quezon

5. Pasayahan sa Lucena, Lucena City Quezon

____________________

Credits

Text and Photos by the NMP Ethnology Division 

©The National Museum of the Philippines (2021)

Quezon Provincial Library FB Page