Ariba Salibanda!

By:
Lorrianne Aryenz Valdecantos

Apart from being a strict-religious town, the people of Paete, Laguna also go extra miles to show to off their traditions.

Hidden at the foot of the mighty mountain range of Sierra Madre, with a river running through the center of the town to the mouth of Laguna de Bay, Paete is a spectacle to behold. It is quite quaint, touched by modern times but the roots of the past still engraved on the streets.

Every January, the whole town, clad in red, will parade throughout the whole town, carrying a statue of the young Jesus Christ, or the Santo Niño, drenched in water. This celebration is called the ‘Salibanda’

People from other towns will flock Paete for a chance to join Salibanda. It is a joyous occasion, the town will be closed for the day, and the river filled to the brim using filters. The town’s firetruck will be on standby not for fires but to hose the people down once the procession of Santo Nino passed by their area. The dress code is clear: WEAR EVERY RED YOU HAVE IN YOUR CLOSET. Some even paint their faces red with lipsticks.

The town is prepped, the river filled, red banners hang from every house and post, the whole town busy. The brass bands are on standby. It is also worth mentioning that in Paete, almost every celebration starts with a mass. It starts with a mass for gratitude and giving thanks, then the procession will commence.

People knew better than to step outside with their phones and gadgets not clad in plastic bags for no one will be spared. If you get splashed with water or thrown off the river, you cannot get mad. Children were equipped with water guns, houses have their ‘timba’ and drums filling up ready to go. The freezing January air and the fresh water from the mountains is not really a cozy combination but all of that forgotten for this one day.

It is one of the best days in Paete. People are really bonding, everyone is on the streets, it might come as a surprise to some but, Salibanda is the one day of the year where there is no religion barrier between the people. All are welcome to join.

As per the town seniors, Salibanda started when one day, the fishermen on Laguna de Bay came across a floating statue of the Santo Niño. They tried to get the statue on their boats but it is too heavy for the fishermen to lift. After some time, they decided to pray and chant to the Niño and miraculously, it became light enough for them to lift. When they reached the shore, they paraded it through town and ever since, the Niño blessed the town with ample fishes to catch and some even say that the Niño protects Paete from floods.

Though most do not dwell on that fading legend, it is safe to say that Salibanda is here to stay. Paeteños are keen on utilizing social media to promote their traditions and instead of it dying down, Salibanda is more flourishing than ever.