Vigan’s Whimsical Arts Under One Colorful Event

The Viva Vigan Festival of Arts is celebrated during the first week of the month of May. It was started in 1993 by the Save Vigan Ancestral Homes Association, Inc. (SVAHAI) to promote awareness of the value of the historic town, which was hoped to strengthen resolve to preserve and protect this heritage site. For the past sixteen years, the festival of arts has been successful in drumming up attention for Vigan’s ancestral houses.

Binatbatan is the process of beating cotton pods to remove the seeds for Abel weaving. Which locals interpreted into an occupational dance with the use of two sticks called ”batbat”. Binabatan street dance is one of the main attractions during the week-long celebrations.

The Feast of Apo Sto. Cristo Milagroso is celebrated with a mass at the Simbaan a Basiit on May 3rd. This is a very important religious holiday in Vigan because the Apo is claimed to have saved the city on numerous occasions. Visitors are also encouraged to fit in the calesa parade, ramada or traditional games, comedia or stage drama, Santa Cruzan parade, abel fashion show and house decoration, singing contests and beauty pageants, and other exciting events like the Amazing Heritage Race into their six-day Viva Vigan experience. They can also take part in religious ceremonies or attend exhibits, horticultural shows, and commerce and food festivals.

However, the pandemic became a big challenge for us to celebrate Binatbatan Festival of Arts. Despite having this obstacle, I observed that the spirit of this festival still became strong. In which, it didn’t make this obstacle rule over it. In short, amid the pandemic, the spirit of this festival still went up, rose up, and strove up.

Reference:

The pictures are from the Facebook page of Vigan City - 'Vigan City PH'. May 08, 2022.

https://www.facebook.com/vigancityph/posts/pfbid02bX71nhHarrmANwA5PZ1pKkZ3WMCpcMaDU5tRxNx6884ssVWgGkSHkPCAArzkVJuTl

She Is the Future

Women empowerment is a situation in which women are given the opportunity to participate fully in social, political and economic spheres of life. Empowering woman entail creating an enabling environment in which women are allowed to implement government programs and organizational policies that affect their lives. Women empowerment is the situation in which women move from the state of being oppressed to the state in which both the oppressor and the oppressed are equal, socially, politically and economically.

–Pictures of our neighbors who are frontliners in our town

 “Feminism does not aim to make women powerful. Women are already powerful. It is about influencing the way the rest of the world views your strength.” Women have always had fewer opportunities and possibilities to develop their talents and knowledge since ancient times. Women’s need for equality emerged from ancient times due to gender inequality and male domination in the world. For many reasons, women are being oppressed by members of their families and society. They were also abused by the male members in the family and society of all countries for many types of violence and discriminatory practices. Wrong and outdated habits have taken the form of well-developed customs and traditions for women in society from ancient times. Women have suffered a lot through the years at the hands of men. But as the times evolved, women realized their power. There on began the revolution for women empowerment.

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.”

–Madeleine Albright

Women are the key to sustainable development and quality of life in the family. They perform the role of a mother, wife, partner, organizer, administrator, director, re-creator, disburser, economist, mother, disciplinarian, teacher, health officer, artist and queen in the family at the same time. Apart from it, woman plays a key role in the socio-economic development of the society. Women are the key to sustainable development and quality of life. So, they should act as leaders of the society to raise voice against women violence, exploitation in household as well as in work place, dowry prohibition superstition and other social atrocities.

Women are the pioneers of nation so they should be member of religious institution to deliver spiritual speech to adolescent boys and girls in order to eliminate juvenile delinquency problem from the society. They are supposed to create awareness about human rights, women and child rights, credit facility of bank, different immunization programs to low socio-economic status people of the society.

Moreover, it is the women who have sustained the growth of society and molded the future of nations. In the emerging complex social scenario, women have a vital role to play in different sectors. They can no longer be considered as mere harbingers of peace but are emerging as the source of power and symbol of progress.

In conclusion, women are also human beings like men and they deserve to live their life like other human beings. Women also have the same ability and potential as men to do any form of work. Women are another form of love, care, kindness, and patience. Moreover, they really need to be appreciated and respected. Women must be given equal opportunities in every field, and irrespective of gender. It is the right of women to given them freedom.

References:

Why Is Women's Empowerment Important? January 20, 2022. Faro, Terrique. The Skills Portal.https://www.skillsportal.co.za/content/why-womens-empowerment-important

Bleeding Disorders in Women. July 7, 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/index.html

What is women empowerment? Motherhood Foundation. http://motherhoodfoundation.org.in/women-empowerment/

21 Fascinating Women's History Month Facts. Apr 1, 2022. Yurcaba, Jo AND Berry, Elizabeth. https://www.womansday.com/life/a34908026/womens-history-month-facts/

Facilitating Lessons Learnt

Throughout this quarter, I have learned about community-based research. Community-based research in public health focuses on social, structural, and physical environmental inequities through active involvement of community members, organizational representatives, and researchers in all aspects of the research process”. Those involved in the research give input on what they know about the topic in order to gain a further understanding and to discuss further knowledge with intentions to benefit the community involved. The principles of CBR are to recognize community as a unit of identity, build community strengths and resources, facilitate partnerships in all research phases, and promote co-learning and capacity building.

