Tourism
Highlights of the Kneeling Carabao Celebration
Credit: Teddy Pelaez Credit: Teddy Pelaez
Church as a sign of thanksgiving and honor to the patron of the farmers
for a bounteous harvest, and where they are graciously blessed by a priest.
On the parade are marching bands and majorettes of all over the town,
in full costumes and gears under the extreme heat of the sun. These
bands are performing in front of the church giving cheer and glee to the
audiences and well-wishers who come from both Pulilan town and from
nearby towns, cities and provinces.
Fast-forward to 2019. True, a lot of us HAVE been, experienced and
enjoyed this festival as God knows when. But though the times—as well as
the town of Pulilan itself--may have greatly changed (having followed the
relentless march of progress to become much more urbanized than say,
two or three decades ago), it is so nice to know that some traditions never
die. Although there have been speculations that the carabao population had been dwindling due to the transformation of farmland into profitable
real estate ventures for industries and other more modernized forms of
income, let us also be assured that there are still clever, hardworking souls
that still prefer to retain their rice fields and maintain—as well as respect—
their carabaos who help in their harvest. And these same carabaos still
remain the stellar attractions of this festival.
The current mayor of Pulilan, Maria Rosario ‘Maritz’ Ochoa-Montejo,
has even recognized this dismal scenario. But rather than retreat, she has
come up with a workable plan that will revive the agricultural legacy and
glory of Pulilan, whose bounties are tempered by the hard work, reliability
and esteem for these carabaos. For one, she is advocating an agriculture
degree in a college planned to be established in the town, which will
bestow prestige on the profession of farming. Additionally, the local
Credit: Teddy Pelaez
Credit: Teddy Pelaez
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Credit: Teddy Pelaez