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==[[Marinduque News]]==
==[[Marinduque News]]==
'''Moriones Festival draws crowd'''
'''Marinduque Netizens frown upon Mindoro Moriones'''
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R04B&article=1851333766680
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/173607/marinduque-netizens-frown-upon-mindoro-moriones
*Saturday 7th of April 2012
*12:47 am | Monday, April 9th, 2012
:by (Mayda N. Lagran & Lanie Bolina-Ronquillo/PIA4-B/MARINDUQUE)
:by   Gerald Gene R. Querubin
Inquirer Southern Luzon




BOAC, Marinduque, April 7 (PIA) -- Tourists and local folks flocked the streets leading to the Moriones Arena in Boac, Marinduque where they witnessed the traditional Lenten celebration of this year’s Moriones Festival.
SANTA CRUZ, Marinduque—Local social network users are frowning at a neighboring province’s version of Moriones Festival, fearing it might eclipse the original festivities being held on the island.
 
In a tradition practiced yearly for over a century in Marinduque, men and women called Morions parade around the six towns of the province during Holy Week, dressed in colorful costumes—a parody of the Roman soldiers during the time of Christ.
Morion-costumed folks of Marinduque started to play their roles as the Moriones Festival commenced on Holy Monday at the venue, preceded by a Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Rey Evangelista of the Diocese of Marinduque.
For the Morions, the act of penance, thanksgiving or self-cleansing means enduring the hot costumes, hunger and thirst during the long walk around town. After a long, humid day, they join the early evening religious procession on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday.
 
In Pola, Pinamalayan and several other towns in Oriental Mindoro, four hours away by boat from Gasan town in Marinduque, programs showcasing a similar Lenten show are being aggressively promoted every Holy Week.
Community parade around the town followed, where participants wore caftans, turbans and sandals, similar to those worn in Jerusalem during Christ’s time. There were carriages which had Roman centurion characters.
In 2005, then Pinamalayan Mayor Aristeo Baldos called the festival “Centuriones” to make it distinct from the Moriones.
 
Gerry Jamilla, the Marinduque tourism officer, said Pola and Pinamalayan had been holding contests offering big prizes for the Morion participants. “The big amount of monetary prizes had lured numerous Morions from Marinduque to join the contests there,” he said.
Marinduque governor Carmencita O. Reyes led the parade along with provincial and national government officials and employees, members of the academe and joined by the community. The Mogpog Brass Band added a festive mood as they played their drums with the Lyre and Buggle Corps.  
The two municipalities in Mindoro have included the festival in their tourism come-ons and even allocated funds as prizes for the costume competition. Local officials have said that making the tradition a “little commercialized” would attract more visitors and provide incentives to participants for their sacrifices.
 
Moriones identity
After the parade, Bishop Evangelista blessed the Bagsakan Center, which exhibited Marinduque’s agri products that were organically grown. The products include bananas, tomatoes, bittergourd, squash, beans, watermelon, lettuce and strawberries. According to the provinvial agriculturist, they recently discovered that Bgy. Sibuyao Torrijos in Marinduque is the only area in MIMAROPA that is conducive to grow strawberries and lettuce, as its climate is similar to Baguio City.  
Pipo Nepomuceno, administrator of the Facebook group Marinduqueño Mandin, which has close to 4,500 members, said Mindoro’s version “put in jeopardy” the identity of Marinduque as the tradition’s origin.
 
“Imagine a tourism advertisement of Mindoro with our Morions as its highlight? [Or worse] an ad of the Department of Tourism with Mindoro likewise having Morions or centurions,” he said.
There was another trade expo area that was inaugurated during the Holy Week, the Pasalubong Village. The event started with Bishop Rey blessing the stalls, which was followed by an opening program that was hosted by former Torrijos Vice Mayor John Fernandez and Mrs. Susan Borode of the Provincial Agriculture Office. Among those who graced the program were Boac Mayor Roberto M. Madla, Provincial Tourism Officer, Dindo Asuncion, Chief of Sta. Cruz Hospital and President Marinduque Camber of Commerce, Dr. Romulo Bacuro, and Bgy. Councilor, Josephine Concepcion. Department of Tourism Director Carlito Fabalena, Deputy Administrator of NAMRIA Linda Papa.  
Kasa Marin wrote that Mindoro should refrain from copying the Moriones and should establish a different event that would promote Mindoro’s own identity.
 
Some members of the social network group, however, believe Marinduqueños should not be threatened by the Centuriones of Mindoro. “The vow (of the Morions) can be done anywhere—the originality should not be a debate here,” said Russel David.
This year’s celebration emphasized the common objective of the local government and the church, which is to bring Moriones tradition back to its roots or origin –a Lenten spiritual event and not just festivities.
What should be done is to improve the political and tourism problems in Marinduque, he said. “We are a small province, and yet we are divided in some issues. People get confused.”
Danilo Mandia, a Marinduqueño who works as a dubbing director at ABS-CBN, said stakeholders should go back to the roots of the tradition to preserve and promote the Moriones.
“Moriones is street theater. It is now a lost art. We should bring back the essence of Moriones before when the masked penitents ruled our streets. It was the reason tourists came here in droves then,” he said.


==[[:Category:Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery|Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==
==[[:Category:Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery|Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==
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