What I have found throughout the research is that CBR is about facilitating capacity building and increasing policy change through equal engagement between a diverse group of partners within the community. It has also been applied by many health researchers and practitioners to address the many different health disparities and community involvement to promote health equity. What these articles also mention is that community-based research projects have shown little effort within the literature that evaluates CBR and if the interventions are successful or unsuccessful.  I found that the CBPR approach is a valuable research tool in which can involve everyone in the process of positive changes within a community. This type of research searches for solutions for the communities that they are partnered with and I believe that having a long-term end goal, resulting in positive change for a struggling community, is the best way to resolve any issues especially in the public health setting.

Community-based research can be criticized for its lack of social impact in the ‘real world’. Study findings are often not well understood nor used effectively to shape policy making and practice. These issues are pertinent for practicing social workers who often find it difficult to utilize research knowledge to influence the public realm and engage service users in social change.

Moving on, I wanted to go further in my findings and look upon community-based research within the public health setting such a funding, health equity, and health disparities. The CBR approach has taught me how to better involve those in the research process and how communication is a key aspect when taking part in discussion, receiving and giving feedback. CBR has also shown me the importance of the challenges that are faced throughout different communities and how to develop effective solutions for them. The thesis of this reflection is to understand how to apply CBR by working together in a public health community setting to improve health equity and reduce health disparities.

Resources:

What is Community-based Participatory Research? Collier, Ashley. Jul 14, 2015. https://experiment.com/u/CZebYQ

Vaccines For Children Against COVID-19

     The evolving COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global public health crisis that continues to have a major impact on the world. Many countries are facing significant challenges vaccinating their populations for COVID-19. As countries continue to roll out COVID-19 vaccines, decisions about vaccination strategies need to balance limited vaccine availability with prioritizing people at greater risk of severe illness from the disease.

                 When COVID-19 vaccines first became available, countries around the world decided to implement vaccination strategies focused primarily on the adult population because children were less likely to experience severe illness from COVID-19. However, mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome have led to variants that pose a heightened risk of infection to a wider range of individuals, including subpopulations like children that were not part of initial vaccination roll-out strategies. Recent evidence indicates that children and young adults can carry a high SARS-CoV-2 viral load in their upper airways, particularly early in the course of infection, suggesting that pediatric populations may be a key source of community transmission and have the potential to serve as a reservoir for the evolution of new variants.

The best way to keep children safe is about prevention. We have to prevent as many infections as we possibly can all over the world. And it's about doing it all. We need to make sure children have clean hands and they wash their hands appropriately with soap and water and sing the songs so that they get enough bubbles and they make sure that those hands are really clean. Or use an alcohol-based rub. Make sure that they practice respiratory etiquette, where they sneeze into their elbow. These are good habits to be forming for children as they get older. We need to make sure that if they're age appropriate and they follow the local guidance to wear a mask appropriately. With clean hands, make sure that the mask is put on over your ears, covers their nose and their mouth and that the children don't touch the outside of their masks. That's the best way to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

References:

Why a COVID-19 Vaccine for Children May Take Longer. February 12, 2021. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-a-covid-19-vaccine-for-children-may-take-awhile/

Are We One Step Closer to a COVID-19 Vaccine for Kids?. April 5, 2021. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-we-one-step-closer-to-a-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids/ 

Bataan Has Fallen!

     On April 9, 1942, officials in command of Bataan—where Filipino and American forces maintained the main resistance in the war against the Japanese—formally surrendered. By virtue of Executive Order No. 203, s. 1987, April 9 of every year is Araw ng Kagitingan. Proclamation No. 466, s. 1989 on the other hand, designated April 5 to 11 of every year as Philippine Veterans Week in order to “promote, preserve and memorialize the principles, ideals and deeds of the Filipino war veteran as a means to enhance patriotism and love of country, especially among the youth of the land.”

The Day of Valor, also known as the Araw ng Kagitingan in Filipino, commemorates the Filipino and American soldiers who stood up against Japanese forces during World War II. It also be known as 'Bataan Day' or 'Bataan and Corregidor Day'. The meaning of the Battle of Bataan in 1942 should not be overlooked by our youth, the current generation, or future generations. In order to create and develop a strong nation, one must have a strong sense of patriotism and respect for heroes. The actions and sacrifices of our soldiers in claiming victory against the odds, as well as the townspeople's role in providing relief to the captured heroes, will give greater meaning to big words like patriotism, independence, bravery, and resilience as we commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan every year. 

