MACABEBE, Pampanga—The first Santero Festival was held to celebrate the 443rd founding anniversary of this town on January 17.
Macabebe, one of the oldest towns in Pampanga, is home to the Santeros, craftsmen who use wood, ivory, cement or fiberglass to produce an ecclesiastical art piece known as santo, usually an image of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary or patron saints.
Macabebe Tourism Officer Catherine Flores said other residents of Barangays San Gabriel, Santo Rosario, San Roque and Santa Maria benefit from the ecclesiastical art-making industry. They make eyelashes, clothes and hair of the santo. Most of the Santeros are based in San Gabriel.
Gener Bautista, a 70-year-old Santero, said he had inherited from his parents and grandparents the skills in making the holy images. He said he was able to send all his seven children to college working as a Santero.
Bautista said an image costs between P5,000 and P150,000. The most expensive stands about 5 feet tall.
He said some of his works were sent to Los Angeles, other states in the United States and Guam.
Macabebe Mayor Annette Flores-Balgan said the Spanish colonizers played a huge role in influencing the first Santeros of the town. They brought to Macabebe holy images from Spain.
“At first, the Santeros were only making ‘Santos’ for their own. Later, it became an industry,” Balgan said.
“How can you love your own town if you don’t know its history?” she added to explain the holding of the festival.
Eight schools—Colegio de San Lorenzo, Santa Maria High School, San Esteban High School, San Nicolas Academy, Telacsan N ational High School, Caduang Tete High School, SV-SF High School and Macabebe High School—joined the street dancing and free interpretation competitions. Perlita Calara and Conrad Gueverra were the dance choreographers.
“The steps are based on the making of the holy images,” Calara said.
She added Macabebe National High School was adjudged the overall champion and Santa Maria High School was named first runner-up.
Image credits: Ric Gonzales