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Mamuad, Vina Michelle A. ES22FA3

Creating a High Performance Culture

No one seems entirely sure just how many fiestas & festivities there are in the Philippines.

In Metro Manila alone, are there a slew of religious & secular festivities that not only provide the

perfect occassion for feasting & fellowship, but also showcase Filipino culture & tradition to further

promote Metro Manila as a prime tourist destination.

Every year, the number of devotees in the procession during the feast of the Black Nazarene

of Quiapo is growing. As of last year, the count was estimated at more than 100,000 that swelled

into 2.6 million when more devotees from all walks of life joined at various points in the 4.7 km.

route around Quiapo Church. The devotees come to take part in what used to be an all-male

procession where they will pull the rope attached to the carriage of the image of the Black

Nazarene, an act of supplication to receive mercy & help in the daily struggles of existence: prayers

for healing, financial blessings, protection, peace, & forgiveness for various sins. Even if their

prayers have already been answered, the loyal devotees return year after year to repeat the

immersing mystical experience, to be touched once again by the Saviour, even if they are the ones

doing the touching upon the miraculous image. The Black Nazarene, known to devotees asNuestro

Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo (Our Father Jesus Nazarene of Quiapo) is a life-sized, dark-

colored wooden sculpture of the kneeling Christ, believed to be miraculous by Filipino devotees,

enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila. Veneration of the Black

Nazarene stems from the importance accorded by Filipinos to the Passion of Christ. Devotees

identify their poverty and daily struggles with the weight of the cross, the wounds, the excruciating

pains, & tribulations suffered by the Redeemer on His way to crucifixion. The procession, usually

lasting from eight to 10 hours or even more, is to some people, a pathetic manifestation of religious

fanatism resulting in injuries & death among participants. But for the sincere devotees, however, the

physical sufferings endured during the procession are all forgotten afterwards. All the heaviness &

negative vibes disappear like a mist. More so, the devotees experience life-long protection & favor

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for themselves & their family. During the procession, one bears heat, sweating, thirst, hunger,

weakness, fatigue, impatience, & despair over the extremely slow movement- it takes so many

minutes just to advance forward, it is much a torture of the body & soul. But why go through all

these? Because of the rewards- patience, cleansing, purification, pure love! Why would other people

deny all these to sincere believer, to the simple man who only seeks to be holy in the humble

manner he can understand at the moment? Each of us is created by God as a unique individual. God

speaks to each of us in different ways. We worship & believe in various manners.

And today, we may have entered the threshold of an ethical breakdown beyond our capacity

to control. The more dilemmas facing us are so varied, complex, & interrelated, foremost of which

are: (1) States, big & small, perpetrate human rights violations through militaristic rule (2) the poor,

elders, & the terminally ill are considered unproductive sectors (3) industries thrive while causing

pollution, even as the earths basic resources of air, water, & energy are slowly depleted (4) drug,

human, & organ trafficking point to criminality at its highest scale (5) higher rates in divorces, more

family breakdowns, gay & lesbian relationships create deep anxieties & concern (6) suicide

bombings continue to foment widespread fear & insecurity. But the strong leadership &

participation for change have yet to be felt. Destiny is in our hands, but there seems to be too much

to change & so little time to do it.