Special Feature

The making of new Barangay Traditions

Philippine Independence Day Celebration

 

Every year, the 12th of June, is a red-letter day as the whole country commemorates its independence as a nation.  And it was on that auspicious 12th day of June 2008, that the residents of Barangay Greater Lagro, as one people united with one purpose, came out in droves and joined the nation in celebrating the 110th year of independence of the Republic of the Philippines with a colorful civic parade and an elaborate flag-raising ceremony right within the community.

            It was the first time ever that such an affair was held in the history of Barangay Greater Lagro since it achieved its present status as an independent local government unit in 1997. 

            A brain-child of then newly installed Barangay Captain, Atty. Renato U. Galimba, the event was replicated the following year and then every year thereafter.

              Enjoying the popular support and uncompromising acceptance and participation by the great majority of the people in the community, the event soon became an annual observance and emerged as part of a growing number of evolving new community traditions.

              That year’s celebration was marked by an enchanting and heart-warming display of the kind of patriotism and loyalty and love for flag and country -- and of God --  by the people in the community.  It proved to be an occasion which gave them the opportunity to show the kind of unity, understanding and cooperation that have been prevailing among the residents within the barangay.

            That affair was spear-headed by the Barangay LGU and the Knights of Columbus, Fr. Walter De Vilder Assy. (ACN 2895), in collaboration with various people’s and non-government organizations, the religious, educational and business community and other sectors of society within the barangay.

            The civic motorcade/parade, which kicked off the festivities, started at the Centennial Park situated at the south-end portion of the barangay and snaked through the main thoroughfares and ended at Misa de Gallo Street in front of the Lagro High School where an elaborate flag-raising ceremony took place.

 

 

 

 

Community Flag-Raising Ceremonies

 

            It was on a sunny Monday morning in December 2007, which happened to be the first official working day of the first three-year term of Atty. Renato U. Galimba as the newly elected and installed chief executive of the Local Government of Barangay Greater Lagro, when the first civic flag-raising ceremony was held. 

            The affair was attended/participated in by the new set of barangay officials who were elected during the October 2007 barangay elections; newly appointed barangay staff/employees, city officials and guests and multitude of residents belonging to the various sectors of society within the community.

            It was the first time that an event of such great magnitude was ever held or seen in the history of the barangay since it became an independent local government unit in 1997.  And since then, this initial occasion was to be replicated -- in terms of attendance and scope of participation by the inhabitants of the community -- the next Monday of the following week and every Monday of the succeeding weeks and months and years thereafter.

            That groundbreaking event, like the other new observances/practices introduced and held during the first term of office of Barangay Captain Renato Galimba, soon became a most anticipated and participated regular weekly community affair and became part of the evolving community traditions.

            In a special message which appeared in his regular column in the Greater Lagro Gazette entitled “The Chairman speaks”, Atty. Galimba, emphasized the value and significance of holding a regular weekly flag-raising ceremony as follows:     

               “-x-x-x- ...Only by presenting a compact and undivided front to all issues of the day can we hope to erect the foundations of a strong and enduring community. 

            “We consider as rallying points of our unity, the Flag; the National Anthem; the Oath to the National Emblem (Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas); and our duly elected officials or leaders. 

            “The Flag, because it symbolizes the sacrifices of our heroes and harmonizes our common tradition and heritage.

            “The National Anthem, because it epitomizes the trials and tribulations, and crystalizes the longings and aspirations of our people.

            “The Oath to the National Emblem (Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas), because it affirms the unconditional loyalty and allegiance of our people to our national flag and to the country to which it stands for. 

            “And our duly elected officials, because they are the ones who have been chosen by the majority of our people to lead us and  to hold the reins of our government, which in our case, the Local Government of Barangay Greater Lagro. 

            “Whether by force of an official mandate, directive, canon or law or by a subliminal show of civic-mindedness or patriotic fervor and devotion to our motherland, this day affords us the opportunity to gather and stand as one people of one race and renew our affirmation of loyalty and servitude to our National Flag and the country by which it stands for.

            “I direct therefore, this appeal to my fellow barangay officials and employees.  Let us be the first to show the example.  You know my sentiments about the matter.  Please take heed.”

 

 

 

 

Barangay and Patronal Fiesta

 

            Were in our country, fiesta celebrations are the most salient parts of our culture and traditions.  Held mostly during the months of May and June, fiestas are characterized by merrymaking, prayers and thanksgiving. But most important, these events invariably showcase the customs, heritage and traditions unique to a particular place or community and celebrated year after year. 

