Hilongos: Meeting the NEW YEAR with a smile on innocent faces...

     Every December 31st, the last day of every year, my hometown Hilongos in Leyte spends it in a different way. A contest is held to make tribute to the  Gods for a fertile season, this is through street dancing ,chanting and merry-making. This is held to make every person in the town be the happiest one.The competition is joined by different schools in gradeschool and highschool when this last day arrives. People gather in the gym to witness an incredible event and experience a indescribable feeling. This event is called the Alikaraw Festival. You may ask why? So, here is a short story to understand the essence of the said event, and should be shared to all. So sit back and enjoy the wonders of this festival of ours. Be happy! Be merry!

 

Alikaraw Festival: 

        the story behind...

The Petal Fairies have a very important job – together with their magic petals they help to make sure that flowers grow and bloom in the human world. They are the ones who are responsible in making our environment ideal to live for.

    In Leyte, you will find rare flora and fauna; a garden where the productions of wild flowers in every zone and clime are united, and live together in friendly concurrence. The brilliant tropical flowers are seen at the side of the green grasses and the aloes near the periwinkle. Palm-trees spread their fan-like leaves above a grove of acacias, whose white flowers are faintly tinged with red. In moist branches grow orchids that mingle their sweet colors and their crimson glow. The red, pink, white colored petals, and a thousand flowers which arrest the eye, but which we need no name, here mingle in harmonious groups, or form beautiful Eden. All these flowers live, breathe, and converse, as they interchange odors. It is believed that fairies dwell in these gardens to protect the flowers.

      
        Of all flowers that bloom in the forests of Leyte, there is one rare orchid species that Leyteños are very proud of: the Phalaenopsis orchid that grows wildly in moist branches. Old stories tell us that there are three elemental fairies that made it possible for this orchid to bloom for several weeks. The Water Fairy, Air Fairy and the Light Fairy sway their magic petals to make around the feet of the trees, shrubs, and plants, countless blooms as water and soft wind flow caressing petals around. The petal fairies as flower guardians are responsible in making sweet colors and fresh respire in the forest.

        However, Leyteños believe that magic and fairies are not enough to make their pride show off with brilliance. With the faith of the Holy Child, the powerful Sto. Niño, this beautiful orchid will generate more colorful breeds in the future. More exquisite blooms and scenic gardens will come to reality through constant praising and prayers to the Holy Child. Thus, people of Hilongos make a constant ritual to praise with gratitude to the Holy Child for showering their land with enchanting tropical forests where lovely orchids bloom. There is no definite dance step in the ritual, — yet you seem to be enveloped by the universal harmony, as in one of the concerts which we hear in our dreams – and this is the breeze which sighs, murmurs, plays, and sings some melody to every flower. 

"the town's hidden BEAUTY"

A Wealth of Culture, History and Scenery...

The Immaculate Conception Church of Hilongos

      "a heritage that is greatly treasured through the years"

    An example of a Spanish-era church built by the Jesuits in the 18th century. It was refurbished by Fr. Leonardo Celis-Diaz, from Cebu. The original structure is now placed as a transept which is now a single-nave structure whose main door was also the passage to a bastioned fortification. The main nave of the church and the church's interior is completely new.

    Fr. Celis-Diaz also constructed the octagonal bell tower which is multi-storey structure was coated with Portland cement. It is now known as the highest existing bell tower constructed during the Spanish period. The convent was possibly finished in the 19th century, houses many religious antiques.

Hilongos' magnificent Virgin Beaches

" White, fine, sandy beaches and crystal clear, unpolluted waters await nature lovers who visit the peaceful and serene island – a perfect place to commune with nature."

These beaches uninhabited, featuring a lighthouse as its only significant man-made structure. The beaches are white sand, with tropical sea creatures and extensive coral reef in the surrounding waters. The climate is tropical and similar to that found in other areas of the Philippine islands. These natural features often attract tourists and scuba divers, who arrive at the island by traveling from Hilongos, Leyte.

