CalacAtchara Festival 2012: It’s more fun in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines - “Calaca” is a Mexican term for skeleton and in Guatemala, it is related to death as represented by the figure of a bare skeleton.

But in Batangas, Calaca is known as a festive town that attracts tourists from all over the country during its annual CalacAtchara Festival.

CalacAtchara was derived from “Calaca” and “atchara,” the town’s main product made of pickled raw papaya usually garnished with carrot and red bell pepper. The festival started in 2004 as a brainchild of Sofronio “Nas” Ona Jr. during his first term as town mayor with the purpose of promoting “Atcharang Calaca” which had gone unpopular for a while because of outdated processing procedures and perhaps, the lack of promotion by the town’s stakeholders.

Today, “Atcharang Calaca” is the festival’s central idea that facilitated and reclaimed its rightful place in the market – a world-renowned appetizer ideal as a gift or “pasalubong” for visitors and friends.

The 10-day festivities usually start on Oct. 15 with varied activities until Oct. 24, the feast of the town’s patron saint, St. Raphael the Archangel.

The feast of St. Raphael was included in the Roman calendar in 1921. With the reform of the Roman Catholic Church of Saints in 1969, it was moved to Sept. 29 for celebration together with Saints Michael and Gabriel. As patron saint of the town, the feast day remained celebrated every Oct. 24.

The event is started with the Caracol de San Rafael, a fluvial parade, and this year, was concluded on Oct. 24 with the Grand Concert Mayors’ Night with other activities in between like the Senior Citizens’ Night, Clean and Green Most Decorated Poblacion Barangay search, trade fair and photo exhibit, body painting, street dancing competition, and the Bb. Calaca Coronation Night, to name a few.

Among these activities, the street and court dancing competitions drew the most crowds, as these highlighted the festival.

Different public and private elementary and secondary schools showcased their talent and grand exhibit of props depicting Calacan culture in the street dancing competition on Oct. 21 at the New Activity Site adjacent to the new municipal building.

Twenty-five elementary and five secondary schools competed in their respective categories with Calantas Elementary School hailed as champion in the elementary level.

Meanwhile, the Batangas Province Science High School gave a performance that wowed the crowd and set the all-time winner, Dacanlao Gregorio Agoncillo National High School (DGANHS), praying for the title. However, DGANHS emerged the winner and will be the representative in the upcoming Aliwan Festival, the festival of all Philippine festivals. – Genalyn Pantoja-Rubian, Sophia Alexandra Furagganan