The Filipinos are known for their religious fervor, evident in the fiestas dedicated to patronal saints, where they put their best foot—and food—forward to celebrate them.
But in recent years, a new fiesta has taken shape to pay homage not to a territorial patron, but to the birth of the First Philippine Republic, which is the culmination of the country’s libertarian ideals, which started with the 1896 Revolution.
The so-called Malolos Republic was the fruition of the Malolos Congress convened by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in September 1898 to frame a constitution and democratic institution, which will be the first of its kind in Asia. It can be recalled that a few months earlier, he proclaimed independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite, after defeating much of the colonial forces.
So, when the Republic was inaugurated on January 23, 1899, at Barasoain Church, the jubilant Filipinos threw a feast of pomp and pageantry, much like they would do in a typical patronal fiesta. But this auspicious event lost its luster over time, overshadowed by the grandiose national observance of the Independence Day and the Araw ng Kagitingan, which are among the country’s official holidays.
To immortalize this momentous event, the city government of Malolos, led by Mayor Christian Natividad, hatched the Fiesta Republica in 2010, which will bring back the spotlight to the Republic, and educate the Filipinos about our forefathers’ vision for the nation.
“We have fiestas and festivals for nearly every religious and cultural significance, but why aren’t we celebrating the very first Philippine Republic, which was founded here in Malolos?” Natividad asks.
He noted that it was only on the said date that we were finally able to establish a Filipino-led government, which rightfully deserves to be the country’s “other” Independence Day, just like in other republican nations.
“We were the first one to establish a Constitution in Asia and it was a milestone we all achieved as a nation. It was where our all the other fundamental rights and privileges that we enjoy today—our bill of rights and the freedom of the press, for example—emanated, so why are we not giving this date the same reverence that we’re giving to June 12, or the Araw ng Kagitingan?” he enthused.
In 2013 the city’s initiative led to a presidential proclamation, declaring January 23 as Araw ng Republikang Filipino 1889, which made it a holiday in the Bulacan province. From a yearly ceremonial event, the commemorative events have since become a monthlong festivity. But Natividad and his Bulakeño kababayan are pushing the envelope further to have the date proclaimed by Congress as a national holiday.
The locus of the fiesta is the Parada ng Republika from the Malolos Basilica, passing through Barasoain Church, and concludes at the Sports and Convention Center for the Dulansangan, a street dance-drama depicting the historic events leading to the formation of the Republic.
During these times, locals also make it a point to recreate the fancied French-sounding dishes the delegates of the Malolos Congress feasted on during its inaugural session on September 29. Wonderfully designed by Arcadio Arellano, the 1898 menu is in the form of a Philippine flag containing a complete meal, from appetizers to liquors, and which historians and culinary experts interpret to be a coming of age for the freedom fighters who are on a par with the world’s best.
While the dishes definitely sounds grander in French, the food is just basically a glorified version of what the middle-class Filipinos were already eating at that time, with a few added ingredients and elements to make it more glamorous.
Meanwhile, the Pasiklaban ng mga Banda tilt showcased the city’s unique brass-band tradition, and provided a jovial atmosphere with their lilting marches and martial music as they paraded in their colorful regalia, led by the eye-candy majorettes.
Fringe events included Kalutong Malolos, which showcases the rich variety in its cuisine through a culinary contest, and Hataw sa Sining, which rekindles the artistic prowess of Malolenyos in performance arts with dance and music competitions.
As part of its sports tourism thrust, cyclists and bike enthusiasts were invited to the Malolos Bike Festival, which toured the quaint streets of the city.
Heritage town
Aside from the iconic Barasoain Church popularized in our P10 bill, Malolos is a proud host to an antiquarian heritage district, the Kamestizuhan, whose ilustrado abodes became the temporary offices of the Republic’s newly organized Cabinet. Many of these houses are in good shape and have become so-called living museums, among them the Antonio Bautista, Tansojuy and Cojuangco mansions.
Meanwhile, other Spanish bahay na bato of prominent families have found adaptive reuse as offices and shops.
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic diocese in Bulacan and one of the country’s basilicas, became Aguinaldo’s presidential office and discussed the affairs of the new state under a tell-tale acacia tree.
A noted historical landmark in the town proper is Casa Real Shrine, the colonial-era presidencia or municipal hall of Malolos, which later became the National Treasury and printing press of the revolutionary newspapers La Independencia and El Heraldo dela Revolucion.
For a complete picture of the cultural heritage of Malolos, the local tourism office has mapped a tour circuit, which takes visitors to its points of interest, including the coastal fishery areas, crafts and age-old delicacies and kakanin, interspersed with historical and apocryphal narratives, age-old chismis and old wives tales, which make the visit more intriguing.
Fiesta or not, Malolos in itself is definitely a feast for the senses worth coming home to.