The Bañamos Civic Parade: A march for visibility
An article done by: Alexander Delizo, Gerald Diola and Kyle Saldonido
Streets filled with students wearing ethnic clothing, civic groups promoting spine health, and organizations advocating polio vaccination – these can be found among the 13,000 people who flocked to the streets for the Bañamos Festival 2019 Civic Parade held last Tuesday, September 17.
“Ganito po talaga kami karami every year,” Member of the organizing committee Jammil Avellano said in an interview. “Sa order po ng participants, mauuna ‘yung mga government officials, followed by the sponsors, then our departments, schools, and various civic groups in Los Baños.”
Avellano mentioned that since government officials spend much time inside their offices, putting them at the front of the parade would give them more recognition. Meanwhile, civic groups, local businesses, and established corporations would advertise their products and advocacies.
For most people, the Civic Parade is a part of local tradition. For others, it’s about visibility.
Colegio de Los Baños (CDLB) Principal Ricardo L. Patalen hopes to instill this parade philosophy in his students. “CDLB supports the Bañamos Festival, and it’s our commitment to participate every year,” he shares. “First of all, we show the people of Los Baños how we walk, and it’s also an advertisement for our school.”
“We asked them to wear ethnic clothes which they used as costumes for their Dance Festival in school last week,” Patalen adds. “We also required them to join the parade, but it is not compulsory. It’s in the syntax. It’s their option to join. We want them to experience this, but again, it’s not compulsory.”
Meanwhile, a trailblazer of the Civic Parade, the Autism Society Philippines – Laguna Chapter advocates their cause through the yearly march. “Gusto naming ipaalam sa mga tao na may mga serbisyong available for them and nandito kami to help,” organization representative Mrs. Marivic Ramos said.
According to her, they use such occasions as avenues to forward their cause: letting people know that there is help for those with autism.
Not everyone attended the parade for the same purpose. Some claimed that they did not know why they were there, and that they joined because many people were parading.
A total of 112 groups participated in the Civic Parade. Included in the list of participating groups were LGBT Los Baños, Samahan ng mga Magkakambing sa Los Baños, Ahon sa Hirap Microfinance Inc., Solo Parent Federation of Los Baños, and many more. Also joining the parade were corporations such as Jollibee, KFC, and Banco de Oro (BDO).
The Civic Parade is one of the activities of the 18th Bañamos Festival, with the theme “Tagumpay ng Bayan ay Matatamasa ng Mamamayang Nagkakaisa”. The said festival celebrates the 404th foundation anniversary of the Los Baños municipality.
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