The Santuario de San Antonio held its traditional Buling-Buling festivity last March 4, 2014, Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It is uncertain whether this Buling- Buling is patterned after the BB dance which honors the Sto. Niño in Pandacan, Manila or the Ati-Atihan festival in Kalibo, Aklan. In the latter, barrio-folks dressed in colorful tribal costumes and covered with charcoal marks and soot (buling in the vernacular) parade through the streets of Kalibo, honoring the Sto. Niño.
What is certain though is that the celebration of Buling-Buling in the past was participated in mostly only by the Youth of San Antonio. However, during the term of Joey Soriano as PPC president and every year thereafter, Buling-Buling has become a parish activity where all the different ministries join hands in presenting a program of songs and dances and offering a variety of food for the parishioners. It is a night of revelry and merry- making as it precedes Ash Wednesday, the start of the somber and solemn season of Lent. The theme for this year’s Buling- Buling was “Bayanihan, Haranahan at Sayawan.” It started with the celebration of the Eucharist presided by Fr. Joel Sulse, OFM and ended with the burning of the blessed palms from last year’s Palm Sunday celebration. The ashes were then used for distribution the following day, Ash Wednesday.
The pictures (and video) will show the different ministries who tried to outdo each other in their performances. The friars even joined some of the dances. Two awards were given for best costume, to Ms. Africa Reynoso, 96 years old in a Filipino costume and to Massimo Diego L. Eviota, 7 years old in an Igorot costume.
Our sincere gratitude goes to the different sponsors that evening: to Burger Avenue at the Fort, BMW, Melo’s Restaurant & Mateo’s Kitchen, 30fps Video, Silom Thai Restaurant and Veridian in Greenhills by Ortigas & Co.
Santuario de San Antonio Parish 