Capping the fiesta season in the Philippines is the colourful celebration of the feast of San Isidro Labrador. Throughout the Quezon province, the town of Lucban shines as the brightest with the famous Pahiyas Festival. Every 15th of May, the people of Lucban embezzle their houses with fruits, vegetables, grains and kiping – vibrant leaf-shaped rice wafers – in gratitude for a bountiful harvest. Pahiyas draws its name from the word “payas”, which refers to this painstaking effort of decorating the houses with the family’s bounty.
In another part of the province lies a city not quite as flamboyant as the home of Pahiyas. This serene sister, Tayabas, honors the Patron Saint of Laborers in a less-frill-more-action way. At 3 in the afternoon, all the men join the saint’s procession around the city. Spectators watching from balconies and bleachers throw from their lofts coins and suman especially made for the occasion. As they pass, this army of men fight to get as much suman as they can, jumping, nudging, but never brawling amongst each other. Procession ends at the churchyard, where tradition has it that the devotees split into two groups, those who live from upstream and downstream, and pool their collections in two big piles. It is believed that the bigger pile will receive blessing for the whole year.
Join us on May 15 and witness this summer finale of fiestas! You may book here or email us at cultureshockph@gmail.com.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS*
- Pahiyas Festival
- Mayohan Festival
- Basilica of Tayabas
- Lambanog sampling
Duration: Day tour, 15-18 hours
Price: Php 1,300.00/head
Package inclusions: Round trip transportation via chartered van, lambanog sampling, donation fees, personalized ID and Culture Shock PH guide.
*itinerary might vary slightly per trip, depending on weather conditions or availability of certain stops/destinations on a given date