And because history does not stop at our past, or even at our present, Araw ng Kagitingan reminds us that our valor cannot stop solely in the face of defending our shores against foreign invasion. As we have seen in many specific moments, our enemies can be found within our own nation, amongst ourselves. There is no shortage of individuals and groups with selfish interests, often conniving with foreigners with their own agendas. Araw ng Kagitingan can never just be about acts of courage of those who have come and fought before us. The call to valor is for every Filipino to know who we are, what we have been capable of in the past, what values we hold most dear today, and what we must do to defend them, always.

Reference:

This Week in Metro Manila (April 6 to 12, 2019). Araw ng Kagitingan falls on a Tuesday this year. Yoorekka. Tan, Denisse Shawntel. April 06, 2019. https://yoorekka.com/magazine/metro-manila/2019/04/03/this-week-in-metro-manila-april-6-to-12-2019

Do You Know Why We Remember 'Araw Ng Kagitingan’? Moya, Jove. April 08, 2021. https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/arts/heres-everything-that-happened-on-araw-ng-kagitingan

A Time To Renew

    Lent is the season of the church year that follows the Epiphany Season. Lent, or Kwaresma in Filipino, is a season during which Filipinos remember the love of God that is poured out through Jesus Christ on the cross in his death; and his defeat of death, sin and Satan in Christ’s death and resurrection that brings eternal life to you. It's known as Mahal na Araw or Semana Santa in the Philippines. This season has a penitential character, a solemn nature to it. This is to help us remember to be repentant and remind us of our sin and our mortality.

Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Pabasa ng Pasyon, Cenacle, and Visita Iglesia are some of the religious activities made by Filipinos during Lenten Season. Lent season also includes traditional practices: prayers, devotions, fasting and other religious rituals that contribute to remembering Jesus Christ's life to save us during Holy Week. Fasting from foods such as meat is universal practice, however there are a variety of ways to exercise self-discipline.

Filipinos are certainly rich in culture and tradition, which makes every event more fun and much awaited. We may differ in ways of observing the Lent and offering sacrifice during the season, what matters the most is the pure intention and sincerity of a person. Overall, the important thing to consider during Lent is how it will force you to grow as a person and as a Christian. You can’t grow without challenge and reflection. You reflect to recognize your faults and face adversity so that by Easter you have, in some way, improved yourself.

References:

Ash Wednesday: Beginning of the Lenten Journey. Ferguson, Nancy. Ministry Matters. February 17th, 2021. https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/3632/ash-wednesday-beginning-of-the-lenten-journey

Devotions and Prayers for Our Second Pandemic Lent. California Catholic Conference. https://cacatholic.org/article/devotions-and-prayers-our-second-pandemic-lent

Pride of the Ylocos Culture

Kannawidan festival in the Province of Ilocos Sur commemorating the separation of the two Ilocos provinces in 1818. This festival is a showcase of indigenous performances, religious rituals, as well cooking demos featuring the best of Ilocano dishes. They wanted to rekindle in the youth and future generations the pride of their heritage. The magnificent idea developed and is now a living reality, KANNAWIDAN, the Iloco Foundation of Arts and Culture. Kannawidan festival became one of the most awaited annual celebrations in the province and consequently improves Ilocano culture. This concept presents disagreement on understanding community as a fixed structure with components and a mechanism. 

As the Philippines starts to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, fiestas and celebrations are starting to return, giving Filipinos a well-needed dose of levity. In Ilocos Sur, the provincial government officially launched Kannawidan 2022 early this month, with a bevy of activities aimed at celebrating life and spreading joy. The Kannawidan this year had a few events during the festival, such as coronation of the Saniata Ti Ylocos beauty pageant; Chef Wars Cooking Competition; LGBTQ Night; a dog show featuring American bullies; a car and motor show; Tinattoan; bike race; game fowl, rhythm fest; and the much-awaited Bakbakan sa Ilocos Sur. There is also various artists and famous celebrities came to perform. It also has the dancing fountain show, the drone light show followed by the fireworks display that brightly blazed at the top of the New Legislative Building Products from various sources, including food, furniture and clothing, are also present. These activities are often well organized by the authorities in the province.

This year, despite of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have still celebrated this festival; but, in a simpler way than before. But as we continue to learn living with this covid-19 pandemic, I hope that this festival is a sign that our country is slowly opening up to provide opportunities for us to enjoy normal things like this resembling the past years. It's been a long and hard two years living in isolation and we cannot wait to celebrate life as free as what normal life is.

 

Reference:

    The pictures are from the Facebook page of Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson - 'Ryan Luis V. Singson (Official FAN PAGE)'. February 01, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/100044623680440/posts/490376839126435/