Pahiyas is one of the biggest and most colourful festivals in the Philippines. Every 15th of May, locals in Lucban in Quezon province celebrate the feast of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of the farmers, to give thanks for their bountiful harvest. Residents use 'kiping', brightly-coloured leaf-shaped wafers, to decorate the facade of their homes along with fruits and flowers.
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Highlights
- Festivals in the Philippines are town fiestas celebrating the history, arts, and culture.
- This April, Fiesta Filipinas highlights the Pahiyas Festival from Lucban, Quezon
- The online event showcases the must-visit sites, must-eat delicacies, and must-do activities in several provinces of the Philippines.
More than 200 live participants across the globe joined the Fiesta Filipinas online event- headed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
According to Nova De Lara, Cultural Officer at the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, this is an immersive invite for foreign tourists to explore our culture and visit the country now that the travel restrictions are easing.
Fiesta Filipinas virtual participants across the globe Source: DFA Philippines
Participants experienced a virtual tour of Quezon, which showcases the creativity and artistic talent of Lucban's community, the pristine beaches of Cagbalete Island, and the mystical Mount Banahaw, to simulate the experience of a Filipino festival.
DFA Philippines shared a festival kit filled with kiping decorations, colourful Arangya lanterns, Pahiyas scent spray, and snacks from the province with the 'Bisitas'.
The participants also enjoyed cooking pancit habhab, a noodle dish from Lucban that is eaten directly from the banana leaf without using utensils.
"My daughter loves the pancit habhab and the virtual tour. We are being transported to Lucban, Quezon, even if we haven't been there," said Frisca, a virtual bisita from Canberra.
DFA and Bisitas are now gearing for the other festivals scheduled to bring the whole Filipino fiesta experience worldwide.
Cooking pancit habhab a noodle dish from Lucban served over a piece of banana leaf and is eaten without any utensils Source: DFA Philippines
June 25, 2022 - Wagayway and Kalayaan Festival of Cavite
September 24, 2022 - Kadayawan Festival of Davao
November 26, 2022 - Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Tacloban, Leyte
