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Higantes festival
That five-day art festival highlighted Angono as the country’s art capital. It began
with the Higantes Parade at the town center.
The annual town’s fiesta of Angono held every 23rd of November is a celebration
in honor of San Clemente (patron saint of fishermen).The main event is a
procession of the patron saint, which is carried by male devotees, convoyed by
“pahadores” (devotees dressed in colorful local costumes or fishermen’s clothes,
wooden shoes and carrying boat paddles, fish nets, traps, etc.).
Adding to the festivity is the “Higantes” (giants). Higantes are giant paper mache
images measuring four to five feet in diameter and ten to twelve feet in height.
The parade of colorful effigies made of bamboo, cloth, and papier mache, started
as form of protest from the people when Angono was still dominated by a stingy
landlord who prohibited merrymaking except during the feast day of the town’s
patron saint.
The Higantes Festival brings to mind that even before the 1986 EDSA People
Power, the town folks of Angono have already staged a political protest through
nonviolent and creative means.
Carlos “Botong” Francisco was conferred the award of National Artist in 1973.
Based on the citation issued to his honor, he revived the forgotten art of mural
and distinctively practiced it for nearly three decades. Hence, he was tagged as
the foremost Filipino muralist.
Along Doña Aurora Street stood an array of murals or sculptured walls which
depicted the paintings of Carlos “Botong” Francisco. Art is embedded in the
cultural tradition of its villagers since the murals were sculpted on their concrete
fences by contemporary artists Charlie Anorico, Gerry Bantang and Ebong
Pinpino.
The Bayanihan, one of Francisco’s famous works, expresses the zest of country
life.
At the entrance to the street are series of inscriptions of the lyrics and musical
notes of the classic “Ugoy ng Duyan” composed by Lucio San Pedro, National
Artist for music, on concrete fences.
Not only does the restaurant offer some of the most delectable and exotic Filipino
dishes, it also exudes a serene atmosphere filled with extraordinary artistry.
Aside from sculptures and self-portraits, there is also a workshop for higantes
fabrication on the topmost floor of the restaurant.