Let's talk Filipino

Fiesta Filipinas: An online celebration of Philippine festivals

We participated in a joint project of the Philippine Department and Foreign Affairs and 94 Philippine embassies and Consulates General around the world where we showcase different Philippine festivals that occur all year round. This project is called "Fiesta Filipinas: an online celebration of Philippine festivals."

This project is in cooperation with the Philippine Department of Tourism and the National commission for Culture and Arts. It is a multi-format online event series from December 2020 until May 2021, which will simulate the experience of a festival through a combination of live and pre-recorded videos and live workshops and activities. The project aims to introduce and showcase Philippine festivals, culture and traditions to the global audience and invite them to the Philippines in the future when the conditions and favorable.

Please check out the different kits that we've received so far from the Philippine embassy here in The Hague and the various festivals each represent.

Masskara Festival

This annual festival celebrates Bacolod as the "City of smiles". The festival has evolved, through time, into one of the major annual tourist attractions of the Philippines showcasing dance competitions, beauty pageants, carnivals and food festivals. One major feature of this event are the masks, mostly hand-painted and adorned with feathers and beads that people wear mostly during dance competitions. Check out our episode on YouTube as we unbox and do some taste testing as well of their local delicacies for the first time!

For our unboxing video of the Masskara festival kit, please click here.

Lami-lamihan festival

The festival showcases the richness in culture and tradition of the Yakan tribe in Basilan, northern Mindanao. When you visit to witness this event, you'll find people dressed in colorful costumes dancing to wonderful music as people participate in parades, horse races and other activities. Check out our episode as we unbox and do some taste testing while we feature our kids trying out certain local delicacies for the first time!

For our unboxing video of the Lami-lamihan festival kit, please click here.

Flores De Mayo

The festival known to everyone in the Philippines, Flores de Mayo is one of the May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary with devotees offering flowers and prayers to the image of Mary every night. It's also mostly marked with a procession or "santacruzan", a religion-historical beauty pageant. On this feature episode, we were tasked to make our own floral decoration, the gumamela (a.k.a. hibiscus flower). Check which one of ours looks better!

For our unboxing video of the Flores De Mayo kit, please click here.

Visita Iglesia

The tradition known as Visita Iglesia, also known as the 'Seven Churches Visitation', is commonly practiced in Iloilo City, Philippines. Faithful followers visit seven churches on Maundy Thursday during Lent. On this feature episode of Fiesta Filipinas, we will show you the beautiful churches and breath taking sites of Iloilo. But at the same time, we will share with you our online experience being chosen as one of the live participants of the Fiesta Filipinas online show together with their host Paolo Abrera and Chal Lontoc.

For our unboxing video of the Visita Iglesia kit, please click here.

Panagbenga Flower Festival

This is a month-long yearly celebration in Baguio City, Benguet province is topped off with a parade featuring floats covered with flowers to signify "season of blooming". The festival, which occur in February, also includes street dancing with participants dressed in flower-inspired costumes.

For our unboxing video of the Panagbenga festival kit, please click here.

Giant Lantern festival

This festival is held yearly in the city of San Fernando, Pampanga. It is celebrated with a Christmas lantern competition where participants from all over town create giant lantern or "parol" the sizes of which are usually about 10-20 feet in height! Participants use about 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs to create intricate dancing lights during the competition.