MACABEBE, Pampanga –August 31 is a cause for celebration for both residents and natives of this town, wherever they are in the world.
The last day of the month ushers in the start of preparations for the town fiesta on September 10.
At the center of all the activity is Macabebe’s patron saint—San Nicolas de Tolentino or Apung Kulas, an Augustinian friar known for his tremendous love and dedicated service to the poor and the suffering.
“Macabebe natives who are living in the USA also honor Apung Kulas on August 31. There are events in key cities in California, New Jersey and other states,” said Macabebe Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan, a devout Catholic and an advocate of quality education for her people in the coastal Pampanga town.
On the morning of August 31, Apung Kulas is brought out of his home at the residence of the Natividad-Hernandez family in Palengkeng Luma, Barangay Santo Rosario, here.
Thousands of devotees bring the statue to the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in the town plaza where a Holy Mass is held before the statue is paraded on the streets of the town proper.
Municipal Tourism Officer Catherine Flores said the statue was a gift of the Augustinian friars to the people of Macabebe.
“During the Spanish conquest of the Philippines, the priests admired the loyalty of the Macabebe folk to them and the Roman Catholic Church,” said Flores. She added that the statue is about 200 years old, based on the researches of Frandie Lacanlale, parochial secretary.
“The Macabebes were well-known for their ‘tested loyalty’ to Spain. According to a source, these people gave Spain, during the time of the revolution, the greatest example of loyalty registered in the history of any colonial empire,” said Flores, quoting a line lifted from an article about their town. Spain colonized the country for more than three centuries beginning in 1565. Balgan said, “It has been the trademark of the Macabebe folk to stick it out with someone through thick and thin.”
“We do not abandon. We dearly value friendship and hold on to it regardless of the situation,” she said.
Con Macalino, head of the municipal general services office, said, “Many of our townmates based in other places come home for August 31 to attend Mass or the procession for our patron saint.”
“My sister who was quite sick still insisted on coming home to Macabebe from Manila just to see Apung Kulas,” he said.
Dave Yumang, chairman of the 2015 Macabebe Fiesta committee, lined up several activities during the stay of Apung Kulas at the church.
“There are activities every night from September 1 to September 10 in the town plaza in relation to the fiesta celebrations and the presence of Apung Kulas in the parish church,” local residents said.
On September 28 Yumang and other members and officers turned over a garbage truck to Balgan in support of her program on cleanliness.
Macalino said, “We have a tradition in Macabebe which values giving and sharing. The fiesta committee gives a truck to the municipality instead of it getting something valuable from the municipality. Their funding came from donations and support from Macabebe folk here and abroad.”
Municipal administrator Jomel Cruz said that at about 5 p.m. on September 10, a well-attended religious procession started for Apung Kulas.
The holy image, which is holding a crucifix and a bird, was brought back to the house of Natty Natividad on September 20. She is the head of the family given the honor of taking care of the statue of Apung Kulas for many decades.
Image credits: Leo Villacarlos