SUBSCRIBEInfanta flagellant-penitents, 1
Infanta is balmy and refreshing with its long coastline and beautiful blue beaches that the long and drawing ride from Makati to Siniloan via Sta. Cruz on public transport, taking almost 6 hours to negotiate is easily forgotten. Of course, there’s the shorter ride via Rizal but I opted to take the latter. The familiar smell of the sea and its salty breeze hits you instantly as the jeepney I took, full with passengers ranging from beach worshipers looking forward to a long weekend to travellers hoping to catch the last trip to Polillo Is., to townsfolk from Mauban and Infanta returning to their hometowns from Manila or tending business in Laguna in time for the important last days of Holy Week.
I came to this westerly town in the upper reaches of Quezon province, crossing the Sierra Madre to witness and document the flagellant-penitents. Unlike what one sees in most of Metro Manila and Central Luzon, those in Laguna wear skirts of dried banana leaves (but unfortunately, as what I saw in the Laguna towns like Pakil, Siniloan and Kalayaan, this practice is slowly disappearing). The ones in Infanta goes further: besides wearing these skirts, a floral headdress is donned, a stunning visual indeed!
