A Taste of Penafrancia Fiesta after 12 Years

Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia, the mother and patron  saint of the whole Bicolandia.

At the age of sixteen, I left my hometown, Naga City for university education. Since 2000, I never had the chance of going home to celebrate fiesta which is not only significant for the Catholics of Naga City but also for the rest of Bicol. All forms of transportation going to the city every September are fully booked. Being a chance passenger is not a plausible idea during this time of the year. You might be able to reach Naga but without the luxury of a comfortable seat. Chances are you'll be on a jump seat, on the floor, in a standing position, or you could find a seat but on the aisle or boxes of chickens/roosters, pails of fish, luggage and pasalubong. Upon arrival, you'll be forced to step on others' luggage or go through the windows.  This sounds more of a horror story than a feast. So I'd rather reserve a seat weeks before this big event. To cut the story short, I didn't have time and energy to be present from 2000-2011 annual Penafrancia Fiesta.

However, each year, I try to imagine the food, the parades, the booths, an d programs for the fiesta. I salivate on the thought of the various meals prepared by my parents. I envy friends who gather and get together. I fancy going to parades like the military and the civic parade.

This year, I wen t around to feel the ambiance after 12 years of not being able to participate in the annual fiesta of our patron saint, Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia.

Near the church and the downtown Naga,  booths are erected to sell different goods, most of which are food.

  These young people above are business students from the university that I work for. Fiesta gives them the chance to create an Income Generating Project or IGP. In one of my morning walks I passed by their booth to see how their business is competing with the others.

Naga Metropolitan Cathedral Dome prepared for the arrival of Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia or Ina.

While a mass is being held at the Penfrancia Shrine, the Cathedral grounds is all prepared, despite of the scattered rain showers the whole morning, for the coming of Ina. The transfer of the image from  the Penafrancia Shrine to the Cathedral is what we call, Traslacion, which happens on  the first Friday of September. People will wait for her arrival. She will be welcomed with a mass. And for a week She will stay here until the day of the feast. After a week she will be brought to the Basilica through a fluvial procession. In between these two major events are different activities prepared for the locals and guests. This is not only for the Bicolanos but for all the devotees of Ina.  This religious event made us the Pilgrim City.

Mama's Fried Chicken Recipe

An all time Chopsuey favorite

An Ilocano dish that is well-loved by whole family, Igado

Fiestas will never be complete without food. I did not take a photo of everything we had for the guests. I only got the chance early in the morning, when no one was still around to shoo me away from the dining table. Mama would always say that probably we are richer than what we are today if we don't love eating. She cooks really well and everybody in our family, except her, loves eating. So, maybe, getting fat is not in our genes but in our lifestyle.

My father and uncle enjoying videoke together

My mum, cousins and I

A fiesta will never be complete without music and family. In almost every household a videoke machine will either be owned or  rented. Singing songs, out of tune or not, is very common when you pass by the streets. It's funny how some can only manage to belt out if under the influence of alcohol. Beer, gin and some other tonics are present to add more fun to the festive mood.





And what are food, wine, and music for without us and our guests? Relatives from   other parts of Bicol and sometimes Philippines, or the wolrd, join us in celebrating the biggest feast of the year in Bicol. This religious event does not only strenghten our families but our society as a whole. As one, we worship. As one, we revisit and validate our values. Ini ang nagpapaorag sa  samo. This makes us great as a race.