"THE FESTIVAL OF HARVEST AND BLESSINGS"

The Pahiyas Festival is a lively and colorful event where the whole town of Lucban participates in a thanksgiving celebration for a bountiful harvest. Pahiyas is held every year on May 15 in Lucban, Philippines located in Quezon Province, which is roughly a 4-5 hour drive from Manila, depending on traffic.

The festival is in honor of San Isidro. Legend has it that the fields were magically plowed whenever San Isidro Labrador (the patron saint of farmers, peasants, and laborers) went to church. There is more than enough festivities going on during Pahiyas to keep spectators occupied, like multiple parades, with the "gigantes" (giant papier-mâché figures representing the patron and his wife), floats, oxen, tribal dances, and fashion shows; as well as performances in the town's main square which lasts well into the night. A procession also marches onto the streets where the parish priest blesses the houses' harvest as they pass through.

Most of Lucban's houses are decorated with different kinds of fruits, vegetables, and "kiping" which are dried rice wafer shaped into leaves that's dyed in vibrant colors. Sun hats, woven baskets and papier-mâché are also used to decorate the houses. Families compete for the coveted title of the best decorated house. After the awards are handed out, the decorations are given away as free treats to the people. No decoration goes to waste, I was even able to buy a couple hats and baskets from one of the house displays.

Must do: Try pancit habhab, it's one of Lucban's local delicacies. It's sauteed miki noodles with vegetables, meat and shrimp, topped with some vinegar. It's served on a banana leaf and HAS to be eaten without utensils. They will not give you that option and you actually look like a fool if you try to use a fork (I made that mistake last Pahiyas and I still get made fun of).

It's impossible to leave Pahiyas hungry, you're more than likely to gain a few pounds while here. So I hope you get there with an empty stomach because it's considered an insult not to eat whatever your host feeds you (and they're very persistent about putting more food on your plate, regardless if you ask them to or not, that's the just the hospitality of the Philippines for you). Even if you feel that you have no more room in your stomach, that excuse simply won't work. I had to go on a major diet when I got home, but I don't regret it at all, the food was delicious!