City fiesta rumblings

ILIGAN City ― Exciting. Impactful. Irreverent. Demonic. Happy. Tragic. Religious. Fanatical. Maybe, boring, too.

All of the above could be used to describe these big deal events in the city this month of September. Which I have described at the outset as “rumblings.”

Anyway, the first rumblings regarding these fiesta things came about before this month of September. This was during that Season 3 of the “Diyandi Moto-rally Endurance Challenge” that kicked off, Saturday dawn of August 13 in this city of Iligan.

It turned out to be tragic for one rider, a guy named Jireh Edrote. City mayor Frederick Siao then was quick to express his condolence on the matter. Especially that Edrote was at his prime, a winner of many races of that kind, and was expected to win that one too. Except that a freak accident snuffed the life out of him. The incident happened at Purok Rizal, Poblacion, Lugait, Misamis Oriental. Said municipality to note is the first town after this city.

Siao though added that this was not part of the events of the fiesta celebs as they still have to be revealed in September. Even if it bore the name of ‘Diyandi.’ He said though that permits were obtained on the matter.

The tragedy then took out the excitement of that race as most of the participants in that race dropped out upon hearing it. So, it had impacted somewhat on what was otherwise one long, happy spectacle, that is the city fiesta after more than two years of lockdown because of the pandemic.

Even then, the Iligan City Fiesta and Tourism Month has to go on. And on the first of September, there was a press conference, which discussed among other things, peace and order concerns. This LGU with the men in uniform discussed; that aside from the men in uniform here ― the police and the army ― there are “reinforcements” from outside the city. That is additional men in uniform from nearby LGUs. And “force multipliers” too. Like identified personnel from the barangay level, such as the BPAT or the Barangay Police Action Team. And the public has to cooperate too in the peace and order concerns. Like “no wearing of backpack” during events like the “Kasadya Street Dancing” or during the “Pagpakanaug” on Sept. 20 and Sept. 2, respectively.

There will be no cell phone signals during these times.

The “Pagpakanaug,” to note, is the ceremony of taking down the image of St. Michael, the Archangel, the city’s patron saint, from his perch on the altar of St. Michael Cathedral and he will be “paraded” through major city streets in a gesture of joining the people here. In earlier times, politics played some part too as the city mayor, the congressman, the police chief, and other political leaders were there to do the honors of changing the apparel of the saint, and or receiving his shield and spear.

The saint to note, signifies the triumph of good over evil as he was the one who spearheaded that supposed celestial battle wherein Lucifer was about to make a “coup” to unseat the most powerful God. (So, even during those times, there were “coup plotters” already?)

There are too these activities like the Miss Iligan Contest, Street Dancing or Kasadya, “Yawa-yawa” or the “reenactment” of that celestial battle, Civic and Military Parade, and Iligan Music Festival with some selling at the “Mugna” at Tibanga.

Yet the Iligan Music Festival earned plenty of flak from the citizens here. Because it used some “forbidden” words like “sex” and other similar words. So, the Fiesta Committee is studying whether to include such an event. Even if the organizer of that one has supposedly apologized on the matter.

“Diyandi” to note means “to celebrate.” But should this include that much “irreverence” by including the “F” word, or implying it in the said festival?

There might be some misunderstanding here. Just like that “fill in the blanks” joke. Wherein the name, age, and data like “sex” was described. And the answer to that latter word was “three times a week!”

Some media personalities too resented the “noise” they hear from this LGU’s “consultant,” a Bong Capitan who suddenly “got angry” with them during that “peace and order” concern. Even if that “Bong” was not part of that committee.

There. Those are just some random “rumblings” describing the feelings of the coming Feast of St. Michael which really falls on Sept. 29 but engages the people throughout this whole month, which is the beginning of the “ber” months, and we know what “ber” month implies.

And maybe we’ll ask what is meant by “rumblings,” by the way? Okay, just listen to the sound of the word and figure this one out.

So, one can hear the “imperfections” the LGU has to contend with during these fiesta times. Which the political opposition, the “red” team of the previous administration which had suffered defeat in the last elections had taken advantage of by criticizing this new admin under Siao, to the hilt.

But isn’t there a saying which says: “To err is human, to forgive, divine?”

And may I add now, that all these imperfections too may be attributed to “birth pangs” brought about by the “new normal,” or “new administration” or new…new…whatever…

Email: norasorino2@gmail.com