            Here in Barangay Greater Lagro, the traditional Patronal Fiesta used to be held yearly on the 40th day after Easter Sunday, though the celebration was usually held on the Sunday nearest to the 40th day.

            In May 2009 however, the  observance of the Patronal Fiesta in our community had been more encompassing and lasted longer. 

            That year, Atty. Renato U. Galimba, who was chosen as Hermano Mayor -- together with his espouse, Josie as Hermana Mayor -- and considering his mandated position as then the newly elected Barangay Captain, decided to hold -- for the first time ever -- a Barangay Fiesta in conjunction with the observance of the traditional Patronal Fiesta.

            And so, through this act of inspired leadership and vision, the seed of a new tradition was sown, not on hard, concrete grounds, but on soft and fertile hearts and minds of civic-spirited people in the community.  So much so, that in the ensuing years, it soon became a traditional annual festivity that is much awaited and observed by the people in the barangay.  

            That momentous, ground-breaking event was a month-long celebration characterized by an enchanting display of songs, dances, stage plays, sports, religious rites, among many others.

            Moreover, the  occasion gave the residents the opportunity to show the kind of unity, understanding and cooperation that has been prevailing among the people in the community.

 

 

 

Barangay Foundation Day

 

            Barangay Greater Lagro celebrated its Foundation Day Anniversary on September 10, 2009 with a colorful civic motorcade/parade and a simple but meaningful flag-raising ceremony.  It was the first time that such an affair was held in the 12-year history of the barangay since it acquired its status as an independent local government unit in 1997.

            The date and month of the observance, however, was subsequently changed and moved to the 8th of December the following year and the years thereafter upon the instance of Quezon  City Councilor Godofredo T. Liban II, who was the principal proponent/author of the City Ordinance (Ord. No. SP-439, S-2006) which led to the creation of the barangay.  Councilor Liban correctly pointed out that Barangay Greater Lagro was officially proclaimed as an independent LGU through a plebiscite held on December 8, 2007.

            Nevertheless, this development did not in any way change or diminish the significance and the fervor that the occasion has been eliciting from the residence of the community during the succeeding years.  If at all, the change of date only added pump, color  and gaiety to the occasion, considering that it now falls within the traditional Christmas Season.

            Like what happened when the barangay held -- also for the first time -- its month-long celebration of its  barangay and patronal fiesta in May that same year, that groundbreaking observance in September 2009 signaled the start of the emergence of another evolving new tradition in the community.

                 Again, the observance was an occasion  which afforded them the opportunity to show or demonstrate the kind of unity, understanding and cooperation that prevail among the residents within the barangay.

            The day-long festivities  included a medical, dental and optical missions.  Also part of the festivities were one-day mini-tournaments involving sports disciplines such as basketball, tennis and chess.    

            The affair was spear-headed by the barangay LGU headed by its Chairman, Atty. Renato U. Galimba and his Council, in collaboration with the various peoples’ and non-government organizations, religious groups/sects, educational and business communities and other sectors of society within the barangay.

 

 

 

“Araw ng Kagitingan”

 

                        t was on a Friday,                          the 9th day of April                                    2010 when, for the first time ever, a colorful civic motorcade/parade was held in Barangay Greater Lagro in celebration of the “Araw Ng Kagitingan”. 

            This ground-breaking event served as a fitting tribute and recognition by a grateful community to the heroism of their countrymen who fought and died in the struggle to defend the Filipino nation’s freedom and democracy.

            Another brain-child of Barangay Captain, Atty. Renato U. Galimba, the affair was spearheaded by the Local Government of Barangay Greater Lagro and the Knights of Columbus, Fr. Walter De Vilder Assembly (ACN 2895), in collaboration with the Barangay Development Advisory Council (BDAC) which is composed of the various peoples’ and non-government organizations, including the other religions/sects, educational and business communities and other sectors of society within the barangay.

               And so, once again, just like what happened in the case of the community’s observance of the country’s “Araw ng Kalayaan”, the event elicited instant popular support and uncompromising acceptance and participation by the great majority of the people in the community. 

            The event soon became an annual observance and emerged as another part of a growing number of evolving new community traditions.

            During the said affair, certificates of appreciation were awarded by the local government of Barangay Greater Lagro to World War II Veterans, most of whom came and/or belonged to the “Sapang Palay Post”.