festivals

I must mention festivals.    

in SM mall, Mandaue City--from 2nd floor

I already mentioned Sinulog, which was going on when we first were in Cebu City. 

Being a predominantly Catholic nation, all the religious holidays are celebrated:  Holy Thursday , Good  Friday, Easter, All Saints’ Day and Christmas.    I got the impression that Christmas began in October and I still saw decorations in a few malls in early February before I returned home.

This is a tree at Tim & Cleo's home, showcasing ornaments made by the women inmates to sell through Inakay.








As I believe I already mentioned, there also  festivals for various saints.

Before I left, I began to see a lot of decorations to celebrate the Chinese New Year.    This felt familiar, because the Mienh celebrate the Chinese New Year as their New Year as well.

outside a mall in Manila

There is also Jose Rizal Day on December 30^th.   He was prominent in the National Museum, his statute was   in a park in Bangued and there is a Rizal Park in Manila.    He was the most prominent advocate for reform during the time the Philippines  was a colony under Spain.

taken in the National Museum in Manila