Highlights of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran's Santacruzan 2015

It was a sight to behold at the St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral a few days ago. In fact, it was more than enough to dispel the searing heat & the humidity. 

A bevy of lovely sagalas in Filipiniana terno and in costumes based on Biblical characters was getting ready for the colorful yet solemn procession that was to follow the holy mass that honored Blessed Virgin Mary.

 ROTARY’S TRES MARIAS: Mayelle, Gen & Angie

It was the highly- anticipated Rotary Santacruzan, the annual fundraiser of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran and based on a beautiful traditional religious activity that celebrates the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helen, the mother of Constantine the Great.

 Floral offering for Mama Mary

NIGHT WITH THE QUEENS

  Photo Credits: Kenny June Requeron

The affair wrapped up later in the evening with the dazzling parade of civic- minded ladies that were composed of beauty queens, socialites, debutantes & philanthropists and was capped with the spectacular Coronation Ball held at the Bohol Cultural Center.

THIS YEAR’S SANTACRUZAN QUEENS

 Pres. Elect Mildred Kascher, Bohol First Lady Pureza Chatto, Gov. Edgar Chatto & Club Pres. Nerio Zamora IIRotarian Gen Jamisola is Reyna Emperatriz 2015

The fabulous & elegant Rtn. Genevieve Jamisola who reigned supreme that evening was crowned Reina Emperatriz by Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto & First Lady Pureza Chatto. Presenting the floral bouquet & certificates were Club President Nerio Zamora II and Pres. Elect Mildred Kascher

  reigning Miss Bohol 2014  Queenie Melody Fullante
Reyna Elena 2015 

   Lady Jane Cajes crowns Queenie while Mayor Baba Yap smiles 

Reigning Miss Bohol 2014 Queenie Melody Fullante who was escorted by Principe Constantino Lucas Ervin Gulle was crowned Reyna Elena by City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II, a Rotarian himself, and First Lady Jane Cajes-Yap. Assistant Governor Victor Bantol, President and Resident Manager of Bohol Limestone Corporation presented the certificate while PASG, PP, and Current Executive Secretary Louella Bantol handed the floral bouquet.

 PP Angelina Vidas Hoffman  exudes charm & femininity

Queen of May 2015

PP Angelina Vidas Hoffman was crowned the Queen of May for embodying the traditional feminine qualities by RC Tagbilaran Vice-President Rey Collin Jubac and PP Cynthia Pedralba. Perfect for the title for May is the most beautiful month of the year & the time when all the flowers are in full bloom 

  Rtn. & JCI Bohol Chocolate Hills Pres. Mayelle Jubac
Reyna de los Flores

Rtn. & JCI Bohol Chocolate Hills President Ma. Eva Eleanor Jubac who looked ultra feminine in her evening gown was fittingly crowned as Reyna de las Flores with a floral coronet. The floral coronet, bouquet & certificate were presented by PN Tony Maquindang & Rtn. Georgina Maquindang.

PE Mildred Kascher, Mrs. Cynthia Chua & PP Peter Chua Jr, Chair of the Council of Past Presidents

crowns Rtn. Isabelita "Lalay" Omac as  Reina del Mundo 2015

Rtn. Isabelita “Lalay” Omac was crowned Reyna del Mundo by the Chair of the Council of Past Presidents PP Peter Chua Jr. and spouse Cynthia Chua

PROMISING PRIMA BALLERINAS

A delightful and a pleasant surprise in the evening was the special participation of Jagna Ballet Center dance students who dazzled everyone including Your Blogger with a set of classic ballet dances. 

  Santacruzan  Project Chair PASG, PP & Exec Sec Rtn. Baby Bantol

CHEERS TO THE ROTARY 

 REGAL ROTARIANS: Baby Bantol, Lalay Omac, Gen Jamisola, Angie Hoffman,
Mayelle Jubac, Josephine Cayanong & Irena Heberer

Kudos to Club President Nerio “Butchie” Zamora, to Past Sr. Assistant Governor Baby Louella Bantol, Santacruzan Project Chair for the successful event & to the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran for the successful staging of the event. Proceeds will fund the club's service  projects for RY 2015 -2016

  Club Pres. Nerio Zamora II & Jun Pedralba

Special mention to Project Co- Chair President- Elect Mildred Kascher & Committee Members Club Auditor Darlene Bustrillos, Rtn. Josephine Cayanong, PP Irena Heberer & PP Cynthia Pedralba

  Rtn. Sarena Cabagnot & kids  support

Ate Dyza Saco, Reyna delas Estrellas

Your Blogger hosted the event

Formal Outfit: Budz & Bagz 

Thanks also to Club secretary Rtn. John Maraguinot for the details

Related Story: What's the Difference Between the Santacruzan & the Flores de Mayo?

 Santacruzan  Video Highlights by Boris Heberer

 Photo Credits: BabaYap FB Page, Irena Heberer

The Difference between Santacruzan & Flores de Mayo

With the staging of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran's Santacruzan 2015   last Thursday,May 21, everyone started talking about the Santacruzan and the Flores de Mayo which eventually led to people asking whether they are one and the same.  

THE SANTACRUZAN is a novena procession commemorating St. Helena’s (Elena) mythical finding of the cross. St.  One of the most colorful May-time festivals in the Philippines which represent the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, the Santacruzan is a popular religious-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns and even small villages throughout the Philippines and culminates with a procession at the end of the Flores de Mayo celebration in May. 

