Feeling the Rush

I visited our public market here in Sta. Cruz yesterday to see how things went through hours before the new year's eve and I ended up feeling the holiday rush despite the very early time at 6:00 AM. As I had a short photowalk, I found out these usual new year commodities such as loaf bread and assorted fruits being laid out within the thoroughfares of the market perimeter. New year is perhaps one of the most-anticipated and widely-celebrated holidays in the Philippines and is manifested by this kind of scene every December 31 of each year.   

Rizal Day

I spent a little time today attending the 117th death anniversary of the Philippine's National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal. It was celebrated in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur with a military honors and is attended by local government officials, the military and police, educators, student and the general public. The Mayor of Sta. Cruz Joel Ray Lopez stressed several historical facts about the great hero. Here is an image I took during the wreath-laying part of the program.

Mesa de Gallo

It took me five attempts before I finally able to shoot an early morning mass. Locally they call it Simbang Gabi, but I titled it "Mesa de Gallo" as it is the appropriate term of the mass being conducted very early in the morning as part of the nine-morning offering to be culminated every December 24. After the mass, an early-morning snack will be served featuring local delicacies such as puto, suman, tinapay and coffee. This Filipino Christmas tradition has been alive in the Philippines over the years which was acquired from the Spaniards.I took this shot just this morning (December 20, 2013) at San Miguel Chapel, Crossing Tuban, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. 

LOLA ILING

Before going to work every morning on weekdays, I always have this ritual to bid goodbye to my daughter Majesta and her cousin KJ through  "bless and kiss". Just yesterday morning upon approaching the lawn door, I saw this grandmother-in-law Lola Iling in her usual territory in her home adjacent to ours. I took a photo then as I realized I have always been overlooking her almost everyday. By the way, despite her age which now stood at 80+, Lola Iling is still more than able to do her usual chores: walking, cooking, reprimanding grandchildren and the likes. 

Brownout

Maybe it would take another long period for the people of Davao del Sur to recover the incidence of brownouts. The power shortage as claimed by concerned authorities has been tagged as the main reasons for the rotational brownouts for the last couple of months. Even up to these days of December there are still occasional incidence of brownouts in some parts of the province. Hopefully this situation will be stabilized early next year. Meanwhile, here is a photo I took last December 9 in the house at around 6:45 in the evening. My wife and daughter, despite the very dark scene in our living room, continue their one-on-one conversation and tutorial (I just don't know what was it all about, it could have been a Christmas caroling song).They, however, enjoyed using our common house flashlight.     

Alsa Matada

This is how folks in the Barrio weigh a live pig before butchering. This is also a prevailing trading scheme usually practiced in the rural areas. This photo was taken in Darong, Sta. Cruz in a very residence of this blogger sometime May 2013. One of the guys here in left is a cousin while the other one is a good friend. After this traditional weighing of the animal, it will be butchered and its meat will be sold to barrio neighbors. It is usually done during weekends.   

Sandara

My friends in the Badjao community here in Sta. Cruz fondly call her SANDARA, her nickname patterned after that popular half-Pinay, half-Korean star Sandara Park. She dwelled  in a Badjao area and has also been part of the community that I adored. I took this photo when I joined a pool of DSWD personnel who conducted a validation and shoot drive of its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on December 2, 2013.