Batangue?os celebrate their cultural renewal

FOUR-HUNDRED years of Batangas traditions

that include legendary religious rites will be

compressed in two weeks of spectacular

presentations and performances in the streets,

churches and schools of Bauan, starting April

23.

''Poong Sta. Cruz, a Batangas Festival'' focuses

on Bauan's holy cross, a religious image that has

inspired deep devotion among the townspeople

and become the province's symbol of cultural

renewal.

Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said the

festival is part of the province's mission to

preserve and promote its treasured culture and

tradition alongside the development that has

invaded the province lately.

Mandanas said the occasion hopes to make Batangas--which is changing into an

industrialized zone with the relocation of many multinational factories here--into a

province with a soul.

''The cultural side of the province completes the presentation of Batangas as a

province,'' said Mandanas. ''Batangas will not be whole, in spite of the development

happening here, without the promotion of its culture. We have an important task of

giving Batangas a soul.''

Festival director Carol Atacador, a native of Bauan who has not lived in the town for

30 years, said the activities would recapture the Batangas she had known as a youth.

''We want to keep alive the history of our people and bring back our culture. We're

not talking about balisong, for which Batangas is famous, but Batangas' music,

dances and religious rites.''

Festival coordinator Fred Mendoza said the Batangasfest was also organized to make

young people know the meaning of the feast of the Holy Cross.

Sacred dance

Festival highlights include the Subli, or the dance of the Holy Cross, and Salubong,

or the meeting of the twin crosses of Alitagtag and Bauan. These towns share the

Poong Sta. Cruz.

More than 400 Subli dancers from various schools of Batangas and the townspeople

of Bauan will converge in the streets to perform the sacred dance that originated in

the worship of Poong Sta. Cruz. Subli is usually performed before the image of the

cross.

The festival will also feature the performances of the Bayanihan Philippine Dance

Company, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, the Sining Kumintang of Batangas,

Danny Dolor's Tribung Pinoy with the Filipinas Rondalla and the Mabuhay

Singers.

A culminating Mass on May 2 will be graced by the UP Concert Chorus, which will

perform Ryan Cayabyab's Misa, Sacred Songs, and Vivaldi's ''Gloria'' with the

Pundaquit Chamber Orchestra.

Cayabyab and Rodel Colmenar will conduct a full ensemble, the 40-member

Philippine Madrigal Singers and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Bauan

Cathedral. Soloists Nolyn Cabahug, Rachelle Gerodiaz, Thea Perez and Elmo Maki

will also perform.

Gary Valenciano and Friends, including Carlos Orosa, a native of Bauan, will hold a

public concert at the Bauan Technical High School.

Fifty-four priests will perform the concelebrated Mass on May 3, the feast day of

Poong Sta. Cruz.

Special screenings

The Philippine Educational Theater Association will stage two of their popular

plays, ''Summer Dreamin' '' and ''Hatol sa Guhit na Bilog'' at the Sta. Teresa

College and Bauan Cathedral Plaza, on April 24 and May 2, respectively.

Activities also include special screenings of two Filipino film classics, Eddie

Romero's ''Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?'' and LVN's Nida

Blanca-Nestor de Villa starrer ''Batangue?a.''

There will also be art competitions in painting and photography, focusing on

Batangas' tourist attractions. A showcase of Batangas products and food will be

presented at the main festival sites.

Mandanas said the promotion of Batangas' culture will dwell not only in the festival

this summer. The province will also hold Centennial celebrations of the province's

two heroes, Gen. Miguel Malvar and Apolinario Mabini.

Batangasfest will also be celebrated by other towns in the province: Mabini,

Batangas City, San Jose, Cuenca.

Many miracles are said to have been caused by the image of the Poong Sta. Cruz.

Legend has it that the cross brought about the repentance and change of a wicked

husband. One night, the suspicious husband followed his wife and saw her praying

before the cross located in the forest. As he was listening to his wife's prayer, the

husband saw a burst of light and water gushing forth from the cross. The husband

wept and asked for forgiveness.

From then on, the townspeople noticed the cross shining like silver and found the

water to be miraculous. Many people went there to pray and be cured of their

illnesses.

The Batangasfest culminates on May 3.