The Eastern Samar Community Blog

The 2007 fiesta celebration of the City of Borongan kicked off last July 31, 2007 through the launching of the journey of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of Borongan, from the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady on its way to the different barangays of the City.

Ms Gracia Q. Anacta, who is the eldest among the Anacta sisters, this year’s Hermanidad, conceived this idea of having the image of the patroness visit the various barangays in order to help the local parish disseminate the program of establishing Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). Through this pilgrimage she hopes to contribute towards the proclamation of the program and its consequent establishment in all of the barangays.

The BECs are small cells of Catholics who read, reflect and pray the Bible and live it through active community involvement not merely in its religious, moral or spiritual aspects but also in other aspects such as economics through livelihood programs and projects and political such as active participation in quick counts and various fora.

Aside from visiting the various barangays the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary will stay with the barangay through a replica to be left by the hermana before transferring the main image to the other barangay.

Ms Anacta told the members of the Fiesta Executive Committee during one of its meetings that a member of the Cathedral Parish Team Ministry suggested that the pilgrimage be made only among the barangays within the Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady. But she insisted that the City of Borongan is not confined to this limited number of barangays only.

She believes that since the Virgin Mary is the patroness of the whole locality she should have a presence in the various barangays through a replica of her original image.

Though the City of Borongan is now divided into three parishes, the pilgrimage will not only cover the barangays of the Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady, the title by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is honored every September 8 since it is her traditional birthday celebration. The two other parishes within the city are the Parish of the Assumption based at Lalawigan, a major southern barangay, and the Parish of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel based at Maypangdan, a major northern barangay. By looking at it, all parishes honor Mary in her various titles or in commemoration of important events in her lives.

The parish based in Lalawigan commemorates the Catholic dogma regarding Mary being taken up to heaven body and soul hence avoiding physical corruption. The parish based in Maypangdan on the other hand celebrates her apparition to St. Simon Stock at Mount Carmel wherein she handed to him the brown scapular which became one of her most important manifestations of love and protection upon her loyal sons and daughters.

“Actually, September 8 is not only the fiesta of Borongan,” a parishioner shares. “Since the whole diocese is under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the whole diocese covering the whole province of Eastern Samar, is celebrating its fiesta!”

From the Cathedral the image was transferred to the City Hall of Borongan last August 1. It stayed for a night before it was bought to the first schedueld barangay, Barangay Bugas, the northernmost barangay of the City of Borongan. From there it will visit barangays of the three parishes within the locality.

The pilgrimage will end on August 28, 2007, a day before the start of the novena in preparation for the grand celebration of the Solemnity of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8.

Other activities for the forthcoming fiesta celebration are the following:

August 29 – The Praise and Worship Night which is hosted by the Cathedral Parish and the various religious organizations and faith communities as a fitting opening salvo which sets the tempo of all the other activities.

August 30 – St. Mary’s College (SMC) leads the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Night. Included in the presentations are talents from the SMC Borongan, the Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary (NOLCS) and the Our Lady of Mercy College (OLMC).

August 31 – The Inter-Agency Night, which is coordinated by the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar will have a special meaning as they include in their activities the launching of the Women and Children’s Protection Unit (WCPU), a program of the United Nations. A band fest featuring original songs supporting the program will culminate this event.

September 1 – City Government Night

September 2 – Barangay Night

September 3 – Department of Education (DepEd) Night

September 4 – The ESSU University Night

September 5 – Festival Queen to be followed by San Miguel Corporation’s special presentations with a live band concert.

September 6 – Grand Finals of the Tuklas Talent Search. Mr. Boy Abunda himself volunteered to sponsor the activity.

September 7 – Padul-ong Festival during the day and Vesper Night Dance in the night.

September 8 – The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist in honor of the Solemnity of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Other activities lined up for the duration of the fiesta celebration are sports events, cultural presentations at the Hamorawon Spring featuring Waray-Waray songs, dances, and art, and many more.