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On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo raised the Philippines flag for the first time and declared this date as the Philippines Independence Day. The flag was designed by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, a niece of Dr. Jose Rizal. It is famous for its golden sun with eight rays. The rays symbolize the first eight Philippine provinces that fought against Spanish colonial rule. After General Aguinaldo raised the flag, the San Francisco de Malabon marching band played the Philippines national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang,” for the first time.  Filipinos originally celebrated Independence Day on July 4, the same date as Independence Day in the U.S. In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal changed the date to June 12 to commemorate the end of Spanish rule in the country. The public holiday celebrates Philippine history, freedom, and culture. They hang up the flag in most public places and take a day off. During Independence Day, we remember the amazing he

Women then had no rights or privileges. Society only describes them as servants to men. They are in their home and all they do is cook, clean, do the laundry and take care of their wives and children. They have no right to work or vote. They can’t do what they want to do. Men were seen as more assertive, confident, while women were expected to be relational, communal. Men rule the world and women are considered inferior to them. María Josefa Gabriela Cariño de Silang, also known as Gabriela Silang was a Filipina military leader best known for her role as the female leader of the Ilocano independence movement from Spain. She took over from her second husband Diego Silang after his assassination in 1763, leading her people for four months before she was captured and executed by the colonial government of the Captaincy General of the Philippines.   Today her courageous leadership became a symbol of the importance of women in Filipino society. Gabriela is referred to as the “Joan of Arc “

 “I am a strong woman because a strong woman raised me.” Every second Sunday of May, we show our gratitude and love towards our mothers. A mother dedicates her whole life to her children without expecting anything. She only wants to want her children to love her. There is nothing more in this world than the embrace of her children. My mother is behind all the precious things in my life, and she is the most precious among them. For me, it is the happiest moment of my life when my mother smiles. We all know that every second Sunday of May is dedicated to all mothers and hence it is celebrated as Mother's Day. This is the best time for us children to express our love and actions towards our mothers so that they can be told that they are special to us. Special relationships and relations that we share with our mother cannot be described in words. Mother shows unconditional love for her child and nourishes our lives through her valuable lessons and teachings. When we stumble, with i

B inatbatan Festival is a sought-after festival for all Ilocanos both young and old. It is a celebration that lasts from the last week of April up to the first week of May. This festival showcases one of the industries that kept residents alive – Abel Iloco hand-loom weaving. Binatbatan is the process of beating cotton pods to remove the seeds.   This is shown through the Binatbatan street dancing and showdown. It is such a shame that we cannot enjoy the Binatbatan Festival this 2021 due to the pandemic that is happening worldwide. Binatbatan Festival was started in 1993 by the Save Vigan Ancestral Homes Association, Inc. This festival “Binatbatan” got its name from the Iluko term batbatin, or separating cotton balls from the seeds of the local fruit tree kapas sanglay. It Features a street dancing and showdown competition wherein participants use "abel" (woven cloth) costumes and sway in their original panagbatbat dances. The Binatbatan festival boasts of joyful colors whi