Pagtaltal sa Guimaras shifts from stage play to street presentation
Pilgrims in the yearly Ang Pagtaltal sa Jordan will experience a new kind Christ Passion and Death on the Cross this year as the stage play inspired by the Seven Last Words is transformed into a street play. This year, the presentation is dubbed as “Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid” which culminates at Balaan Bukid.
The presentation of Christ’s life, trials, sufferings, crucifixion and death evolved from stage play to street play. The play is scheduled every Good Friday. This is to maximize the involvement of all stakeholders and create related activity particularly in providing livelihood to the locals, said Ma. Mariza Descutido, a member of the Pagtaltal sa Bala-an Bukid Foundation.
Unlike in previous years where the Lenten play centered at the hilly side of Teodoro Rizal in Jordan, the different scenes in the life, death and passion of Jesus Christ is situated in different areas of the municipality with the Balaan Bukid as the site of the Crucifixion.
The 2009 Pagtaltal is a joint Lenten activity of the province of Guimaras, municipality of Jordan, San Juan Bautista Parish, Department of Tourism 6 and Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Foundation Inc. It will take a 3-kilometer walk to experience Christ Crucifixion. Ang Pagtaltal sa Guimaras is once called as the Golgotha of the Philippines.
In the plan, the play will start at the plaza of the Jordan, which is considered as the smallest plaza. The scene of the Triumphant approach of Jesus to Jerusalem and when Jesus went to the temple until the part where Judas agrees to betray Jesus (plot against Jesus) will be held in front of the town’s municipal hall building.
The Last Supper is at the crossing Tico, Jesus prays at the Gethsemane and arrest of Jesus (Pihak Suba) while the scene where Jesus was brought before the council is at the Roro wharf. The scene where Jesus is taken before Pontius Pilate, Jesus sent to Herod and Jesus is sentenced to death is in Lagbas Point.
And the part where Jesus is mocked and beaten and way to Calvary is at the First Station of the Balaan Bukid. The repentance of Judas, Crucifixion and death of Jesus is also set at Bubog. The pieta scene is at the Balaan Bukid Shrine.
The innovation is made on the Lenten presentation which already gathered crowd from both local and foreign tourists is decided to promote Balaan Bukid. There are tourists who trekked to the Balaan Bukid during Holy Week. They do not have to go down to witness the Lenten play, said Jordan Mayor Cresente Chavez Jr.
Gov. Felipe Nava said the innovation on the manner of presentation as well as the site of the Lenten presentation is meant for the people to experience the real essence of Christ’s Passion and Death on the Cross.
Nava said the people already get used on the kind of presentation the province is offering. The innovation is made without sacrificing the spiritual aspect of the activity. The Balaan Bukid is also a significant place.
The Balaan Bukid will not be called as Balaan for nothing and without significance on Catholic faith. Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid is something new. The Pagtaltal which is already on the 33rd year is one-way of pushing the activity as major Lenten festival for region, said Nava.