In an emphatic manifestation of how people wanted to return to the normal ways of face-to-face interactions, almost all sectors of Murcia society yesterday joined in the launching of the 26th Tinabu-ay Festival with the theme “Bugay kag Bugana sa Murcia”.
The festival, which runs from December 5 to its highlight on December 8, saw the participation of all departments of the local government, local offices of national agencies, barangay officials and workers, schools, civic organizations, local clubs, businesses, farmers and producers, youth, LGBTQ and other sectors.
“We have suffered through two years of the pandemic, and we were also struck by Typhoon Odette and Typhoon Paeng, but we survived them all. The hardships of the past two years of the pandemic and the damage from the typhoons rekindled our relationship with God, and reminded of God’s importance in our lives,” said Mayor Gerry Rojas.
“We would not have survived without God’s love and grace. For this, we must thank Him for all the blessing and the guidance He bestowed on us, and we pray that He will grant us more blessing this coming Year 2023,” the mayor further said, as he also thanked all sectors of Murcia society for coming out in support of the Tinabu-ay Festival.
The day’s activities started with a solemn mass at the church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the town’s patroness whose feast is celebrated every December 8 as the highlight of Murcia’s fiesta.
With Rojas were Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura and all Sangguniang Bayan Members, who also joined the opening parade at the town’s major streets, the opening program, the opening of the Tindabu-ay Farmers and Producers Trade Fair and launching of the Farmers Day at the public plaza yesterday morning.
“Tindabu-ay is a play on the words ‘tinda’, which means ‘to sell or the market’ and ‘tinabu-ay’, which means ‘to meet or gather’. The Tindabu-ay Trade Fair is not merely an activity to honor farmers and producers, but it is also a venue to help our farmers sell their products. Without our farmers, all of us would not have any food to eat during the pandemic and up to now,” explained Murcia First Lady Berni Rojas.
Yesterday afternoon’s activities included the Zumba Pazkwa, the switching on of the “Stars of Hope Christmas Tree and Lights” at the plaza and the LGU Night.
Today marks Day 2 of the Tinabu-ay Festival, which features the Gift-Giving and Free Rides for Kids at the plaza, the Motocross and GoKart Races at Brgy. Blumentritt, Pahampang sa Murcia, boxing tournament and the LGBTQ Night’s “Runway Diva” show.
Wednesday’s activities are the Shootfest, Pinta Payong, 3rd District Cong. Kiko Benitez Day, Rap Battle featuring Negros rap artists and the Association of Barangay Captains and Sangguniang Kabataan Night.
Capping the four-day festivities on December 8 is the high mass at the Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church and Mass Wedding in the morning, followed in the afternoon by the Tinabu-ay Festival Street Dance and Dance Arena Competition, Fellowship and Awarding Ceremony and the Fireworks Display in the evening to close this year’s Tinabu-ay festivities.
“Come and visit Murcia! Experience for yourselves the blessings and abundance of our town,” said Mayor Rojas, as he invited Negrenses and tourists to witness and take part in the Tinabu-ay Festival.*
