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The annual Pahiyas in Lucban, Quezon! So many people on the street, I thought we were going to overthrow someone.

Details later, I’m going to pass out.

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I was in Lucena City in Quezon on Friday for the launch of My City, My SM at their mall. The launch was timed for the Pasayahan festival in Lucena and the Pahiyas in Lucban, both of them honoring San Isidro Labrador. The endorsers were hair and make-up entrepreneur James Cooper, and businesswoman Nova Veluz of Buddy’s restaurants. The next day we attended the famed Pahiyas in Lucban.

Some of my friends had been to Pahiyas and they warned me, “Traffic! Crowds! Traffic! Crowds!” We were prepared: we went early, and left just before lunch. Any later and we would’ve been stuck. Pahiyas is an explosion in a paint factory: the townspeople decorate their houses with fruit, flowers, agricultural motifs, and prizes are given for the best designs. One house had banana trees and a chicken out front—I don’t know if the chicken was part of the design concept, or if it just liked the view from its high perch.

Tourists from all over the country, balikbayans, and foreigners cram the streets to gawk at the houses and take photos. If you’re really curious, you can enter the houses and enjoy the cold drinks and snacks laid out by the residents. Ms Veluz had invited us to see their house (Photos 2,3,and 4 above), which had the most elaborate ornamentation—all it needed were animatronic saints. Or holograms broadcasting from the election counting centers. (By the way, Buddy’s is opening a branch on Timog Avenue in QC soon.) Clearly the people of Lucban take the festival very seriously.

Lucban is up in the mountains and usually cool; between the record summer temperatures and the crowd density it was quite warm (but still not as oven-like as Metro Manila). Almost everyone was wearing a straw hat in some wild color combination. The festival is meant to give thanks for a bountiful harvest, but I think Filipino fiestas are largely an excuse (as if we needed one) to get together with family, friends, and extended family. This being the Philippines the latter category includes random strangers.

Stuff you can get in Lucena and Lucban: broas, kiping, pancit hab-hab, longganisang Lucban.

Thanks to Ms Millie Dizon and the SM marketing group for allowing me to tag along to the My City, My SM launches. I’ve seen more of my own country in the last four and a half months than I have in decades.