Good Friday in Binangonan is one of the busiest days in our town, if not THE busiest. And just like me, the big population awaits this most special day in our practice of Christianity. Our town’s long history includes our religious traditions.
Our church used to be bright and elegant. Its interior was painted cream. One day a new Filipino parish priest came, who had a different decorating taste. He ordered the stripping of the painted wall plasters, removed the hundred year old ceiling to expose the wooden beams and roofing, and replaced the original chandeliers with wrought iron. That’s his own taste. Not mine. Since I didn’t live in Binangonan, before I knew it, our elegant church became dark and weary looking. Priests move from one parish to another. They should not be allowed to unilaterally change the way our original church looks like. Iba-iba ng taste ang tao. Yung maganda sa kanya, pangit sa akin. Paano kung sa susunod eh yung pari naman ay super badiduts ang taste, we should never allow him to alter our town’s heritage. Baka mamaya eh palitan itong mga original baldosa ng tiles made in invasive China.
Binangonan manufactures human beings faster than in any town. Marami ring dayo and I heard thousands of squatters were relocated somewhere in the bundok. That is great. Merong mga nakasamang harungas ang mga mukha at halang ang mga bituka (description was borrowed from my father+). Kulang kasi ang akyat bahay sa Binangonan, drug pushers, retailers, users and snatchers.
Men waiting to be the firsts to carry the Santo Entierro
You need big muscles and toned abs to survive the Giwang-giwang tradition.
Nakaw, I forgot their names. Anak ni Ka Ilustre ito may ari ng mga trucking, and good friend and classmate sya ni Teying, (Atty. Carmelo Arcilla of CAB), tapos itong na ka red, si_____ pinsan ni Alice Maaba, apo ba ito o anak ni Judge Aprecio? or husband ni Annie Sisante? Oh my God nalimutan ko.
My elementary classmate, Annie Sisante, who’s clan owns the image of the Santo Entierro, assists devotees by wiping their handkerchiefs, towels and what have you on the face of the santo.
That’s where we all went to high school. I hope no school principal or parish priest would make pakialam that cemented marker. Baka biglang mawala at palitan ng mga pangalan nila. Never touch that please.
According to Father Jeffrey, ang mga santo daw ay ipinu-prusisyon natin dahil sila ay ating iniidolo, dahil maganda silang ehemplo, the way they lived, the way they fought for their faith, etc.
They didn’t wear extravagant clothes during their time. Wala silang mga drop earrings na ang hahaba. Hindi sila balot sa ginto at pilak (silver).
This is a new addition to the santos.
Even the hudyo crucifying Jesus was dressed in gold threads.
Bell tower
The procession was about to start.
husband ni Ate Annie Sisante, silvestre ang name
Oyen looks like a supermodel on that first shot. Like a behind the scenes look from a fashion shoot.