Dapitan City Mayor Dominador G. Jalosjos (left) is being assisted by Councilor Apple Marie Agolong during a recent awarding of drum and lyre competition held at Dapitan's Plaza Rizal, site of many activities of the forthcoming Handuraw 2008. (Photo by Allan Carlos)DAPITAN CITY, Philippines - Planning has begun in earnest for Dapitan’s Handuraw Festival 2008, when the city commemorates the fruitful stay of the country’s National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, while in exile here following political persecution against him by the Spaniards from 1892 to 1896.
Set to start on the 27th until 29th of December, this year, the City of Dapitan in the Zamboanga Peninsula Region is currently having collaborations with a select set of established institutions to invite talented individuals do their share in art, painting, essay, sculpture, drama, and fashion – just a few of Jose Rizal’s many genial interests and talented skills.
Handuraw Festival is Dapitan’s way of reviving the historical trail of Dr. Jose Rizal, who stayed in Dapitan City for four years, leaving wonderful memories in the lives of the people here.
Handuraw, which is a Visayan term that means recollection or flashback, was started in 2006 by the City Government of Dapitan led by Mayor Dominador G. Jalosjos. Since then, the City Government of Dapitan, together with various civic groups and business organizations, has continued to embark on a plan to better enhance the city's tourism industry by restoring Dr. Jose Rizal's historical heritage.
The plan to restore and promote Rizal's historical trail and legacies in Dapitan included the construction of "Punto de Desembarco de Rizal en Dapitan Landmark or Rizal's Landing Site and Sta. Cruz Marker, which is almost completed.
Rizal landed on the beach of Sta. Cruz, Dapitan, at 7 p.m. on July 17, 1892, to begin the life of an exile in Dapitan. It came to be known as Rizal's Landing Site later. With the help of the townsfolk, Rizal rebuilt the town's Plaza, In front of St. James Church. They also made the "Relief Map of Mindanao" out of stones, soil and grass.
Rizal helped the residents put up the lamp-posts at every corner for Dapitan's first lighting system, which consisted of coconut oil lamps covered with glass.
Among his contributions to Dapitan was the establishment of an association of Dapitan farmers to improve farm products, obtained better harvests, construct more markets for them, collected funds to buy their products, and helped the producers and workers by putting up stores.
Dr. Rizal became the town doctor during his time. Opening a clinic and hospital, he treated non-paying patients as well as those who could pay. He gave away medicine to the poor.
He also opened a school where he taught Spanish, English, Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra and Correct Behavior.
Dapitan City Councilor Apple Marie Agolong said the collaborations for this year’s Handuraw Festival offer another chance to showcase Rizal’s works and memoirs to supplement Filipinos’ knowledge and understanding of the country’s great hero.
“This year’s opening salvo on December 27 is a Parade of Floats, representing the five historical influences of Rizal in Dapitan. It will be followed by a tree planting activity in deference to Rizal’s environmental interest, and, later at the famous Gloria de Dapitan, a fashion show, representing Dapitan’s heritage as a famous and important Filipino settlement during the Spanish and American regimes,” Agolong, chair of the Committee in Tourism, said.
Agolong said the second day (Dec. 28) of the festival will showcase how Dapitanons follow the footsteps of Rizal’s works in the line of painting, sculpture, and also writing through the conduct of an Essay Writing Contest. It will be followed by a conference on Rizal’s works and later with a fluvial parade from the Rizal Shrine to Gloria de Dapitan, apart from the chorale and rondalla invitational contest at the Cultural Center of Dapitan.
This year’s Handuraw will be capped on Dec. 29 by painting and sculpture exhibit and to be highlighted by the launching of the book “Jose Rizal’s Life and Legacies in Dapitan, at the Dapitan City Resort Hotel.
Dapitanons consider Dr. Rizal as a cultural icon during his time because of his deep involvement with the daily affairs of the community around him, expressing his deep-seated love of country and people, and lived out what were to become the last of his adventures. He was said to have expressed his genius in practical, down-to-earth ways here.
Dapitan City holds the Handuraw Festival every year in a bid to also promote its historical heritage and boost its tourism potentials to local and foreign visitors. Dubbed as the Shrine City of the Philippines, Dapitan is envisioned to become an eco-tourism destination and heritage center of the South.
Other plans of the city include the restoration of the official residence and administration building of the politico-military Governor of the District, Gov. Ricardo Carnicero, or the Casa Real, where Rizal lived from July 17, 1982, up to March 1983.
Another restoration project is the Rizal's Shrine, the major historical landmark of the city and the hero's home during his exile. Rizal bought this estate in 1892 from a prize he won in a lottery. It has an area of 16 hectares. It contains Casa Quadra, Casa Redondo, Casitan Hospitales, Casa Redonda Pequeña, the Aqueduct, Mi Retiro Rock and the Amphitheater.
In history, Dapitan was already a famous and important Filipino settlement before the arrival of Legaspi in Dapitan and in the early years of the Spanish domination. In 1607, Fr. Pascual de Acuña, the Jesuit Chaplain of the squadron headed by Juan Juarez Gallinate, stayed two months in Dapitan and converted two hundred natives from panganism to Christianity. The Spanish government was established in Dapitan, where it allowed the same local form of government to continue functioning, with some changes and improvement. It was of course, under the absolute control of the authority.
Dapitan was founded by Boholanos before or after the coming of the first Spaniards. The name Dapitan means a place of rendezvous or meeting place of some 800 families. “Dapit” in Bisayan means “to invite”. Hence, as a continued tradition, Mayor Jalosjos and Vice Mayor Patri Chan, chair of the Committee on Handuraw, and the entire officialdom of Dapitan City invite everyone to come and rendezvous with Dapitanons for the Handuraw Festival.
No comments:
Post a Comment