ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — A symbolical rite on how Mt. Pinatubo’s ashfall covered the city when it erupted in 1991 will highlight the month-long 25th Fiestang Kuliat celebration in October.
The ritual, “Pamangasnang lahar (Putting Lahar),” aims to show the younger generation about Mt. Pinatubo’s wrath by putting a dab of symbolic lahar (made from flour with food color) on the participants’ faces.
“We did not do this before because most of us still remember what happened in that fateful day in June 1991. Now, more than 25 years later, many do not know, they are either too young or were not born yet,” said Joy Cruz of the City Tourism Office during a press briefing Tuesday.
“For us who experienced Mt Pinatubo’s wrath, we know what lahar and ash fall are,” she added.
The city’s month-long and grandest fiesta celebration brings together different cultural and social activities.
Another highlight of Fiestang Kuliat is the “Tigtigan, Terakan keng Dalan (TTKD),” a street party created after the devastation brought about by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 which aims to uplift the spirits of the people in the city.
Since 1992, TTKD has became a yearly tradition. The fiesta will carry the theme, “Milabas: Dalan king Masaplalang Bukas (The Past: The Road to a Better Future).”
Other activities during the month-long fiesta celebration include The Feast of the Holy Guardian Angeles (October 2), Feast of our Lady of Holy Rosary (La Naval de Angeles, October and Feast of Apung Mamacalulu (October 27).
The city will also celebrate “Pamangan Fiestang Kapampangan” on October 15 and the “Mutya ning Angeles 2017” on October 14 among others. (Marna Dagumboy Del Rosario/PNA)
