Filipinos celebrate Belgian fiesta 'Pinoy style'

By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 03/05/2009 12:16 PM

Filipinos joined the biggest fiesta celebration in Belgium held every year in the Eastern Flemish town of Aalst.

Filipino residents played hosts. This culture of hospitality is one of the traits that Pinoys brought with them to Europe.

Whenever there is a fiesta, there certainly is a banquet of food.

That's why during the recent fiesta in Aalst, Pinoy residents there prepared sumptuous feasts to celebrate.

"Simpleng salu-salo para lang mairaos ang piyesta dito sa Aalst sa Belgium. Katulad din sa Pilipinas pag piyesta, ganun din dito," hospital worker Bobot Pasos said.

There was an abundant supply of food and non-stop invitations to drop by every Filipino home.Native dishes such as the kare-kare, pancit, dinuguan and puto were served as well as favorite desserts like ube, cassava and buko pandan.

The celebration had become an avenue for families, relatives and friends to get together to lessen the feeling of homesickness among Filipinos.

"Ginagawa namin itong lugar na aming bahay na open para sa kapwa namin Filipinong bumisita dito. Parang sa Pilipinas, bukas ang pintuan, kahit sino ay welcome," said embassy driver Bong Medrano.

After the very heavy lunch, the Pinoys put on their heavy jackets to withstand the cold weather and endure the six-hour parade.

From 12:30 p.m., the streets of Aalst came alive with color and loud music from the traditional parade participated by more than 70 participants.

The fiesta is a three-day extravaganza to give residents time to take off from their work to celebrate the occasion.

"Eto ang pinakamalaking piyesta dito sa Belgium na dito ginaganap sa Aalst," said Merly Pasos.

The colorful and spectacular procession displayed unique giant caricatures on floats.

Marchers wore elaborate costumes and marched in choreographed movement.

Majority of those who took part in the parade were men in women's costumes.

A lot of spectators, including Filipinos, wore costumes.

Supermarket worker Doming Solo wore a costume to watch the parade every year because he feels that it is also important to join in the Belgian celebrations.

"Nae-engganyo ka na sumali ka sa ganito dahil masaya. Kasiyahan ng nanonood at kasiyahan din ng mga bata," Solo said.

The fiesta is a signal that winter is almost over and that spring is coming.

For Pinoys, a fiesta is a time to display a few good traits distinctly Filipino like hospitality, generosity, camaraderie and goodwill.

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/03/05/09/filipinos-celebrate-belgian-fiesta-pinoy-style