  With a setting sun, the view is spectacular, to say the least!

Colorful and Happy Festivals

• New Year’s Eve Celebration Fascinating and captivating colorful booths, deftly hand-crafted by local NGOs and religious and government entities intended to give delight to friends and visitors, alike.
  
• Annual Fiesta in honor of the Immaculate Conception observed with an exotic mix of revelry tinged with religious fervor.
  
• Alikaraw - A local mardigrass whose own group and winner has garnered top awards in provincial, regional and national levels. Recently, the Tribu Alikaraw joined the Sinulog 2008 and won the 3rd place in free-interpretation and got the best in musicality.
  
• Anibong An ancient Hilongos term fro merrymaking synonymous to social gathering and thanksgiving party for a good harvest seasoned with fun and excitement. It is now being observed every summer.
  

A land replete with a promise of PROSPERITY and PEACE...

Taking a trip to Hilongos, Leyte

     One of Leyte Province’s biggest rice-producing municipality, Hilongos is also a major producer of copra and abaca that make it the most progressive town in the southwestern part of Leyte Province.

     It is also one of the biggest fish-producing municipalities in  Leyte, furthermore, it is where the oldest church and “cota” are located that were constructed way back in the 17th century. (This fact is duly recognized by the National Historical Institute).

      It is likewise endowed with unexplored natural attractions like waterfalls, caves, beaches, and the graciousness of its people.

Location

    Hilongos is located in the southwestern part of Leyte Province. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of Hindang, in the south by Bato, east by the municipalities of Bontoc and Sogod and in the west by the Camotes Sea, a rich fishing ground.

  It has about 8,500 hectares of land having a slope of 0 to 3 percent that constitute a broad area of level to nearly level land which is generally suited for rice farming.

       In the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, Hilongos registered its second lowest growth rate of 0.28% since population census was first undertaken in the year 1903. The lowest was registered in the census of year 1960 with 0.05% from its population of year 1948. In 2000, Hilongos has 10,763 households, an increase of 6.96% from its 1995 figure of 10, 062 with an average household size of five persons.

History

       Several years before the 12th century, a nomadic tribe from Iloilo came to the place by accident as they were pursued by some warlike Malayan sailors. This place has been called “Ilong” an adoption based obviously on the name of the Ilongot tribe.Other stories, however, had claimed that Hilongos is a corruption of the words “ilong and lomos”, the later referring to the frequent drownings at the nearby Salog river.It was sometime in the 12th century when Hilongos become highly popular. Amahawin, a powerful barangay chieftain, conquered the neighboring barangays, thereby extending his territory to what is now the towns of Inopacan, Hindang, Bato and Matalom.

     

     At present, Hilongos anticipates to deal with new opportunities, new challenges as it recognizes its lofty position in this southwestern part of Leyte being the fastest growing municipality in terms of income and population. Hilongos will face the challenge with a vision – A development-oriented government working hand-in-hand with the residents to produce justly distibuted improvements in the quality of life of all.

 *******End******    p.s. the next posts will reveal what beauty this town possesses

i wanna be a billionaire...

"Is living as a billionaire something to be jealous of??"

we are born to live in this world to share the gifts that we possess....but we are meant to live for so much more than to just show these things...

Every morning, as i go to school, I pass by many children- homeless, with empty stomach and missing parents. Every face i see- I pity , for this kind of situation is inhumane. Day by day,I want to accuse the government for this scenario that I know is not only happening in our place but also in other parts of the Philippines. I want to offer help but what can I do, I am but a student, who only depends on my parents to survive. So I ponder and come to realize that I am lucky to have my parents and to have  been raised with such love and values and being sent to school with a full stomach. I now see the reality that one  should not envy being a billionaire as long as he or she lives a happy and meaningful life.

                                                                           -Me_jean