Taguig City holds Banak Festival 2012

By Susan G. De Leon

Friday 27th of July 2012

TAGUIG CITY, July 27 (PIA) -- Taguig City held a 10-day, July 17 - 26, festival known as the “Sta. Anang Banak Festival,” a city-wide celebration considered as the city’s most important historic and cultural event.

A press statement from the Taguig City government said the feast is done to honor the town’s patron Saint Anne, who according to legend, gathered the citizens of “taga-giik” (origin of Taguig) along the riverbank.

In 1587, legend says farmers lost all their harvests and the town was in crisis. Saint Anne, with his little girl Mary, led them to the river where they found it teeming with banak (a local fish). Every July of the following years, the river would be filled with fishermen.

As a form of thanksgiving, fishers throw a portion of their catch to the people along the bank. In exchange, the latter throws back dried goods to them. This act, known as “pasubo” then became a merry festivity that is celebrated until now every July 26.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano led the opening of the celebrations on July 17 with “A Day with the Elderly” at the St. Anne Parish, where she distributed grocery packs and food to senior citizens whom she considered as the “foundation” of the city.

The grand fluvial parade in honor of St. Anne was held on July 26 with Cayetano leading the “Pagodahan” or procession of boats and floats from Taguig River to the Laguna Lake. Each of the boat represents the different communities of Taguig.

The fluvial parade also featured the traditional exchange of gifts, or pasubo where participants in their boats and the revelers along the river banks tossed fruits or native delicacies to each other as a form of thanksgiving to the patroness.

A regatta—a native boat race among the city’s 28 barangays – kicked off the celebration for the day of the grand fluvial parade, followed by a concelebrated mass in honor of St. Anne.

Activities held last July 24 included “Indakan sa Daan” and the “Serenata.”

Several feeding programs and medical missions were also held in different barangays from July 18 to 23. Also part of the entire 10-day celebration is the “Kumpilan” at the Sta. Ana Church held on July 21, where selected children received the holy sacrament of Confirmation.

As finale for the grand celebrations, the people of Taguig were treated to a night of music and dance through the “Musikultura,” capped by a fireworks display. (PIO Taguig City/RJB/SDL-PIA NCR)