The term "Santacruzan" comes from the Spanish words for "holy" ("santa") and "cross" ("cruz"). Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great.  

 Reyna Emperatriz is Rtn. Gen Jamisola

The festivity celebrates the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reina Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine.  

According to legends, 300 years after the death of Christ, at the age of 75, she went to Calvary to conduct a search for the Cross. Eventually, she found the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and after bringing it back to Rome, there were celebrations & merrymaking everywhere for thanksgiving.

Floral offering for Mama Mary

St. Helena’s feast day falls on August 8 but the finding of the Cross is marked every third day of May. In the Philippines, this celebration is movable and usually takes place during the last days of May.  

 Methusela leads the Santacruzan procession

The Santacruzan is a procession that differs from most other religious processions in that it does not parade images of patron saints. Instead, there is a procession of local maidens who are dressed in Filipiniana ternos or in appropriate costumes based on Biblical & historical characters and carrying the symbols based on their sagala titles.  

These maidens are usually selected for their beauty and for their social standing in the community. It is said that the highest compliment that a lady or her family (by extension)  can receive in the community is to be invited by civic clubs & the church to be a sagala

THE FLORES DE MAYO on the other hand, is a Catholic festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. It lasts for a month, and is held in honor of the Virgin Mary. Every day in the whole month of May, prayers and flowers are being offered to Mama Mary in barangay or towns’ “kapilya” or chapel. 

There are also some areas in our province where a form of entertainment is conducted after the praying of the Holy Rosary and flower offering. This form of entertainment is composed of presentations from local folks particularly by kids who usually prepare song and dance numbers and present these during such activities. There is an hermano mayor who will take charge of the food to be distributed to all.

Regardless of the differences, both the Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo which are affirmations of Filipinos strong devotion to Mama Mary are legacies bequeathed by the Spaniards some 300 years ago and has since become part of Filipino traditional religious activities for Filipinos. 

Both should be preserved, respected and honored for what they were originally meant to be: an expression of respect & adoration for Mama Mary & a reflection of Filipinos' deep spirituality and strong faith in God.  

Photo Credits: BabaYap FB Page, Irena Heberer

The Merry Month of May

 The month of May is the merriest and the most beautiful month of the year. And with reason.  It is the time of the year when flowers and fragrant blossoms are in full bloom, It is also the season for the most colorful of all festivals and every week, a major beauty pageant takes place every week in our province.

 reigning Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2015 Eda Cimafranca


 

Here in Bohol, May is the most popular month for fiesta celebrations with Tagbilaran City ushering the fiesta season on May 1. In fact, there is a fiesta almost every day for the whole month of May. 

It is said that one can never go hungry during the entire month for as longas one is familiar with the fiesta dates in all sitios, puroks, barangays & towns. On the other hand, with the staging of the Santacruzan almost everywhere , it  is time me when we reluctantly bid adieu to summer and brace ourselves for the rainy months ahead.

Rotary Club of Tagbilaran Presents Santacruzan 2015

Aside from fiestas, what summer ever event is the merry month of May associated with?

Of course, for Flores de Mayo & the Santacruzan festivals which give homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Rtn. Metodio Maraguinot shared with Your Blogger that the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran under Club President Rtn. Nerio Zamora II, in cooperation with the Prov’l Govt. of Bohol, is mounting the 10^th edition of its annual Rotary Santacruzan tomorrow, May 21.

 HOLY MASS & PROCESSION

The city’s most glittering Maytime festival will start at 3 pm with a Holy Mass at St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral and followed by a colorful & solemn procession of lovely & socio- civic minded sagalas along the city’s main thoroughfares at 4:30 pm. 

A NIGHT WITH THE QUEENS

At 6 pm, the celebration will be capped with a glamorous Coronation Ball dubbed “A Night with the Queens”, Bohol Cultural Center

MEET THIS YEAR'S QUEENS:

Leading this year’s bevy of sagalas are PP Angelina Hoffman of Panglao Tropical Villas as Reyna de Mayo, reigning Miss Bohol 2015 Queenie May Fullante as Reyna Elena c/o Bohol Limestone Corp., Rtn. Genevieve Jamisola of Tarsier Travel & Tours as Reyna Emperatriz, Rtn. & JCI Bohol Chocolate Hills President Ma. Eva Eleanor Jubac as Reyna de las Flores

 Reyna Elena: Miss Bohol 2014 Queenie May Fullante 

 Reyna Emperatriz: Ms. Genevieve Jamisola

 Reyna de las Flores: Ms. Ma. Eva Eleanor Jubac 

Reyna de Mayo: Ms Angelina Hoffman  

SUPPORT THE ROTARY FUNDRAISER

According to Past Sr. Assistant Governor Baby Louella Bantol, Santacruzan Project Chair:

” For only P500, attendees will not only be treated to a night of glamour & entertainment plus a wide array of canapés and cocktails but will also be helping realize Rotary’s service projects for RY 2015 to 2016”

Project Co- Chair is President- Elect Mildred Kascher. Committee Members are Club Auditor Darlene Bustrillos, Rtn. Josephine Cayanong, PP Irena Heberer & PP Cynthia Pedralba.

Please text or call 0918 919 2688 for ticket inquiries.