Bigueño Festivities

    On the twenty-fifth of January, the heritage city of Vigan celebrates its fiesta. This special day commemorates the feast day of the conversion of their patron saint St. Paul. The bigueños or the citizens of the city make an effort in making the fiesta memorable for locals and tourists alike. It has food bazaars, art competitions, shows, dance parades, and carnivals. With all these festivities, you are sure to have an exciting time in Vigan, even if it's just for a day.
    In late January of 2020, the first case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was reported. Back when quarantine wasn't as strict, citizens still roamed around freely without masks, even attending major festivals with hundreds or thousands of people. So when the number of patients skyrocketed, the entire country went into lockdown. Mass gatherings and non-essential events were canceled or postponed. Fast forward to the previous year 2021, our situation in the pandemic didn't improve. So the city government found ways to celebrate without risking the spread of the virus. The competitions were the same, but of course in a different environment. There were no mass gatherings or parades, just citizens showcasing their talents. There were also no big food bazaars or carnivals, just bigueños rejoicing in their barangays, singing, drinking, and eating delicious food. There is no denying that we can only do so many things in the pandemic. But this shouldn't stop us from celebrating tradition and embracing our culture.
    The pandemic has impacted every single one of us. So it is no surprise that life isn't as thrilling as before. Instead of being miserable, we should be proud that we remain festive in these trying times. As the city motto suggests, Viva Vigan! Long live the bigueños and their jolly lifestyles. We are living the pages that will be in history books, so we might as well make it intriguing.






References:
Vigan.ph: "Vigan City Fiesta". Retrieved on January 20, 2022. 
GMA Network: "Vigan vies for New 7 Wonders of the World". Uploaded on September 29, 2012. Retrieved on January 20, 2022.  
Tawid News Magazine: "Vigan City Longganisa Festival 2019". Uploaded on January 21, 2019. Retrieved on January 20, 2022. 

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