My sister and I decided to go to Quezon province to participate in the Pahiyas Festival on May 15. I’ve been seeing Pahiyas coverage on TV. The news show houses being decorated with edible decorations called “kiping” and lots of people celebrating in the fiesta. I was glad to have this opportunity to go to Lucban and experience the Pahiyas celebration. From Manila, it was a 3 -hour bus ride (140php) to Sta Cruz where we took the Lucban jeep (45php), a 45-minute to 1-hour ride to go to Lucban then another tricycle (10php) into the town since the town was closed from public vehicles to observe the fiesta.

The San Isidro Pahiyas Festival is referred to as many as the fiesta that ends all fiestas. It started as a simple celebration for bountiful harvest from San Isidro’s blessing. Now it evolved into a celebration where neighbors compete with one another in decorating their houses with colorful kiping, farmers showing their vegetable harvests, stalls of shop carrying native delicacies and items, and parade of people showcasing their indigenous products and culture. And also of course tourists taking part in the celebration!

We arrived at Lucban town proper midmorning and we were surprised by the crowd of people walking around, taking pictures of the colorful houses. We decided to go to famous Kamay ni Hesus Shrine first before participating in the fiesta. It was a really warm weather and walking up the 200plus steps to the statue of Jesus Christ was uncomfortable. I was forced to buy a straw hat (20php) because the heat of the sun was too strong. We took a lot of photos here and we’re glad that we reached the top because we could finally go down. Hehehehe. The Shrine is impressive. It is very clean and well maintained. The hill going to the top depicts Jesus Christ’s life before he was crucified. There were other monuments erected around the compound but we were too tired and sweating to explore further.

After the expedition, we went back to the town to experience the Pahiyas festival. We took pictures of the colorful houses and the old catholic church at the center of the town. We were able to eat the famous pancit habhab which the street vendors sell for only 10php. We also bought a cup of mango juice (5php) which I thought was just the artificial juice kind but was surprised when it was made from real mango. Pancit habhab could be likened to pancit canton without the garnishes. It’s very delicious. It is called habhab because you will literally eat it from the banana leaves without any utensils, just your mouth. So if you guys can’t adapt to this way of eating, I suggest you bring a disposable fork with you.

For lunch we ate at Buddy’s which was founded in this city. I heard this restaurant in the TV and I forgot which food they were famous for. Anyway we ordered lechon kawali and grilled pork chop. It was good but nothing special. I wanted to order their pancit but the serving was too big for just me and my sister. The service was really friendly and helpful despite the restaurant being too crowded with people.

As expected the Filipino time prevailed and the parade started late at around 3pm instead of 2pm. We took our position on the side of the street – actually in front of a carabao. This could be the only time I saw lots of carabaos upclose. The parade was colorful and very artistic. The materials were made from edible stuffs and indigenous materials truly showcasing the local talent and products. However at this time too when my sister was robbed of her wallet while she was busy shooting the people coming down the parade. We don’t know how and when exactly but just to warn you guys, no place is spared from pickpockets!

After the parade we decided to go home to be able to reach the bus terminal early. But before that we bought local delicacies. From the research I did in the internet, Lucban is known for its native longganisa and the pastry broas. We asked locals which shop carries the best longganisa in town and Abcedece was one mentioned. We bought ours there for 65php/dozen. Hopefully we will be cooking it this lunch! We also bought Broas, Uraro and Apas. I’ve tried these products before and I enjoyed broas and apas. Anyway just tip for you guys, if you’re going to buy local delicacies, try not to buy it from the stalls that litter outside the street (tiangge as what they are called) because their prices are higher than those sold inside a shop.

If you plan to join Pahiyas next year, know the weather. If it’s sunny, wear very light clothes and rubber shoes (lots of walking around), apply sunscreen, bring an umbrella or a cap, and a change of clothes.

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